Senator Jack Reed's Statement on Terrorist Attacks in London

Senator Jack Reed's Statement on Terrorist Attacks in London

Senator Reed stated, "The United States stands with England in this time of terrible sorrow and hardship. The thoughts and prayers of Rhode Islanders are with the victims and families of this callous act.

"We will work with our allies to hunt down the terrorists who are committed to killing innocent men, women and children throughout the world.

"There is a real danger that unless the Bush Administration increases funding for transit security and improves the sharing of information and intelligence, the United States is in danger of a similar catastrophic event. I will work with my Senate colleagues to increase the amount of transit security funding in this year's homeland security appropriations bill, but without the support of the President it will be difficult to accomplish."

Reed, a member of the Senate Subcommittee on Transportation, has sponsored legislation to increase funding for transit security and consistently urged the Bush Administration to improve transit security. Last year Reed sponsored a bipartisan bill to provide $3.5 billion for the nation's transit security needs over the course of the next three years. The Republican Leadership in the House of Representatives failed to bring the bill to the floor for a vote.

In 2002 Reed, as the Chair of the Transit Subcommittee, held a series of hearings on the threat of terrorism to the U.S. transit system. A 2002 report released by the Government Accountability Office [Click here to read - http://reed.senate.gov/Reports/GAOmasstransit.pdf] stated that US transit systems are vulnerable to terrorist attack and face difficulties in establishing tight security due to high ridership and a need for easy access for commuters.

http://reed.senate.gov/