Lieberman
Urges Bush Administration to Quickly Create New Homeland Department
"As Quickly as Humanly Possible"
November
25, 2002
Senate
Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Joseph Lieberman,
hailing the President's signing of the historic homeland
security bill today, issued the following statement:
The
President's signing today of the bill to create a coordinated,
consolidated, and accountable Department of Homeland Security is
a major victory for the American people.
But there is little time to celebrate. Now the hard work
of marshaling our strengths and closing our vulnerabilities
begins.
This
is not only the largest and most complex government
reorganization in half a century.
It is also the most urgent.
While we have been debating the creation of this
Department, our terrorist enemies have been plotting and
planning to exploit our vulnerabilities.
We must close the gaps in our domestic defenses as
quickly as humanly possible. Keeping America safe is
government's first priority and most important responsibility.
Implementing the law cannot be relegated to bureaucracy
as usual.
For
more than a year now, Governor Tom Ridge has performed admirably
as Director of the White House Office of Homeland Security-a
position that regrettably gave him far too little authority to
protect America from terrorism.
That's why Senator Specter and I first proposed the
creation of a cohesive new Homeland Security Department thirteen
months ago. With the new authority and accountability that comes
with being a cabinet secretary, he should be able to quickly
overcome turf battles and lead with strength.
The
list of tasks is long and growing. The Administration and
Congress must work together to rapidly confirm a Secretary and
other top leadership; forge a clean, clear chain of command from
top to bottom; fuse and systematically analyze all intelligence
streams so that we never again miss such clear signs of danger;
spark the development of cutting edge anti-terrorism
technologies, medicines, and vaccines; partner with local police
and fire departments to improve our preparedness in every
community; and do much, much more.
The
dedicated managers and employees of the affected agencies must
continue the vital work of protecting America while working
closely together to transition smoothly into the new Department.
All the while, we in Congress must carefully
oversee the creation of the new Department-appropriating the
necessary resources, refining the law as necessary, and keeping
a watchful eye to ensure that all employees are given the
support and protection they need to perform their difficult jobs
as effectively as possible.
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