Kendrick Meek: “We have CIA agents being pointed out by people in the White House who have the highest national security clearance to…”

“We have CIA agents being pointed out by people in the White House who have the highest national security clearance to know what is going on throughout the world, getting daily briefings. We have a situation where we had Hurricane Katrina, which we have asked for an independent commission, not just for the affected area where Hurricane Katrina and Rita hit, and if we want to add Wilma, it is not just to deal with that. It is to make sure that we have a 9/11-like commission outside of the partisan commission that we have here in this House to look at the way FEMA and the State and local governments respond to natural disasters, or disasters, period. Now, we do not even have the ice and water situation down yet when we start talking about FEMA and the response to Americans in need, and I am going to take from Mr. Ryan, taxpayers when they are in need. We do not have that down. Not if, but when a terrorist attack happens in another city here in the United States, what will be the response from the Federal, State, and local governments? I am on the Homeland Security Committee, and I have come to the conclusion that we are not ready, regardless of what the Secretary says, regardless of whatever podium the President wants to get on in the situation room and say that we are ready. We are not ready.…”