Bill Clinton: “I support the Schumer-Clinton-Mikulski amendment because I believe it more accurately reflects the needs that have been…”

“I support the Schumer-Clinton-Mikulski amendment because I believe it more accurately reflects the needs that have been conveyed. Even in the materials that the Senator from Pennsylvania has entered into the Record, the kind of requests we are hearing from mayors and county executives and police chiefs and fire chiefs far exceed what is available. It has been now 18 months where we have failed to arrive at an understanding of what our local communities and our States require in order to fulfill their obligations on the front lines of this second front. Once again, I believe we have an opportunity to do what is needed, but we are not taking it. The Schumer amendment provides the kind of thoughtful analysis and disbursement of funds that will most guarantee that the money, No. 1, gets out of the Federal Government within 30 days--something not in the Specter amendment--and that once it gets to the States, it has to be distributed within 60 days. And we appreciate that. But one of the problems we have had is getting the money out of the Federal Government to the States, and we also have to assure that the money gets where it is most needed--to our first responders. I urge our colleagues to support the Schumer amendment as being far more reflective of the overall needs our country confronts when it comes to homeland security.”