Washington ? The Homeland Security Department told the District of Columbia government Wednesday to use federal homeland security money to pay the costs it will incur for President Bush’s second inauguration.

Washington’s costs for the inauguration, the first since the 9-11 terrorist attacks, are expected to be at least $17.3 million, city officials said.

Department officials informed Mayor Anthony A. Williams in a letter that $11.9 million in security and other costs are eligible to be repaid with the city’s Urban Area Strategic Initiative grant.

The rest of the city’s costs can be covered out of the Emergency Planning and Security Cost Fund, which has been used in the past for events like President Reagan’s funeral, the letter said.

The district is paying overtime for all police officers from every agency covering the inauguration, as well as its own operations. It is also paying some infrastructure and special costs, ranging from $43,260 to develop special license tags to almost $3 million to build viewing stands.

Williams’ spokeswoman, Sharon Gang, said the city is still trying to get the federal government to repay it for all inaugural costs so it will not have to divert homeland security money.

The federal government has traditionally reimbursed the city’s inauguration costs. This year, however, federal officials urged the city to use homeland security money it had already been granted.

Several members of Congress joined the call for full federal reimbursement in a letter Wednesday to President Bush.