The funding for these grants was included in the Fiscal Year 2008 Homeland Security Appropriations bill. Senator Murray, a senior member of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee and a national leader on port security, fought to include $400 million for this grant program nationwide.
The funding included in the bill will be distributed to the following ports: Puget Sound (Ports of Seattle and Tacoma): $27,263,241; Port of Grays Harbor, WA: $178,026; Washington State Ferries: $2,002,785.