WASHINGTON, DC - A Congressional nationwide survey of local officials and emergency responders has portrayed an overwhelming sense of disconnect between the federal government and the men and women on the front lines of homeland security. The House Democratic Task Force on Homeland Security, led by Chair Carolyn Maloney (NY-14), today released its report on the survey which, while not scientific, provides an outline of the situation - an overwhelming majority of respondents have never been contacted by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), have not been given specific information about protecting their own communities and do not have adequate resources for homeland security. Overall, only 16% of respondents said the federal government is doing all it can (full report and results available on the web at: http://maloney.house.gov/documents/olddocs/Homeland/Survey.pdf ).

"Our hometowns are clearly telling us something - they are merely treading water in the new age of homeland security. Instead of reaching out a helping hand, the federal government is letting them drown," said Maloney. "In New York City, we have closed five firehouses, we have fewer firefighters on the streets at any given time than we did on September 10, 2001, and firefighters have told me they are less prepared today that they were on 9/11. If that's the case in our number one terrorist target, imagine what it's like in less prepared cities."

"Our federal government continues to send first responder dollars to secondary responders," said Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley, Chair of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Homeland Security Task Force. "America's mayors have asked for timely, direct and adequate funding, and what we have gotten has been neither timely nor direct nor adequate."

House Democratic Caucus Chairman Bob Menendez (NJ-13) said: "While this Administration spends tens of billions of dollars in Iraq because of the President's lack of a post-war plan, our security needs at home are getting shortchanged. Cities and towns of all sizes lack the information, direction, communication they need from the Federal Government, and don't have the funding they need to protect their citizens. More than two years after 9/11, it's time for this Administration to get its act together. We hope this survey will spur the Administration and this Republican-controlled Congress to start coordinating with our cities and towns, and start making the investments we need to protect our families - now. We all owe the American People nothing less than total dedication and commitment in this effort."

"First responders have been telling us repeatedly that they do not have the training, equipment, and communications they need to respond to a catastrophic terrorist attack," said Rep. Jim Turner (TX-02), Ranking Member on the Select Committee on Homeland Security. "The PREPARE Act, H.R. 3158, cosponsored by 147 Democrats, will provide our first responders the tools they need to fight the war on terror."

Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley and Elizabeth, NJ Mayor Christian Bollwage both spoke about federal assistance to communities across the country from the local perspective.

The House Democratic Task Force on Homeland Security and a number of Members of Congress have been distributing the survey in communities across the country since July.

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