Peter King: “I rise in support of H.R. 549, the National Bombing Prevention Act of 2009, and am pleased that the House has moved…”

“I rise in support of H.R. 549, the National Bombing Prevention Act of 2009, and am pleased that the House has moved quickly early in the 111th Congress to act on this important legislation. On January 15, 2009, I introduced H.R. 549, which authorizes the Office of Bombing Prevention within the Department of Homeland Security. In the previous Congress, the full House passed similar legislation by bipartisan voice vote on June 18, 2008. The Office of Bombing Prevention will provide much needed analysis and coordination of our Nation's bomb-prevention capacity. This will inform State and local governments on how to best protect our citizens from the threat posed by improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The terrorist attacks in Iraq and Afghanistan; the attacks in London in 2007 and 2005; the Madrid bombings in 2004; and the countless other bombing attacks around the world serve as reminders that terrorist organizations utilize IEDs to target civilians and military personnel. Within the United States, we have been subject to our own share of explosive attacks, including the 1993 World Trade Center bombings; the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing; the Centennial Olympic Park bombing; and others.”