[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 12 (Wednesday, February 4, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E120]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SHORT-CHANGING THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE IN PREVENTING BIOTERRORISM 
                            THROUGH THE MAIL

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. RUSH D. HOLT

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 4, 2004

  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, the discovery of ricin in the Dirksen Senate 
Office Building, and the resulting closure of all three Senate office 
buildings, is an unfortunate and disturbing reminder of our mail 
system's vulnerability to terrorism. As the Representative of the 12th 
District of New Jersey, my concern on this matter is heightened because 
of our area's direct experience with the anthrax attacks of 2001. At 
least one of the anthrax-tainted letters mailed to Capitol Hill was 
sent from a postal drop box in Princeton, New Jersey and processed at a 
sorting facility in Hamilton, New Jersey. Anthrax spores were also 
discovered in my Washington, D.C. office, which resulted in my 
congressional office--and several others--being relocated for three 
months.
  I rise today to express my profound disappointment that our federal 
government seems to have learned very little from these incidents. I am 
concerned that the United States Postal Service (USPS) has not received 
adequate funding to protect postal employees and the general public 
from the risk of bio-terrorism in the Fiscal Year 2005 budget that 
President Bush delivered to Congress two days ago. Specifically, I am 
troubled that the USPS was denied emergency preparedness funding in 
Fiscal Year 2004, and would be denied again in the President's Fiscal 
Year 2005 budget request. This continued lack of funding leaves the 
United States Postal Service ill-equipped to defend against 
bioterrorism.
  A safe postal delivery system is critical not only for our homeland 
security, but also for our economic security. Only sustained, 
significant investment in our postal system will ensure that we are 
prepared to prevent, detect, and respond to bio-terrorism through the 
mail. I will be writing to President Bush to reconsider this oversight 
and provide the USPS with funding for this important initiative.

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