Conrad Calls on Homeland Security Nominee to Support Northern Border Project
Meeting with Chertoff, Senator Pushes Adequate Security Funding for ND
Senator Kent Conrad met with Michael Chertoff, the nominee to lead the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and urged him to fully fund the Conrad Smart Border homeland security project.
"It is vital to the security of our nation that we protect our borders," Senator Conrad said. "The Smart Border project will help shut the door on terrorists who want to sneak across remote border points to strike on U.S. soil."
The Conrad Smart Border project would deploy sensors, cameras and unmanned aircraft to monitor remote stretches of the Northern border with Canada to detect intrusions by possible terrorists.
Chertoff, a federal judge, told Senator Conrad that he sees the need for border protection initiatives and agrees with the rationale behind launching a pilot project along the Northern border.
Senator Conrad first began work on the Smart Border project two years ago. He developed legislation for his project last April, shortly after a fly-over inspection of the Northern border with Grand Forks Border Patrol agents.
Senator Conrad's partners are the University of North Dakota, North Dakota State University, Hewlett-Packard, Panasonic and Computer Sciences Corporation. He has worked closely with the U.S. Border Patrol as well. The Border Patrol has a headquarters in Grand Forks that monitors more than 900 miles of territory along the U.S. border with Canada.
The Conrad Smart Border pilot program passed in Congress as part of the bipartisan Intelligence Reform Bill and was signed into law by the President in December. The bill directs the Department of Homeland Security to design a national Smart Border program based on Senator Conrad's model.
"Judge Chertoff knows, as well as anyone, that our nation remains vulnerable to a terrorist attack," Senator Conrad said. "He now has a better understanding of the vital role a border state like North Dakota can play in defending against that threat."
http://conrad.senate.gov/~conrad/releases/05/01/2005127A59.html