Landmark Homeland Security Legislation Introduced

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thompson Introduces Landmark Homeland Security Legislation

January 5, 2007 (Washington) - Three years ago, the 9/11 Commission produced an unprecedented, bipartisan evaluation of how terrorists were able to exploit our nation's security on September 11, 2001. The Commissioners made 41 valuable recommendations on how to prevent such an attack from occurring again. Unfortunately, many of those recommendations were not fulfilled by Congress and the Bush Administration. As a result, the American people remain at-risk, and our nation remains unprepared for a major emergency. When Hurricanes Katrina and Rita slammed into the Gulf Coast, we were reminded again of how unprepared we still are to deal with national disasters - whether caused by nature or a terrorist attack.

Today, Congressman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Chairman of the Committee on the Homeland Security, introduced the most comprehensive homeland security package since September 11th. H.R. 1, The "9/11 Commission Recommendations Act of 2007," will make the United States more secure by closing many of the critical security gaps that continue to leave this nation exposed to the risk of a terrorist attack.

Chairman Thompson issued the following statement regarding the legislation:

"Today marks a giant leap forward toward a safer and more secure America. This landmark legislation will not only make it more difficult for terrorists to obtain nuclear materials, but it will arm first responders with the tools they need to respond quickly and effectively to disasters, our airplanes will be more secure, our borders will be harder to penetrate, our police and local law enforcement will finally have the ability to truly share information, and our ports and other critical infrastructure will better protected.

"Perhaps most importantly, passage of this bill will secure this nation while leaving our Constitution intact. Unfortunately, in this post 9/11 era, the civil liberties of our citizens have been trampled on and our privacy infringed upon in the name of national security. This legislation has the safeguards in place so that never happens again. I look forward to working closely with my colleagues in the House and in the Senate to ensure that we give the American people what they have been asking for all along, a safer America," Thompson added.

ENDS

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