Political Quotes

“I rise to urge my colleagues to do the right thing and pass a bill that would fully fund the Department of Homeland Security, without the politically driven riders that are the focus of this debate. Protecting our country from terrorist attacks should be our top priority in Congress and we should not be playing games with Homeland Security funding. That is the least our constituents expect of us. I know that for many of my colleagues the question of immigration is a very contentious one and an important one worthy of debate. We should have that debate without risking the safety of our families by once again putting an immigration bill on the floor of the Senate. But this funding bill for such a vitally important part of our national security is simply not the place for an ideological debate. If we fail to pass and fund the Department of Homeland Security, the consequences for our safety could potentially be devastating. Take for example the Urban Areas Security Initiative. This is the program that helps our cities pay for things such as surveillance equipment, secure communications systems, training for law enforcement personnel, all in order to increase our security and prevent terrorism. These grants ensure that all of the places terrorists have targeted and will continue to target are able to effectively prevent those violent acts from happening. New York City is my home State. It is the No. 1 terror target in the Nation.…”