Providing for Consideration of H.R. 2017, Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act

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Mrs. MALONEY. I thank the gentleman for his leadership and for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the rule, which will end Medicare as we know it, and also to the underlying bill, which reduces Homeland Security grants by 50 percent to our cities, to our ports, to our transit.

Is there any reason to believe, I ask my Republican colleagues, that there is a 50 percent reduction in threat?

If anything, law enforcement tells us that the number of threats is up since the death of Osama bin Laden. Police Commissioner Kelly, in New York City, tells me that since 9/11 there have been 13 serious terrorist attempts, and six of these were focused on mass transit, which has been cut by 50 percent.

We need to remember what law enforcement has told us: that our antiterrorist efforts have to be right every day, every hour, every second, every time. Yet terrorists just have to be lucky once.

I ask my Republican colleagues: What would be the impact on the loss of lives and on our economy if we were attacked again as they are trying to do? The chatter is up. Law enforcement tells us the threat is up, not down. So why are we cutting it 50 percent?

My Republican colleagues, I say to you that you are not just gambling with dollars; you are gambling with lives. It is not a gamble Democrats are willing to take.

I urge a ``no'' vote.

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