After years of complaining about federal funding levels for homeland security protection in Maryland, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has announced $45 million in grants for state transit and port security, $13 million more than last year.

Maryland Sens. Barbara Mikulski and Benjamin Cardin, both Democrats, have raised a fuss in the past years when Baltimore and the D.C. area have not received the money justified by Maryland’s proximity to Washington.

“Maryland is a critical partner in protecting the country from potential attacks,” Mikulski said, and the increased funding “acknowledges that.”

Mikulski is a member of the homeland security appropriations subcommittee, on which “she fought for increased funding,” said her spokeswoman Melissa Schwartz. “The pot is greater this year.”

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The Baltimore-Washington region will get $38.4 million for transit security, $9 million more than last year. The transit systems “are highly visible targets,” Cardin said, and Metro and MARC train lines can also move thousands of people during evacuations and other emergency situations.

The Port of Baltimore will get almost $6.6 million to enhance security at the facilities that handle 19,000 cargo containers a day. Baltimore is the 14th-largest port for foreign cargo.

In addition to the other money, Maryland will also get $5.4 million to support comprehensive state and local emergency management.

llazarick@baltimoreexaminer.com