Anthony Weiner: “Reclaiming my time, in homeland security funding? Actually, let us talk about how much is cut. The COPS program at one…”

“Reclaiming my time, in homeland security funding? Actually, let us talk about how much is cut. The COPS program at one time funded 7,000 police officers in the City of New York; and by the way, I can check for a moment if the gentleman gives me his hometown how many funds in his neighborhood and that has been steadily slashed. John Ashcroft, the Attorney General of the Nation of the United States, said that this is the best program to reduce crime. Secretary Ridge said homeland security starts in our hometown. What are we doing? Slashing the COPS program. I can assure my colleagues, Mr. Chairman, they oppose slashing the COPS program, not knowing my colleague all that well, but knowing how it has been helpful to his community. We are doing it. We are not happy about doing it. All I am saying is let us bring it to at least last year's level. Do not bring it to what we authorized in the House, $1 billion. I am sure the gentleman voted for it, $1 billion authorization level, $113 million half of what it was last year. Listen, I do not have any beef with the census; and as I said, the chairman and the ranking member have a Herculean task trying to make these numbers work. All I am saying is this is one program that is a dramatic step up for something that they are trying to ramp up that I think they should, but we have to be sure we do not ramp down the COPS program into the ground in the process. The COPS program will cease to exist effectively.…”