Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ) pressed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for clarification on her department’s plans regarding the Nonprofit Security Grant Program — the funding of which is a key priority for the Jewish community — as the Trump administration considers cuts to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which manages the program. 

Kim and Noem engaged on the issue while the latter was testifying before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Tuesday. Kim, the top Democrat on the HSGAC subcommittee that oversees FEMA, urged Noem to ensure NSGP funding is not reduced or eliminated outright as part of President Donald Trump’s push to abolish FEMA, citing the program’s success in securing New Jersey synagogues amid rising antisemitism. 

“I think that there’s very strong bipartisanship here in Congress, especially the Senate, to protect the Nonprofit Security Grant Program. It is literally the best tool that people in New Jersey are telling me is needed to be able to counter antisemitism. I can’t tell you the number of synagogues and temples that are lined up to try to get this type of funding. In fact, you know, given the rise of antisemitism that we have in our country right now, we should be surging resources, not cutting,” Kim said. 

Noem replied that, “We definitely have seen the value in the program and are willing to discuss this with” senators interested in protecting NSGP funds. 

“I want to engage with you on this further because when we’re hearing this language about abolishing FEMA. One of the elements that people have raised the most concerns about is what does that mean for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program. I really do urge you to work with me and this committee to have a declarative stance on that so people, especially those concerned about antisemitism, can have clarity on what comes next,” Kim then said. 

FEMA began reimbursing NSGP recipients earlier this month following a more than two-month funding freeze at the agency, which caused an extended pause on the review of applications and the reimbursement of nonprofits already approved. The Trump administration faced public and private pressure to resume that funding during that time from a bipartisan chorus of lawmakers and Jewish communal leaders.