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WASHINGTON - Congressman Charles Rangel, outraged by a 40 percent cut in New York's federal anti-terrorism funding, today called on the Secretary of Homeland Security to reverse his decision.
"No one would have believed on 9/11, when President Bush stood with our first responders at ground zero declaring his commitment to stand by our city, that we would see the federal government backing down from that promise," Congressman Rangel.
"I am calling on Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff to immediately reverse his decision and restore the funding that New York needs and clearly deserves," Congressman Rangel said. The cuts will cost New York City $83 million, which city officials have argued is necessary to maintain the current level of security in the city.
According to press reports, Secretary Chertoff's office contended that the cuts to New York were due to an application that was not properly drawn. The implication is that those jurisdictions who scored the highest rating on their applications received dramatic increases in funding.
"The decision on funding shouldn't be based on the perfection of the application," Congressman Rangel said. "It should be based on history. No fireman or first responder has more experience in fighting terrorists attacks that those in New York City. We've already proven that we can pass the test after an attack. They should just pass the money."
The federal analysis used by the Bush Administration also claimed that the cuts were justified because there are no national symbols or icons in the city. "This claim is beyond belief and lacking the least sensitivity to what New Yorkers have already experienced on 9/11," Congressman Rangel said.
"Even if that claim were true, can anyone forget that New York lost more than two landmark buildings on 9/11; we lost nearly 3,000 people in buildings that terrorists had already struck once before?" Congressman Rangel said. "Do we have to suffer another catastrophe to convince the Secretary that New York is not just a target, but the most devastated target of terrorism in this country?
"I would hate to believe, as others have suggested, that the Secretary's decision is in any way political. He can easily dispel that notion by reversing this misguided decision," Congressman Rangel said.
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