Supplimental Appropriations Act to Support Department of Defense Operations in Iraq for Fiscal Year 2003 (Continued)

Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I heard my friend from Pennsylvania speak for his amendment. I will support that amendment because it is better than what is currently in the bill, although I wish it had more money. I wish it had money for the FIRE and COPS Programs, which the amendment I am offering with my colleagues from New York and Maryland, does. And I wish it gave more funding to high-threat, high-need areas, and to all other areas. I also wish that it ensured, as my amendment does, that the Department of Homeland Security would be required to provide the funds within 30 days and that the amendment would guarantee an 80/20 split of those funds between the States and localities.
    
The Schumer amendment is the amendment that provides sufficient funding for police, for fire, for first responders all across the country. We all know how beleaguered they are. We know how stretched they are. We know whether they be in a large city like New York City, or a medium-sized city like Rochester or Syracuse, or a suburb, or even a rural area, our police and firefighters have been pushed to the limit. They must meet their regular law enforcement and public safety responsibilities, but now have new responsibilities under 9/11, and from the Iraq war.
    
And many police and fire departments have to do more with fewer people and fewer resources, because of the terrible budget deficits at the State and local level, and because many are in the Reserves and have been called up and are proudly serving our country.
    
So we have an obligation. If we are going to fight the war on terrorism at home, we have to vote for this amendment. We cannot just fight the war on terrorism overseas and not fight it at home. Our first responders, our police and fire, in a very real sense are on the front lines.
    
So I hope we will get support for the Schumer amendment. I hope we will back up our police and firefighters. I hope we will back up our local governments and our first responders.
    
The idea that we can win the war on terror just by fighting it overseas and giving it all the money for needs overseas—I am for that and support that proudly—but not do what we need to do domestically makes no sense. We will rue the day.
    
I ask my colleagues to vote for an amendment that really provides sufficient funding. Again, I am for the Specter amendment. It is an improvement. I salute my colleague from Pennsylvania for offering it. But if you really want to give the dollars to police and fire in the way that they need them, then the Schumer amendment is the answer. It is not a Democratic or Republican amendment. It is supported by police and fire organizations, both management and union throughout the country. It is supported by local governments. It is what our badly strapped local governments need in this post-9/11 world.
    
Again, a good team needs a good offense and good defense. Our soldiers overseas are providing the offense. But it is our police, our firefighters, our first responders who are providing the defense. We need to back them up and back them up fully as well.