· It’s troubling that the Washington Post reports Bush Administration had credible intelligence about the terrorist threats they’re announcing today but held that information for a month. [Washington Post, 5/26/04, A1]
· It was wrong to sit on this information so long. I certainly hope the Administration is following a security schedule, not a political schedule.
· The best way to prevent terrorist attacks is to prepare, prepare, prepare. That requires two things: sharing intelligence information from the federal government, and equipping our fist responders with the tools they need.
· A Government Accounting Office investigation found the process created following 9/11 to share information, “no level of government perceived the process as effective.” John Kerry believes – and I agree -- that appropriate state and local authorities should have immediate access to national terrorist lists and 24-hour operations center should be created to link local and federal law enforcement.
· The other thing we need as local officials from the Bush Administration are the resources to protect our local communities. A study last fall by the U.S. Conference of Mayors showed 90 percent of cities had not received their share of the $1.5 billion allocated by the nation’s largest homeland security funding program.[AP, 2/12/04]
· On top of that, the Bush Administration has consistently cut funding for the COPS program, which had put more than 100,000 cops on the street.[AP, 2/3/03] This comes at a time when we need our police, our “first responders” more than ever for homeland security.
· And the Bush Administration hasn’t done nearly enough to protect ports, rails and chemical plants.
· It’s also a question of priorities. President Bush’s tax cuts for the wealthy cost $2.6 trillion over 10 years. But he’s only dedicated $36 billion per year to homeland security funding. No wonder the International Brotherhood of Police Officers (I.B.P.O.)– who endorsed George Bush in 2000 – are standing with John Kerry this election.
· For all these reasons, it’s absurd for the Bush campaign to be attacking John Kerry on homeland security. Democrats proposed the creation of the homeland security department after 9-11; it was Bush who led the fight to block it for months.
· In 1997, John Kerry even wrote a book called “The New War” on the emerging dangers of international terrorism and global crime.
· John Kerry has a comprehensive homeland security plan to close what he has called the “preparedness gap.” He has a homeland security plan that will keep America safe.
· His plan calls for: 1) Enlist the National Guard and Americorps in Homeland Security efforts to create community defense services 2) Ensure that first defenders are equipped and ready 3) Bring information technology to War on Terror 4) Reforming domestic intelligence 5) Implement public health initiatives and 6) Improve port security, bridges, tunnels and private infrastructure. [Kerry remarks regarding the “Preparedness Gap” New York, NY 7/16/03]
· It was wrong to sit on this information so long. I certainly hope the Administration is following a security schedule, not a political schedule.
· The best way to prevent terrorist attacks is to prepare, prepare, prepare. That requires two things: sharing intelligence information from the federal government, and equipping our fist responders with the tools they need.
· A Government Accounting Office investigation found the process created following 9/11 to share information, “no level of government perceived the process as effective.” John Kerry believes – and I agree -- that appropriate state and local authorities should have immediate access to national terrorist lists and 24-hour operations center should be created to link local and federal law enforcement.
· The other thing we need as local officials from the Bush Administration are the resources to protect our local communities. A study last fall by the U.S. Conference of Mayors showed 90 percent of cities had not received their share of the $1.5 billion allocated by the nation’s largest homeland security funding program.[AP, 2/12/04]
· On top of that, the Bush Administration has consistently cut funding for the COPS program, which had put more than 100,000 cops on the street.[AP, 2/3/03] This comes at a time when we need our police, our “first responders” more than ever for homeland security.
· And the Bush Administration hasn’t done nearly enough to protect ports, rails and chemical plants.
· It’s also a question of priorities. President Bush’s tax cuts for the wealthy cost $2.6 trillion over 10 years. But he’s only dedicated $36 billion per year to homeland security funding. No wonder the International Brotherhood of Police Officers (I.B.P.O.)– who endorsed George Bush in 2000 – are standing with John Kerry this election.
· For all these reasons, it’s absurd for the Bush campaign to be attacking John Kerry on homeland security. Democrats proposed the creation of the homeland security department after 9-11; it was Bush who led the fight to block it for months.
· In 1997, John Kerry even wrote a book called “The New War” on the emerging dangers of international terrorism and global crime.
· John Kerry has a comprehensive homeland security plan to close what he has called the “preparedness gap.” He has a homeland security plan that will keep America safe.
· His plan calls for: 1) Enlist the National Guard and Americorps in Homeland Security efforts to create community defense services 2) Ensure that first defenders are equipped and ready 3) Bring information technology to War on Terror 4) Reforming domestic intelligence 5) Implement public health initiatives and 6) Improve port security, bridges, tunnels and private infrastructure. [Kerry remarks regarding the “Preparedness Gap” New York, NY 7/16/03]
