Weekly Washington Update

Statement

Homeland Security remains an important issue on the minds of many Americans. The recent apprehension of a terrorist suspect who had video footage of buildings and other potential targets here in our own home state of Texas is an important reminder to us all that we are a nation at war.

Over the past year, Congress has been working diligently, along with the Bush Administration to help make our homeland more secure. Our goals are simple: destroy the terrorists where they live and train and aggressively pursue, seize terrorist assets and those who finance their activities, improve our intelligence capabilities to limit future threats to our country and to develop the structure and capability to respond quickly if terrorists are ever successful in launching another attack on America.

Last June, I voted for a Homeland Security bill that will provide more almost $10 billion for preparedness and recovery programs, more than $5 billion for improved customs and border protection and more than $3 billion for transportation security. I also supported the Project BioShield Act, which will provide $10 billion to procure important countermeasures, such as drugs, vaccines and other biological agents, to protect Americans from the threat of biological or chemical attack.

We have come a long way in improving our security since the devastating attacks on September 11, 2001, but there is still much we can do to make America less susceptible and more prepared if terrorists strike again. We must work to rebuild the intelligence resources that were lost during the Clinton Administration. We must continue to improve our border security and immigration enforcement. We must strive to develop better systems and security measures for transportation, with additional attention to port security and inspection.

America is more secure and better prepared than we were on September 11, but maintaining and improving our homeland security requires constant vigilance.

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