Mike Thompson: “I rise to express similar concerns. Mr. President, recent, tragic events have raised the fight against terrorism higher…”

“I rise to express similar concerns. Mr. President, recent, tragic events have raised the fight against terrorism higher in the public consciousness. In response, President Clinton has submitted a request for $1.1 billion in emergency antiterrorism funding for fiscal year 1996 and fiscal year 1997. While it is imperative that we act in a timely way to fight terrorism and to preserve the safety of our citizens, it is also important that we not simply throw money at a problem for efforts that do little more than make us feel a little better for a little while. Indeed, it's important that we not let our actions be reduced to reactions. Unless these programs make a difference, we will be wasting the taxpayer's money. And when terrorists strike again, we'll be standing here once more, asking ourselves what went wrong with the programs whose appropriations we are debating today. I fear that the President's emergency request represents greatly increased spending without greatly increased thought. Do we know that this $1.1 billion will go toward effective measures? The President's proposal represents an increase in spending on antiterrorism measures of about 4,000 percent, from his earlier proposal of something under $50 million. I am not yet convinced that this spending is anything more than an expensive way to make the public believe that the Government is doing something constructive.”