Political Quotes

“Hometown security should be our number one priority to ensure the American public is safe from terrorism--both domestic and foreign. The federal government has made significant commitments, but unfortunately these have been more show than substance. The most recent example is the budget for the homeland security appropriations. I know from my own experience that there are vast unmet needs in every community around the country, and Oregon is on exception. The federal government should be helping communities to pay for the costly precautions that local governments must take to respond to high level security alerts, the effects of which ripple through crippled local budgets. We have yet to make local governments whole from the federal government imposed shut down of airports following September 11th. There are vast and clear needs for the Coast Guard which this budget virtually ignores. It is inexcusable that we do not do a better job of listening to and meeting the needs of our local communities around the country. I, in good conscience, find it very hard to vote for this appropriation and hope that we will send the message that Congress should step up and make its action match its rhetoric and the need.”