Los Angeles and New York are among seven cities that will divide more than $96 million in federal aid and could receive millions of dollars more to strengthen local defenses, the Department of Homeland Security has announced.

L.A. will receive about $12.5 million of the initial funding to pay for equipment and training to help “first responders” – police, firefighters and emergency medical personnel – prepare for terrorist strikes. New York will get about $25 million.

The department’s recent announcement signals that both cities—along with San Francisco, Washington, Chicago, Seattle and Houston—should be in line for extra money from an emergency spending measure expected to clear Congress this week. The word comes at a time when member of Congress, governors and mayors across the country have complained that the administration is not providing enough money to state and local governments for homeland defense.

The emergency spending measure, which would largely fund the U.S.-led war against Iraq, also would provide up to $700 million more to help security “high threat” urban areas. The recent announcement suggests that Los Angeles would receive about 12 percent of those funds.

Cities were chosen based on a combination of factors, including population density, critical infrastructure and assessments of their vulnerability to attack, say administration officials. San Francisco is expected to receive about $11 million, Chicago and Seattle $11 million, and nearly $9 million for Houston.

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