Issue Position: Homeland Security

Issue Position

Issue Position: Homeland Security

Now more than ever, we must do all we can as individuals and as a government to make this a safer nation. Today, the vast majority of homeland security funding is directed toward aviation, but the federal government also has a responsibility to protect trains, buses, ports and our nation's food and water supply. I have encouraged funding increases for mass transit protections and am the author of legislation to protect our country's food from bio-terrorism. I have also co-sponsored amendments to boost funding for first responders in our communities, and have supported efforts to direct security funding to areas and facilities that face the greatest risks. We need to invest in the safety of our country to prevent another terrorist attack on U. S. soil. We must be prepared to respond quickly, with good information, in the event of terrorism or disaster in the United States.

9/11 Commission Recommendations

More than half a decade after 9/11-- despite tens of billions of dollars spent-- America's ports, rails, airports, and borders, as well as its nuclear power and chemical plants are not as safe as they should be. It has been years since the bipartisan 9/11 Commission issued its final recommendations; it has taken us too long to act on them.

The bill Congress passed in 2007 will implement the recommendations of the Commission. This legislation gives our first responders the tools they need to keep us safe; makes it more difficult for potential terrorists to travel into our country; advances efforts to secure our rail, air, and mass transit systems; and improves intelligence and information sharing at all levels of state, local, and federal law enforcement.

Port and Mass Transit Security

The Port of Chicago is among the nation's 100 most critical seaports. We must ensure that our nation's ports are secure, and that cargo entering the country through our ports is carefully reviewed.

In addition to port security, we must increase federal investments to reduce the vulnerability of our rail and transit systems. Terrorists may target our aviation system again but, as we saw in Madrid and London, other forms of transportation are also vulnerable. I will continue working to secure our nation's infrastructure, and to see that we allocate our limited federal resources where they are needed most.

Disaster Preparedness and Response

We know there will be more disasters, whether they are caused by terrorism, catastrophic weather, or a medical epidemic such as pandemic flu. We have to be prepared.

Our Army National Guard units face severe equipment shortages at home in part because they have been instructed to leave critical items such as armored Humvees, light trucks and other gear in Iraq for replacement troops. The equipment shortages pose a serious problem for states, affecting the ability of the National Guard to conduct training exercises and to respond in a homeland security crisis or natural disaster. I support the funding needed to bring our Guard unit inventories up to complete levels.

We must see that states and local communities develop and practice evacuation plans. Currently, too many communities in Illinois and across the nation have outdated, incomplete plans or no plans at all.

Included in the 9/11 Commission bill is my legislation specifying that states can use federal grants to design, conduct, and evaluate mass evacuation plans and exercises. While many cities and states have evacuation plans, the lack of training drills and exercises makes it difficult to address problems and work out solutions before lives are at risk in a real emergency. As we learned from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, there is no substitute for being prepared. We may only have one chance to get it right.

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