Political Quotes

“I thank the gentleman for yielding to me. Mr. Speaker, since before the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, experts have been concerned about the vulnerability of chemical plants to attack. These facilities hold large stores of industrial chemicals which pose a safety and security risk to the American people if they are released or detonated. A recent report found that more than 134 million Americans live in the vulnerability zones around these chemical facilities. I have such a facility in my district, which is a very serious concern for the surrounding community. These risks have not been addressed adequately, and this bill falls short of what is needed. The Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards Program at the Department of Homeland Security has not been successful. It was set up through an appropriations rider that did not give the Department the tools it needed to succeed. The original statute blocked effective enforcement, leading to a lack of compliance. We saw the dangers of noncompliance when the West Fertilizer Company facility in West, Texas, exploded. Unfortunately, those limitations on enforcement would be preserved by this bill. The original statute blocked the Department from requiring measures to reduce the consequences of a terrorist attack and, in the process, created serious obstacles to disapproving site security plans that failed to meet the program's standards.…”