Thomas Daschle: “I come to the floor in part to call to the attention of my colleagues an article which appeared in the New York Times…”

“I come to the floor in part to call to the attention of my colleagues an article which appeared in the New York Times this morning. The article is entitled ``Pentagon Prepares A Futures Market On Terror Attacks.'' The article reports that the Bush administration is prepared to spend $8 million on a program that actually encourages betting on the probability of future terrorist attacks. I am really amazed. This fits in that category: ``We are not making this up.'' You ask whether there are traders or traitors--T-R-A-D-E-R-S or T-R-A-I-T-O-R-S. As we understand it, even terrorists would be allowed to bet on the likelihood of future terrorist attacks. This program could provide an incentive, actually, to commit acts of terrorism. We are asking the administration this morning to renounce this plan to trade in death. The administration should issue a public apology, especially to the families of the victims of September 11. This is just wrong: The Pentagon calls its latest idea a new way of predicting events and part of its search for the ``broadest possible set of new ways to prevent terrorist attacks.''”