Cord Byrd: “Recently, former Senators Rudman and Hart released a report that concluded that American transportation, water, food…”

“Recently, former Senators Rudman and Hart released a report that concluded that American transportation, water, food, power, communications, and banking systems remain easy targets for terrorist attacks. The report highlighted the vulnerabilities created by the miniscule fraction of trains, ships, trucks and containers that are searched for weapons of mass destruction; poor radio communications and equipment and training for police, fire, and emergency medical personnel; inadequate coordination and focus on threats to food safety; lack of lab capacity to test for biological or chemical contaminants; and insufficient sharing of intelligence information with State and local governments on potential terrorist threats. Not only has President Bush failed--failed, failed--to lead the Nation in addressing these vulnerabilities, he has in fact actively opposed efforts to provide the resources necessary to address these significant weaknesses. The record will show that. When it comes to homeland defense, the President is strong on rhetoric and weak on resources. The record will substantiate that statement of mine. Under pressure from the White House since September 11, 2001, $8.9 billion of critical funding to address the specific concerns identified in the Rudman-Hart report and in our bipartisan Senate Appropriations Committee hearings have been squeezed out of spending bills considered by the Congress.”