Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
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	Press Releases September 16, 2003   LIEBERMAN WELCOMES TERRORIST SCREENING CENTER DESPITE TWO-YEAR DELAY Offers Words of Caution   WASHINGTON - Governmental Affairs Committee Ranking Member Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., Tuesday welcomed the Administration’s announcement of the creation of a Terrorist Screening Center that will enable federal, state, and local officials to tap into 12 separate terrorist watch lists now located in nine different federal agencies. “I’m glad it didn’t take a terrorist’s wake-up call to get this done,” Lieberman said. “Everyone agreed these lists needed to be consolidated, from the President on down. The Administration fumbled for two years, but I’m pleased it has finally begun to consolidate the watch list information.” Lieberman was an advocate of consolidating the lists and had repeatedly pressed the Administration to do so in order to provide better security to the American people. Last month, he called on President Bush to issue an executive order requiring consolidation of all federal terrorist watch lists so that state, local, and federal agencies could access one list. He said Ridge, as the top official in charge of homeland security, should be responsible for consolidating and disseminating the lists. In a subsequent letter to Ridge, Lieberman said the Administration’s failure to consolidate the lists was exposing Americans to “unacceptable risk.” On Tuesday, Lieberman offered a few words of caution. “It is critical that information from these lists be shared with all official parties that might have a need,” Lieberman said. “One watch list available 24/7 is what our national, state and local defenders need. This Administration has been slow to learn how important these first defenders are - they must be nourished with proper funding, easy access to terrorist information, and respect for their information. “The new consolidated list will be lodged with the FBI, and while the FBI’s reputation for sharing information and for performing complex technological tasks is notoriously poor, we can only hope that things will be different this time. I would feel more secure if this new center were located at the Department of Homeland Security.”   ###   Printable Version   « previous Press Release next Press Release »   1998 - 1999 - 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 - 2006 - 2007 September 2003 Press Releases August   |  October   --   2002   |  2004     September 30 - GAC Democrats Seek Directive to Prevent Cover-Up in Investigation Surrounding Disclosure of CIA Agent's Identity   September 29 - Lieberman Demands White House Preserve Records and Cooperate Fully with Investigation into Disclosure of CIA Agent's Identity   September 24 - Administration Unwilling to Fight for Homeland Resources   September 24 - Lieberman Seeks White House Contacts Regarding Global Warming Lawsuit   September 23 - Lieberman, Lautenberg Seek Hearings on No Bid Contracts   September 22 - Lieberman Calls Revised Cost-Benefit Guidelines Immoral Tool to Block Tougher Environmental Protections   September 17 - Lieberman Says Listen to the Mayors: Insufficient Funds are Reaching the Front Lines   September 17 - “US Postal Service: What Can Be Done to Ensure Its Future Viability?”   September 17 - Lieberman Says Homeland Security Will be Forced to Skimp   September 16 current Press Release   September 15 - Lieberman Applauds Overdue Appointment Of Cyber Security Chief   September 12 - Lieberman Calls on Bush To Ensure Fair Bidding on Iraqi Contracts   September 12 - Postal Service Should Assess Security Needs Before Eliminating Security Officers   September 10 - Dodd, Lieberman Announce New London Firefighters to Receive Over $100,000   September 10 - Lieberman Refutes Bush Boast of Greater Homeland Security   September 4 - Lieberman Welcomes DOE Investigation into Spiking Gas Prices   September 4 - Senators Question DHS Decision to Throw Open Vital Immigration Functions to the Lowest Bidder
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Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 340 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510