Cord Byrd: “there is a game being played with the critical issue of homeland security. It is a political game which could have…”

“there is a game being played with the critical issue of homeland security. It is a political game which could have disastrous consequences. The White House is talking big about homeland security, exhibiting strong presidential interest in homeland security, trotting out proposals for a whole new Department of Homeland Security, and publicizing alerts. It is strange, then, strange indeed that despite its public pronouncements on homeland security, the White House refuses to back the rhetoric up with resources. Twice--once last year, and currently--large bipartisan majorities in both Houses of Congress have withstood veto threats from this administration and insisted on significant funding increases for homeland security. President Bush's own appointees have all but begged the President's OMB Director for additional funds to fight the war on terrorism here at home. Many of these requests are urgent and quite compelling, yet the OMB has continually rejected a surprising number of these pleas. It is as if this administration has delivered an internal unfunded mandate to its own cabinet secretaries and Federal workers. Fight the war on terrorism on every front here in the homeland. Fight vigorously. Spare nothing, but make sure you do it on a shoestring. Protect our people here at home, but protect them on the cheap.”