Tom Harkin: “When Senator Lieberman first proposed creation of a new Department of Homeland Security, in his role at that time of…”

“When Senator Lieberman first proposed creation of a new Department of Homeland Security, in his role at that time of chairman of the Government Affairs Committee, I supported his effort. We knew then that balancing, and probably shifting, among competing priorities would be a challenge. We must do all we can to safeguard the vital interests of the Nation from the threat of terrorism. But it remains essential that we don't disregard the need to protect people from other, more likely hazards, especially in areas away from large towns and critical assets. We must not merely redirect funds badly needed current programs, creating new holes in our security infrastructure. In fact, we should seek wherever it is possible to expand and strengthen existing emergency response mechanisms. We should increase their capacity in ways that allow local authorities to prevent or respond to terrorist threats while also helping them to deal better with the much more common threats and emergencies they face. I believe this is possible.”