John Shaw: “I rise in protest once again in regard to the unfair allocation of Urban Area Security Initiative grants from the…”

“I rise in protest once again in regard to the unfair allocation of Urban Area Security Initiative grants from the Department of Homeland Security by the city of Miami. Broward County in my district has not received nearly enough, not nearly enough, for the funding it needs to keep our critical infrastructure safe from terrorist attacks. On Sunday, a man crashed his SUV into a crowded terminal building at the Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Broward County. He drove it all the way through two walls to the ticket counter. Airport officials were very quick to say, and correctly so, that the crash was not a terrorist act. But it could have been. Let us not forget that this area was home to the al Qaeda operatives prior to 9/11. Airport security was tight for the holiday weekend, but there were no security measures in place and no physical structures that could have stopped this man from killing or injuring hundreds of travelers in the terminal. Having metal posts along the sidewalks would have made it impossible for this man to drive his SUV into the terminal. Instead, the crash caused $100,000 worth of damage and threatened the safety of hundreds of holiday travelers. Mr. Speaker, both Broward and Palm Beach Counties are vulnerable targets. This is just one more reason why my district should be designated as its own urban area so that we can improve security measures that will protect our communities.”