Markey Unveils 9/11 Anniv. Report on State of Mass. Homeland Security

MARKEY UNVEILS 9/11 ANNIV. REPORT ON STATE OF MASS. HOMELAND SECURITY

Today, Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-MA), a senior member of the House Homeland Security Committee, released a report entitled "To Secure America: The State of Homeland Security and Implications for Massachusetts," in advance of the fifth anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Markey, the only member of the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation serving on the Homeland Security Committee, has been a longtime critic of the Bush Administration's failures to expend the resources and stand up to corporate interests to better secure the United States in six sectors. Markey's report examines the state of aviation, chemical, nuclear, LNG, public transportation, and hazardous materials security, and includes a focus on how these security weaknesses affect Massachusetts.

Markey said, "The reality is that five years after two planes left Logan Airport and headed toward the World Trade Center, there are still many gaping loopholes that could be exploited by terrorists. The Bush Administration has relied on a faith-based homeland security policy: It prays that Al Qaeda won't take advantage of the glaring vulnerabilities created by Republicans' failure to spend the money and implement the regulations needed in a post-9/11 world."

"From LNG in Everett to unscreened cargo at Logan Airport, to freight trains crossing the state carrying hazardous materials, Massachusetts has its share of potential terrorist targets and the federal government isn't doing enough to provide the security we need at these sites. It is the responsibility of the federal government to prevent large scale terrorist attacks - not just rely on local fire and police departments to respond to them," Markey stated.

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http://markey.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2097&Itemid=141