Homeland Security We Can Count On

Monday, December 1, 2003
Cedar Rapids, IA

"I appreciate the opportunity to speak with all of you today.

"Over the course of this campaign for the presidency, I have spoken on a number of issues that touch millions of Americans. From growing the economy to protecting Social Security and Medicare to extending economic justice to the most disadvantaged among us. All of these issues affect people in their everyday lives. Providing for our families and watching out for those we love is no small responsibility. And it's one that most of us cherish.

"Which is why the issue I come to speak about today appears to be somewhat different. On its face, the issue of protecting Americans from terrorism seems to be one defined by remote possibilities especially as the events of September 11th slowly recede from memory.

"We grow accustomed to the distance of war and violence, and the presumed safety of wherever we may live, especially here in the heartland. For many, the sense of vulnerability we all felt only two short years ago has subsided. And in many ways, that's entirely appropriate. Despite concern about our nation's vulnerability to another terrorist attack, we cannot live our lives in fear. But for this administration to presume the threat is under control because there have been no recent attacks is wishful thinking. Horror knows no timetable and hatred will always seek weakness and opportunity. None of those who died on that awful September day had any warning of their fate. But their passing was a fateful warning for all of us.

"That's why, despite the seemingly remote threat to any one individual, homeland protection is an imperative that touches each of our lives daily. We as a people should not be preoccupied, but we must be prepared.

"For me, a guiding principle of homeland security is that it should look both inward and outward. A foreign policy that drives away natural allies in the war against terrorism does our country no good. And short-changing domestic security puts our citizens here at home at undue risk. Just as with most things in life, homeland security involves balance and common sense. Unfortunately, those are two qualities we rarely see in this White House.

"Where is the logic behind expensive, irresponsible tax cuts for the wealthy at a time of war abroad? And where is the logic in funding that war and those tax cuts at the expense of homeland security? Our troops have performed heroically in Iraq. But by botching the peace so badly, Iraq has become a training ground for terrorism at a time when our domestic defense against terrorism is anemic.

"We deserve better than a president who commits Americans to such a war while abdicating defensive measures. What is national defense if we're not protecting Americans within our own country? When you look at the entire record of this president on the issue of terrorism, it becomes increasingly clear that there is much to his record that is inexplicable, beginning in the days immediately following September 11th.

"At a time when the Justice Department was rounding up anyone of Middle Eastern descent who seemed even remotely suspicious, the Bush administration was allowing relatives of Bin Laden and other wealthy Saudi Arabians to leave the country on chartered aircraft. The skies were closed to Americans, but not to relatives of Bin Laden. These were clearly foreign nationals who might have had information relevant to the investigation of mass murder. They might have even played a role in that awful attack. But we'll never know. Whether it was political connections or inconceivable incompetence, the result is the same. Mere days after September 11th, this administration was already failing the test of protecting this country. They should be held accountable for that.

"It is astonishing that fifteen of the September 11th hijackers were Saudi Arabians, yet this administration still goes out of its way to conceal Saudi connections to terrorism. As we all know, administration officials blacked out entire sections of the 9-11 Report related to Saudi Arabia. To put the interests of Saudi Arabia before the safety of American citizens is appeasement for the sake of oil. And that's incomprehensible.

"Since September 11th, the failures have only mounted with time. The president set ambitious but achievable goals that were quickly ratified by Congress. Secure the borders. Coordinate intelligence gathering. Reform aviation security. Lock down nuclear materials. Secure chemical production and storage facilities. Develop bioterrorism counter measures. Integrate state, local, and federal law enforcement. Update emergency health care preparedness. And work with friendly nations to combat terrorism worldwide.

"Well, despite some success at enhancement of airline security, this president has failed at nearly every other imperative. He challenges terrorists with nonsense like 'Bring 'em on,' but then grows bored with the hard work of backing up the rhetoric. Even worse, he shifted the burden of homeland protection onto state and local governments, and then washed his hands of responsibility.

"The presidency should be about setting high goals, and then following through on your commitments. Unfortunately, this president's resolve to pass irresponsible tax cuts for the wealthy far outweighs his commitment to homeland security. Tax cuts are no defense against weapons of mass destruction.

"George Bush and his administration describe Baghdad as the focal point of the war on terrorism. Well, I strongly disagree with the president. Yes, Baghdad is a battlefield in a global war with many battlefields. But in the end, America must be the focal point because protecting our citizens is our highest responsibility.

"The U.S. Conference of Mayors has estimated that American cities have spent more than $2.6 billion on additional homeland security costs like police equipment and patrols, fire department upgrades, and emergency health care preparedness. And those cities are spending over $70 million every week that America is at a heightened security level under the code orange alert.

"This is an unbearable burden for state and local governments. Since 2001, states have faced a $200 billion budget shortfall, caused by the national recession, shrinking federal aid, and federal tax cuts that were automatically mirrored at the state level. Too many states have had to respond by cutting services and raising income, sales, and property taxes to make up the difference. And to add insult to injury, less than a year after September 11th, this president refused $2.6 billion in homeland security funding that would have helped state and local governments meet their new responsibilities. He said additional funding was quote 'unnecessary.'

"This homeland security package was focused entirely on the home front, including funding for first responders, the Coast Guard, FBI counter terrorism, food and water security, port security, border patrols, security at our nuclear plants, dams, and reservoirs, and the funding of our airports desperately need to meet the new rigorous safety standards. None of these home front security measures are expendable. But this president abandoned them all for a tax cut for the wealthy. That's irresponsible, inexplicable, and inexcusable.

"As a result of George Bush's abdication of duty, governors, state legislators, and Mayors from both parties are being forced to cut, not only education and health care, but also homeland security. By withholding funding from the frontline, this administration has turned a national priority into an unfunded mandate. And the results could be catastrophic. This year's budget is no better. George Bush has frozen funding for first responders, there's no new funding for port security grants, and almost no funding at all to hire additional immigration or customs staff.

"The Council on Foreign Relations, led by former Republican Senator Warren Rudman, issued a report last June that found that we're still drastically unprepared to handle an attack on American soil. And we're particularly unprepared for one involving chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or high-impact conventional weapons.

"We all lived through September 11th, but when it comes to homeland security, this president acts as if it's still September 10th. In fact, for months this president refused to tell us what his administration knew on September 10th and earlier. They stonewalled on the formation of the 9-11 Commission, then refused for months to turn over documents.

"There should forever be three thousand reminders why homeland security can never be taken for granted. And the responsibility for any president is to be forthcoming with the American people when their safety is at stake.

"The Council on Foreign Relations report estimates that George Bush has only budgeted one-third of the amount necessary to prepare for another terrorist attack with a shortfall of up to $98 billion over the next five years. And a Washington Post article described how the Department of Homeland Security is quote 'hobbled' by money problems, disorganization, turf battles, and unreliable support from the White House.

"It's no wonder then why a study by the Progressive Policy Institute described George Bush's efforts to protect our homeland as quote 'surprisingly lax and inadequate.' They gave George Bush a D on homeland security. In the middle of a national recession, fighting terrorism was supposed to be George Bush's one bright spot. Well, in 2004, we need to replace this D president with a capital D Democratic president.

"The failures of this administration are the road map for my proposed solutions. The Congress mandated that the Department of Homeland Security must create an Office of Information Analysis. We must have a mechanism for sorting through the incredible amount of data gathered from multiple agencies. George Bush has failed to do this. I won't. Congress allocated funds to integrate twelve terrorist watch lists at nine different agencies. The problem isn't technology. It's that George Bush doesn't care enough to push his own bureaucracy to get it done. If George Bush isn't willing to make something this basic happen, he needs to get out of the way so someone else can.

"There is still little sharing of information between state and local law enforcement and the federal government. The visa application process at consular offices abroad is far from tough enough. And tracking the entry and exit of foreign visitors and students is spotty at best.

And the Transportation Security Administration, the most visible security measure we see every day in our airports, has been riddled with problems from the beginning. The TSA hired too many security screeners and failed to audit its contractors. That led to a $3.3 billion budget shortfall, forcing cuts in research and development of new security techniques, and the temporary grounding of air marshals. Only a fraction of the explosive detection machines have been installed, there is little or no screening of airport ground crews, and the TSA has done little to screen air cargo on passenger jets. An Assistant Secretary at the Department of Homeland Security testified that he has quote 'not considered' the potential threat from unscreened cargo.

"This is unacceptable. I fought side by side with John McCain to enhance airline security and ensure we had federal screeners. We wanted to set the highest standards possible and reach them as quickly as possible, but we had to fight Tom Delay, Dick Armey, and George Bush nearly every step of the way. I take a great deal of pride in the TSA, but it's long overdue in meeting its potential. After two years time, it's time we didn't have to worry about airline travel anymore.

"When you measure progress on the threats that could inflict the greatest number of casualties, it's clear this president is gambling with our safety. Every year there are roughly 250 reports of lost or stolen radioactive materials from licensed facilities, most of which is never recovered. George Bush has done next to nothing to fix this problem.

"There are 15,000 chemical production and storage facilities in this country, housing chemicals that could be used in a terrorist attack. George Bush has done nothing to secure these facilities. They haven't even written a plan. And around the world, there are countless storage facilities of nuclear materials, many in the former Soviet Union, where there is little security beyond a few under-paid guards. But this president has been too dismissive of this threat, as with so many others. I'm not willing to trust the safety of my family to a hungry watchman in a decrepit storage locker in Eastern Europe. It's far too easy to imagine that nuclear material ending up in the trunk of a car in downtown St. Louis. I'm not willing to take that chance, and I know you're not either.

"I am standing before you today at this police station, because this is the last line of defense against these dangers and many more. Who is supposed to notice the suspicious car? Or the out-of-date visa? Who is supposed to contain the damage from a dirty bomb? Or a chemical attack? And who is supposed to treat hundreds of burn victims or thousands of citizens exposed to a radiological attack?

"America's front-line in the war on terror is not just Iraq or Afghanistan. It's not limited to rogue nations like Iran or North Korea. It's everywhere, including right here on the streets of our heartland. As president, I'm determined to give these police officers and the rest of our first responders every resource at our disposal to do a job that will never end. That's not asking for too much, and neither are these officers.

"As I mentioned earlier, my approach looks both inward and outward. Preventing a terrorist attack is much like preventing a nuclear missile strike. Rather than focusing solely on shooting down a missile in the last thirty seconds, the realistic and responsible approach is to prevent such an attack with diplomacy and rigorous enforcement of non-proliferation measures.

"That's the essence of my Homeland Security plan. By pushing the perimeter out beyond our borders, we can significantly reduce the risk of a terrorist ever getting their hands on a weapon. We can even prevent those susceptible to extremist influences from joining the army of hate in the first place.

"The broad principles are this:

"Promote stability and democracy abroad by raising living standards through fair trade and social reform. The power of a free market that expands growth equitably can tackle the root causes of terrorism and free an oppressed people. We just have to reach out an open hand.

"We must lead the world by building consensus with other nations, rather than fostering resentment. This sounds elementary, possibly because this was our foreign policy for generations. But George Bush has discarded this approach with arrogance and a flick of the wrist.

"We must eliminate our dependence on Persian Gulf oil and show a willingness to confront countries like Saudi Arabia that are either turning a blind eye to terrorism, or actively supporting it.

"And we must have the foresight to head off problems, like nuclear proliferation, by improving our foreign intelligence, confronting rogue nations with aggressive diplomacy, working with other nations to develop tougher export and border controls, and securing nuclear materials and facilities worldwide.

"The truth of the matter is, George Bush has jeopardized our ability to confront rogue regimes in the future. By alienating the world and polarizing our country, it will be extremely difficult for any president to rally support when the next rogue regime threatens our security. No one will believe us when we say another dictator is an imminent threat and must be stopped. And that is the greatest loss of all.

"Other dictators have learned that if the United States calls you a threat, the best defense is to jump-start a nuclear weapons program. Short-sighted rhetoric about an axis of evil helped provoke North Korea and Iran into dangerous games of nuclear escalation.

"Somewhere along the way, our foreign policy changed from 'speak softly and carry a big stick' into 'we'll poke a stick in your eye.' For some reason, I don't think that's going to work.

"Another four years of George Bush will completely isolate the United States in the world community. It's hard to believe that other nations will want to work closely with us in securing their own ports. Think how much easier it is to inspect the cargo of a few outgoing ships in each country, far away from our own citizens, as opposed to hundreds of incoming ships here in America's most populous cities. And think how much easier it will be to continue securing nuclear stockpiles if Russia sees us as a cooperative ally, rather than a force of unilateral will. We have to move beyond photo ops with Russian dignitaries and start seeing dramatic results at securing nuclear stockpiles.

"While pushing the perimeter of security outward, we must also strengthen our security within. That's why, as president, I'll create a Homeland Security Trust Fund - so states and local communities have the resources they need to keep our families safe. In a nutshell, for at least the next five years, we'll dedicate $20 billion per year to the trust fund. This increase in homeland security funding, on top of what is already being spent, will ensure a dedicated source of funding for state and local governments. And the money can't be spent for any other purpose than homeland security.

"Out of this trust fund, we'll establish a First Responder Grant Program. Similar to the COPS program in the 1993 Crime Bill, this new grant program will provide money to localities to hire and train first responders, and provide necessary equipment and support services. The grants will also be available for overtime pay, a critical expense during heightened security alerts. And of course, this additional federal support will help reduce overall crime in our communities by modernizing law enforcement and providing up-to-date technology systems.

"In the end, homeland security can protect us, not just from terrorism, but from local crime as well. The odds may be against you suffering a direct terrorist attack. But local crime can be just as terrifying. It's time George Bush learned that better homeland security benefits all of us all of the time.

"The Homeland Security Trust Fund will also be an opportunity to streamline existing federal security grants within one large fund. This will reduce unnecessary duplication and establish 'one-stop shopping' for state and local authorities seeking grants.

"Of course, there's the important question - 'how do we pay for this?' I've co-authored legislation with John McCain to form a Corporate Subsidy Reform Commission. Much like the independent base closing commission, this commission would weed out special interest provisions and pork from the federal tax code. I would use the resulting revenue to endow the Homeland Security Trust Fund. Just as the seemingly impossible political task of shutting down bases was accomplished, so can we close corporate loopholes once and for all.

"Corporate welfare costs our country an estimated $150 billion in lost revenue every year, but closing corporate loopholes has been nothing more than political rhetoric for decades. A commission like this will make it a reality.

"In addition to the Homeland Security Trust Fund and the First Responders Grant Program, I will also finish the rest of the job that George Bush never really started. I'll finally create a unified terrorist 'watch-list' that provides a single database of suspected terrorists. I'll make coordination between state, local, and federal law enforcement a mandated priority, and hire enough border guards and deploy the technology to patrol every mile of both of our borders. And we'll provide the funding to track foreign nationals who enter and exit our country, strengthen the Coast Guard, check cargo for weapons of mass destruction, and screen all cargo on passenger aircraft. Today less than three percent of all cargo containers entering our country are checked, and the security of cargo on passenger aircraft is trusted to the airlines. Both of these situations are unacceptable.

"In the aftermath of September 11th, a united Congress and president agreed on a clear plan for how to proceed. We set priorities and then offered George Bush a means by which to pay for it all. He accepted the priorities and refused the funding. It's no wonder we're as vulnerable as we are today. But the road map is already there. As president, I won't have to reinvent the game plan at the federal level. And my vision is clear for state and local governments. We just need a president committed to protecting citizens where they're most vulnerable. Here at home. We have to put security before tax cuts for the wealthy, and the safety of all before the self-interest of one.

"Many will say that this struggle against terrorism is here to stay. The anger and hatred that would lead to suicide bombings and hijacked airliners is not easily extinguished, and I'm realistic about that. There is a messianic fever against America in many corners of the world, and we have to come to grips with why that is and what we can do about it. There are no easy answers. But there are obvious truths. We cannot live in peace by pushing people away. We cannot risk the innocent through hypocrisy and greed. And we cannot abdicate leadership at the time of greatest peril.

"Our country is facing its greatest test in generations. And how we as a party meet that test will determine our ability to right the course of this nation. There is a balance to be found between protecting our national self-interest and remembering that it's not in our interest to think only of ourselves. With your help and perseverance, we can win this effort. And we can protect our country when the next challenge calls.

"Thank you very much and may God bless these United States of America."