Susan Collins: “there are other issues as well that are very important to comment on. Another one is that the Feinstein-Cornyn amendment…”

“there are other issues as well that are very important to comment on. Another one is that the Feinstein-Cornyn amendment does not include adequate accountability measures. We know that we need tough accountability measures, such as what is included in the Collins-Lieberman amendment. Such measures, for example, include a requirement for a GAO audit. We would also require in our amendment--in contrast to the Feinstein-Cornyn amendment--that all spending be tied to achieving essential prevention and preparedness goals. This is an important point. We cannot afford to have scarce homeland security dollars wasted on leather jackets in the District of Columbia or be used to buy air-conditioned garbage trucks for a New Jersey city. We need to make sure the expenditures are wise and appropriate, and the tough accountability measures included in the Collins-Lieberman amendment will do that. I note that the Feinstein-Cornyn amendment is silent on an authorization level, and it doesn't attempt to restore the $900 million in cuts since fiscal year 2004. Only our amendment seeks to stop the reduction of funding for first responders by authorizing a significant level of funding. We didn't go overboard. It is a level of funding that was provided in fiscal year 2004; it is $2.9 billion. While we are making progress every year on becoming better prepared to prevent or respond to attacks, we are a long way from completing the task.…”