Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS) chaired a hearing of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee today to discuss the fiscal year 2004 budget needs for border and transportation security. Asa Hutchinson, Undersecretary for Border and Transportation Security, Department of Homeland Security, testified before the panel.

Senator Cochran questioned the witness about the coordination of the stages of alert with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), TSA's plan to cut airport screeners, and about any plans the Administration has to help smaller airports, like many in Mississippi, comply with expensive security changes and enhancements. The Senator also asked Undersecretary Hutchinson about his challenges during the first 100 days of the new Department, turnover and retention of employees at the various agencies, whether the current budget requested enough funding, and the hiring of port directors and the state of readiness of our nation's ports. In addition, Senator Cochran asked about the status of combining technology and information gathering systems and the oversight of managers of the various agencies.

Some of Senator Cochran's Q&A with the witness will be available after 3:00 p.m. (Eastern) on the Senator's voicemail news line and on the Senator's web site at www.senate.gov/~cochran . You may record these statements as needed for newscasts or news stories.

Cochran News Line: Call our toll-free number and follow these instructions to access the news line: 1-800-545-1267

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Beth Day, Press Secretary: (202) 224-6404