Kendrick Meek: “I must say that we cannot speak enough about what this budget does to first responders, and I will tell you it is…”

“I must say that we cannot speak enough about what this budget does to first responders, and I will tell you it is definitely a travesty when we have a budget in this time of the homeland being at threat as it relates to the Secretary of Defense stating yesterday before the 9/11 Commission, cutting by 32 percent, $959 million, away from the COPS program. I must say that it is something we should really look closely at. Those are the frontline responders, and for us to cut those dollars is a travesty in the light of making sure that people that make over $1 million annually are able to get their tax cut so it can be permanent. I will tell you it is a sad day if this Congress allows this budget, handed from the President, to come to fruition and become a part of the template we use to be able to fund the necessary means toward protecting the homeland. Every police officer, every sheriff, should call the Members of Congress to let them know these dollars are important to protecting the homeland and local communities and making sure we are prepared to prevent terrorist attacks from happening in the future.”