Steve Rothman: “I am from the Garden State of New Jersey, from which most of the people who came to rescue the people in the burning…”

“I am from the Garden State of New Jersey, from which most of the people who came to rescue the people in the burning towers came, from the place where the victims of 9/11 were transported to Liberty Island, to be triaged and cared for, where we have four nuclear power plants, chemical plants, two tunnels to New York City, several bridges to New York City, et cetera. I would like to commend the subcommittee chairman, the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers), for making extraordinary progress from where we were before this bill was written; and I acknowledge his good faith and sincere effort in moving in the right direction. And I know that it is very difficult to balance the equities and the interests of all concerned. However, it is 3 years, Mr. Chairman, since 9/11, 3 years, when every State in the Union has gotten some money for their homeland security. The question is, whether now, 3 years later, we have waited long enough for the largest portion of moneys that go out on this homeland security bill, whether they are given to those areas that are most at risk and that are most targeted by the terrorists.”