Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Testimony of Secretary Tom Ridge Before the Senate Budget

From: Marcelrf <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 04 Mar 2004 02:36:43 -0500

Testimony

Testimony of Secretary Tom Ridge Before the Senate Budget

Committee, February 25, 2004
February 25, 2004
Remarks as Prepared

Mr. Chairman, Senator Conrad, and Members of the Committee, I'm grateful
for the opportunity to appear before you today and present the
President's budget and priorities for the Department of Homeland
Security in the coming year.
Before the tragic events of 9/11, no single government entity had
homeland security as its primary charge.
With the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, that charge is
now ours ... 22 agencies, 180,000 employees brought together to pursue a
single mission.

That mission ... to secure our nation and citizens from the threats of
terrorism and natural disaster ... is one that does not change or lessen
in importance with the passing of time.

As we prepare to celebrate our one year anniversary as a Department this
coming Monday, it is the steadfast support of this Congress and the
resources you have provided that have made it possible for us to not
only carry out a vigorous and ambitious slate of security initiatives
... but also to say with confidence that Americans are indeed safer
today.

In a short time, we've strengthened airline security, increased
vigilance at our borders and ports, forged unprecedented partnerships
across the private sector and state and local governments, improved
information sharing, launched robust efforts to engage citizens in
preparedness efforts, and distributed funds and resources for our
dedicated first responders.
Of course, there is still more we can and must do. The President's
budget request for the Department in FY 2005 includes $40.2 billion in
new resources -- a ten percent increase above the current year's level.

This increase in funding will provide the resources we need to expand
and improve existing projects and programs as well as build new barriers
to terrorists who wish us harm.

Let me touch briefly on a couple of areas where specific increases in
our resources will help us continue to make progress at our borders, in
our skies, on our waterways, and throughout the nation.

To further strengthen our border and port security, this budget includes
a $411 million increase for our Customs and Border Protection,
Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Coast Guard.

This funding will support such innovative initiatives as the recently
launched US-VISIT program which is now operational at 115 airports and
14 seaports across the country to help ensure that our borders remain
open to legitimate travelers but closed to terrorists.

That program has been very successful, utilizing biometric technology to
process more than 1.5 million legitimate passengers since the beginning
of the year and since the program began we have matched more than 130
potential entrants against criminal watch lists.

With additional funding of $340 million we will continue to expand
US-VISIT to include 50 of our busiest land ports and additional seaports
as well.

However, we realize that potential enemies will not always arrive at a
customs checkpoint.
That is why we have more than $64 million to enhance monitoring efforts
along the border and between ports.
And we have also requested an increase of $186 million to better enforce
our immigration policies.

We are also pushing our perimeter of security outward, making sure that
our borders are the last line of defense, not the first.
The Container Security Initiative, for example, focuses on pre-screening
cargo before it even reaches our ports, and this budget includes $25
million in additional funding to enhance our presence at existing ports
and to begin the final phase of CSI -- especially in high-risk areas
around the world.

We will expand CSI to 10 additional high-volume ports, as well as work
with the private sector to facilitate compliance with new maritime
security regulations.

Also, the Coast Guard's budget will increase by 9 percent, which
includes funding for the continuation of their Integrated Deepwater
System, and important new resources of more than $100 million to
implement the Maritime Transportation Security Act.

One of the areas of greatest concern since September 11th, of course,
has been aviation security. And, thus, it continues to be an area of
high priority for our budget -- with an increase of 20 percent this
year.

The Transportation Security Administration will receive an additional
$892 million to continue to improve the quality and efficiency of the
screening process.
Also, considerable funds will be available to continue the research and
deployment of air cargo screening technology ... as well as accelerate
the development of technologies that can counter the threat of portable
anti-aircraft missiles.

While we have seen the havoc possible when aircraft are used as weapons,
we have yet to experience the full impact of a bio-terror attack -- and
may we never have to do so.

But we must be prepared. In that spirit, Secretary Tommy Thompson and I
announced a $274 million Bio-Surveillance Program Initiative designed to
protect the nation against bioterrorism and to strengthen the public
health infrastructure.
The initiative will enhance ongoing surveillance programs for human
health, hospitals, vaccines, food supply, state and local preparedness,
and environmental monitoring -- and integrate them into one
comprehensive system.

In addition, one of our prime responsibilities is to gather intelligence
and share information with the private sector and state and local
officials as we work to secure the vast critical infrastructure upon
which our economy and way of life depends.
That is why Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection will
receive $864.6 million -- an increase in funding that will enable us to
carry out this important task.

Finally, as I have said many times in the past, for the homeland to be
secure, the hometown must be secure.  That is why we continue to funnel
resources to our state and local partners, as well as ensure that those
who serve on the frontlines of this new war ... our firefighters,
police, and medical personnel ...  have the tools they need.

With that in mind, the total first responder funding in this budget adds
another $3.5 billion to the more than $8 billion we have made available
since March 1st of last year.

As we know part of the tragedy of September 11th was that equipment
didn’t work across jurisdictions and disciplines.
Our first responders are first on the scene and often the last to leave;
their ability to communicate and work together in the event of a crisis
is paramount.

So let me emphasize:  we want to ensure that when federal money is spent
... it fosters interoperability.  The focus must be on the outcomes of
our inputs.  And so, as we work with our partners to give our first
responders the tools they need -- we will do so in a way that encourages
the end result we all want and need:  interoperable, innovative, and
integrated equipment and systems.

These are just some of our budget priorities over the coming year,
priorities that reflect the vast nature of our mission.
Whether safeguarding America from terrorist attack or providing aid in
the face of natural disaster, our charge never changes, our course never
alters.

To protect the people we serve is the greatest call of any government.
Through the work of many ... from those in Congress who allocate
resources to a mayor who works to fill gaps in his city's security to a
citizen who makes a preparedness kit ... that call is being answered and
embraced by an entire nation.

And it is that singleness and dedication of purpose that fuels our work
at Homeland Security and ultimately will help us defeat the terrorist
enemies we face.

Thank you.

http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/display?content=3232

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