Issue Position: Homeland Security

Issue Position

Since September 11, 2001, the federal government has worked feverishly to prevent new terrorist attacks from occurring. In the wake of 9/11, the administration and Congress acted quickly to restructure the federal government and not only established a cabinet-level department to focus explicitly on homeland security but expanded the coordination and cooperation among all agencies responsible for protecting the American people as well. To further help protect Americans against the threat of terrorism, I have been working in Washington to ensure that America is prepared to combat any potential attack on domestic soil. I have consistently supported initiatives in Congress to strengthen intelligence capabilities, protect our borders and improve our homeland security infrastructure.

The tragic events of September 11th also reminded Americans across the country of the daily sacrifices made by first responders. As a result, Congress has taken critical steps to ensure first responders in our communities across the country are armed with the equipment and coordination necessary to deal with emergencies. I believe that close coordination between local, state and federal officials is critical to ensuring that our towns are safe against natural disasters and terrorism. To ensure western Pennsylvania's law enforcement, emergency medical services and fire departments have access to the tools they need to protect us, I established a First Responder Task Force to help me examine the status and needs of agencies in our area.

In a time of war and terrorism, government at all levels must operate in the public interest beyond the frontiers of past experience. However, I believe that we must be very careful to maintain the delicate balance between effective counterterrorism and protection of our personal liberties. While in Washington, I will continue to closely monitor the progress of these critical issues and work to address the challenges of today and the future.

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