Ben Cardin: “My first amendment requires the Department of Homeland Security to study whether modifying and updating the national…”

“My first amendment requires the Department of Homeland Security to study whether modifying and updating the national capital region boundaries would improve coordination among the State and local governments within the region, enhance regional governments and the Federal Government's ability to prevent and respond to a terrorist attack within the region, and affect the distribution of funding under the Homeland Security Grant Program. Congress created the national capital region boundaries as part of the National Capital Planning Act of 1952. We now use this definition in dealing with our homeland security. Obviously, there have been significant demographic changes since 1952. We all know if there is a problem in the Nation's Capital, it goes well beyond the immediate counties that surround the Capitol, in Virginia and Maryland, yet the national capital region is restricted to just a few counties.”