Military

Congressional Report: Homeland Security, Terrorism

(White House sends Security Department measure to Congress) (540)
Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge formally presented to the U.S.
Congress June 18 President Bush's detailed proposal to create a new
cabinet-level Department of Homeland Security.
"All of us have been given an awesome responsibility -- the
responsibility to protect Americans and the American way of life while
they're under attack from a shadow enemy -- an unseen, cold-blooded
enemy," Ridge said during a brief ceremony on Capitol Hill that was
attended by the senior leadership of the U.S. Senate and House of
Representatives.
Bush proposed the creation of the new federal agency in a nationally
televised address June 6.
"Our nation faces a new and changing threat unlike any we have faced
before -- the global threat of terrorism," Bush said June 18 in a
letter to Congress, which transmitted his proposed legislation. "No
nation is immune, and all nations must act decisively to protect
against this constantly evolving threat. We must recognize that the
threat of terrorism is a permanent condition, and we must take action
to protect America against the terrorists that seek to kill the
innocent."
Bush's proposed measure would draw approximately 170,000 federal
workers from scores of federal agencies with an estimated first year
budget of $37,400 million. Most of the federal agencies would be drawn
from existing departments and consolidated under the Homeland Security
Secretary.
"The mission of the new department would be to prevent terrorist
attacks within the United States, to reduce America's vulnerability to
terrorism, and to minimize the damage and recover from attacks that
may occur," Bush said to Congress.
Ridge begins the campaign for congressional approval June 20 when he
testifies about the president's proposal before the Senate
Governmental Affairs Committee, which is chaired by Democrat Joseph
Lieberman of Connecticut. He is also expected to testify before the
House Government Reform Committee.
Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, a Democrat from South Dakota, said
during the brief ceremony that "this is a small bill but a big task.
In order for us to accomplish this task, it's going to take strong and
real bipartisanship. I predict we will see that bipartisanship at
every stage in this process."
However, Daschle added that this legislative proposal is not an end to
the problem of security, but rather a means to the end.
"This provides us the tool to get the job done," Daschle said. "It
doesn't do the job. So, in that regard as well, we hope we can work
closely with the administration to accomplish the end."
Ridge said this proposal creates four major divisions within the new
department: border and transportation security; emergency preparedness
and response; chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear
countermeasures; and information analysis and infrastructure
protection.
Bush wants Congress to pass the enabling legislation relatively
quickly so that he can sign it into law on September 11, the first
anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States. He also
wants the new federal agency to be fully operational by January 1,
2003.
(The Washington File is a product of the Office of International
Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site:
http://usinfo.state.gov)