Daniel Akaka: “I rise to commend the joint efforts of the federal Department of Health and Human Services, HHS, the Honolulu Emergency…”

“I rise to commend the joint efforts of the federal Department of Health and Human Services, HHS, the Honolulu Emergency Services Department, and Hawaii's Department of Health, and National Guard for establishing one of the Nation's premier weapons of mass destruction, WMD, containment, mitigation and response capabilities. As the ranking member of the Governmental Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on International Security, Proliferation, and Federal Services, I follow Federal terrorism defense programs closely, especially those that affect Hawaii. Terrorism, particularly the threat of domestic terrorism, remains at the forefront of concern for all of us. Although it has been 7 years since the terrorist bombing of the World Trade Center and 5 years since the destruction of the Oklahoma City Federal Building, these unspeakable atrocities left an indelible mark in the hearts of all Americans. In the intervening years, the threat of terrorism has become more pronounced. The National Commission on Terrorism recently concluded that "... international terrorism poses an increasingly dangerous and difficult threat to America--today's terrorists seek to inflict mass casualties, and they are attempting to do so both overseas and on American soil.”