Securing the Homeland
In recent months, countless new phrases have become a part of our national lexicon, the most important of which is "homeland security." Securing the homeland is obviously an enormous challenge. It begins with protecting and policing our airports, our borders, our ports, and our critical water and nuclear facilities, but also must involve immigration issues, emergency preparedness and response, information analysis and infrastructure protection. Currently, our government does all these things, but the responsibilities are spread across 100 different bureaucracies. That's why I fully support President Bush's call for a new Department of Homeland Security. We've got to better coordinate these critical and essential efforts to protect our homeland and to provide Americans with the sense of safety they deserve.
A key component of any homeland security plan will be improved communication and increased resources for the local police, fire, and emergency personnel. For the first time in our history, these "first responders" are on the front lines of a global conflict. The new department should work in concert with our local authorities in order to inform them of existing threats or gather information about threats that may exist at the local level.
Additionally, this department should serve as a clearinghouse of intelligence information specifically related to threats against our homeland. It's obvious our intelligence agencies must improve coordination with one another. The new Department of Homeland Security will mean stronger communication between these key agencies, and the best security and peace of mind for Americans. Americans should know that everything that can be done is being done to protect us here at home.
Work is already underway in Congress to create this new department, and I'm pleased to report it's proceeding with broad bipartisan support. The House recently created a select committee to speed along the legislative process and the Senate has begun holding hearings, receiving testimony from our nation's top security officials, including Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge. While we want to get this done as soon as possible, we also want to do it right. Above all, it's absolutely critical that this effort focus on protecting American lives, not Congressional turf.
