[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 19 (Wednesday, February 15, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H279-H280]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         BUSH'S BUDGET AND ITS FAILURES TO MAKE AMERICANS SAFE

  (Ms. WATSON asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)

[[Page H280]]

  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, it appears that the Bush administration 
refuses to learn anything from 9/11 or Hurricane Katrina. Once again 
this year, President Bush's budget shortchanges America's security, 
failing to make it the number one priority. Here are some startling 
examples of how the President refuses to make Americans as safe as they 
should be:
  First, the budget underfunds key programs that provide local 
communities with the resources to protect our borders, our ports, mass 
transit, and critical infrastructure. Second, the budget continues the 
trend of cutting grants for our first responders, cutting overall 
funding for three key first responder grant programs by 35 percent 
below 2 years ago. Third, the budget zeros out funding for 
interoperability grants, grants that would allow Federal, State, and 
local governments the ability to communicate during a major disaster or 
terrorist attack.
  President Bush claims he is protecting the homeland, but he refuses 
to back it up with the funding necessary to prepare agencies at all 
levels for the worst case scenarios. Hasn't he learned anything from 
Katrina?
  Pull FEMA out from under Homeland Security.

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