Justice Department freezes 'first responder' funds

The Justice Department has frozen the awarding of $651 million in fiscal 2003 grants to states to pay for firefighters, police officers and emergency workers, according to a memo that Assistant Attorney General Deborah Daniels sent to department staff.

States have argued that they need the money to bolster anti-terrorism efforts, but the money has been frozen because Congress has not yet enacted most fiscal 2003 spending bills and the department is being funded under a stopgap measure set at fiscal 2002 funding levels.

"We regret the inconvenience," Daniels said in the memo posted Monday.

The White House had promised that states would receive $3.5 billion for emergency response, and House Democrats have criticized the administration for failing to provide that money. Bush administration officials had no immediate comment to the criticism.