Homeland security must include a substantial
investment in safer airports, secure borders, community police, better
transportation, improved public health, safeguards for nuclear facilities,
energy conservation and the targeting of anti-terrorism resources towards the
locations that face the greatest risk.. Not only will these federal investments
shore up our defense against terrorism at home, but they will create jobs and
boost the economy.
In recent years, my Senate colleagues and I supported a $15
billion special appropriation for increased homeland security, but the Bush
Administration opposed it. Our proposal would have provided adequate funding
for state and local police and firefighters to prevent and respond to terrorist
attacks and upgrade their hazardous materials teams. It would have increased
the number of INS border patrol and Customs Service agents, monitored foreign
student visas more closely, combated bioterrorism by expanding local lab and
hospital capacity to recognize pathogens and treat victims, accelerated the
purchase of smallpox vaccines and anthrax antibiotics, hired more food
inspectors to deter attacks against our food supply and enhanced security at
U.S. labs.
Even before Sept. 11, I was working to provide greater security
to protect our food supply from bioterrorism by streamlining federal oversight
of the food safety process and increasing accountability in the system. There
are currently as many as 12 different federal agencies and 35 different laws
governing food safety. I have introduced a bill to create a single, independent
food safety agency to consolidate all the resources and responsibilities of the
current agencies with jurisdiction under one roof. The current system results
in service gaps, inconsistencies and confusion about which agency oversees
different types of food. With a single agency, I believe there would be
increased efficiency and accountability.
