Thompson Calls Smuggled Bomb Materials “Bigger Than a Border Problem”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Congressman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Homeland Security issued the following statement regarding the recent report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on the smuggling of radioactive material.
“I was shocked and disturbed by the recent report issued by the GAO uncovering the fact that radioactive materials breached our borders. This is just further evidence that the Bush Administration is sleeping on the job when it comes to our national security.
“In response to the recent study, The Bush Administration replayed their broken record, constantly calling for increased security measures for our nation’s critical infrastructure but failing to fully fund and implement these programs. One of the major flaws GAO identified as needing immediate attention was the absence of radiation portal monitors (RPM) at ports of entry. While handheld radiation monitors are better than nothing, they do not always produce reliable results, thus leaving our nation vulnerable to terrorists. According to the report Customs and Border Patrol will not complete the deployment of these monitors until 2009. Currently, only 670 of the 3,034 RPM’s requested have been installed due to lack of funding and recommendations.
“This is bigger than a border problem. The radioactive threat needs to be addressed across the board. We need to ensure that all of our nation’s transportation systems are protected. Simply talking about improving security will not get the job done. We here in Congress must hold the Bush Administration to their promise to assess these breakdowns and provide the Customs and Border Patrol with all of the tools and guidance they need to keep America safe.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Please contact Dena Graziano at (202) 226-2616.
