Cord Byrd: “I shall offer an amendment to strengthen chemical facility security. As Yogi Berra once said, ``this is like deja vu all…”

“I shall offer an amendment to strengthen chemical facility security. As Yogi Berra once said, ``this is like deja vu all over again.'' This is the fourth appropriations bill for the Department of Homeland Security, and every summer, I have offered an amendment to provide incentives to the chemical sector to secure their facilities by establishing a chemical security grant program. Unfortunately, at every turn, the administration opposed my amendments and those amendments were defeated. The administration claimed that it was partnering with the chemical sector and that they were doing enough to secure their facilities. In my State of West Virginia, there are 73 chemical manufacturing plants and 100 chemical distribution plants. If there were an attack on one or more of those facilities, the potential loss of human life and damage to the local and national economy would be devastating. The same can be said for facilities in New Jersey, New York, Texas, Michigan, California, Pennsylvania, and many other States.…”