Rep. Markey: Homeland Security Bureaucratic Shuffle Doesn't Address Dangerous Homeland Security Loopholes

REPRESENTATIVE MARKEY: HOMELAND SECURITY BUREAUCRATIC SHUFFLE DOESN'T
ADDRESS DANGEROUS HOMELAND SECURITYLOOPHOLES
Lawmaker calls for "offense at home, not just in Iraq," DHS must address transit, hazmat
transportation, chemical and aviation security

Washington, D.C. - Representative Edward J. Markey (D-MA), a senior Democrat on the Homeland
Security Committee, made the following statement responding to Department of Homeland Security
(DHS) Secretary Michael Chertoff's announcement of a reorganization of the Department. Rep. Markey
was briefed about these changes by Secretary Chertoff yesterday.

"While it is always important to fine-tune the organizational structure of new Federal Departments, what
we need now is risk-based homeland security action, not just risk-based bureaucratic shuffling," said Rep.
Markey. "In the aftermath of the horrific attack on the London transit system, the Bush Administration
missed an important opportunity to announce new transit security policies that address glaring weaknesses
in our subway, bus and rail systems here at home. Instead, the Department of Homeland Security
announced bureaucratic plans, which will have no impact on the security of our public transit systems,
chemical facilities, shipments of extremely hazardous materials or air cargo. The Bush Administration
should put forward real policy proposals to plug our homeland security vulnerabilities, instead of just
moving people's offices around and changing the Department's stationery."

Rep. Markey is the author of significant legislation to close existing loopholes in rail, chemical, and
aviation security. The Bush Administration has time and time again sided with industry giants to fight
meaningful security upgrades:

Transit Security
· Last year, the American Public Transportation Association identified $6 billion in transit security
needs for U.S. public transportation systems - roughly the same amount we spend each month in
Iraq, according to the Congressional Research Service, and twice the amount we spend each year
providing the Bush tax cuts to people making more than $2 million.
[http://www.apta.com/government_affairs/positions/aptatest/testimony030414.cfm] and
http://beta.crs.gov/cli/cli.aspx?PRDS_CLI_ITEM_ID=459]
· H.R. 1414, Rep. Markey's bill to re-route shipments of extremely hazardous materials such as
chlorine around densely populated areas has been strongly opposed by the Bush Administration
and the rail and chemical industries, even though these shipments are essentially mobile chemical
weapons that often share the same track as urban passenger rail systems, and could kill or injure
100,000 people within half an hour.

Chemical Security
· Last week, Rep. Markey released a report estimating the worst-case consequences of an accident
or attack at chemical facilities would pose security risks exist in all 50 States. Twenty-three States
contain facilities that could harm more than 1,000,000 in a worst-case accident or attack.
· The Bush Administration, despite rhetorical claims to embrace chemical security reform, has sided
with the chemical industry to oppose Rep. Markey's amendment to the Homeland Security
Authorization bill to achieve meaningful security upgrades at chemical facilities including:
mandatory vulnerability assessments, force-on-force exercises, whistleblower protections and
shifts to less dangerous chemicals or processes whenever possible.
Aviation Security
· Representative Markey has introduced H.R. 2649, the Strengthen Aviation Security Act, which
would provide 100% screening of cargo placed on passenger planes and screening of all aviation
workers with access to sensitive areas of airports beyond the security checkpoint.. Twenty-two
percent of all the air cargo that is transported in the United States is loaded aboard passenger
planes - but almost none of it is screened, even though a bomb placed in unscreened baggage
brought down Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland.
· The Bush Administration has repeatedly opposed legislative efforts by Rep. Markey to require all
of the cargo on passenger planes to be inspected before it is placed onboard, siding with the airline
industry despite past exploitation of the cargo loophole that has led to deadly results for airline
passengers and crew members.

"I agree with the President that the best defense is a good offense. But we have to play offense on the
same field as the opponent, which includes, unfortunately, our home turf - through stronger transit,
chemical and aviation security - not just in faraway places like Iraq," said Rep. Markey. "While the
millionaires who have benefited from the Bush tax cuts might not ride the bus or subway or live next door
to chemical facilities, millions of ordinary Americans do - when will the Department of Homeland
Security and Congressional Republicans do something to protect THEM?"

More information on Representative Markey's efforts to close existing loopholes in aviation, chemical,
rail, and hazmat security can be found - check out: http://www.house.gov/markey/

http://www.house.gov/markey/Issues/iss_HSgen_pr050713.pdf