Russ Feingold: “I was very happy to learn this week that Wisconsin will be one of 12 new States to receive funding for a full-time…”

“I was very happy to learn this week that Wisconsin will be one of 12 new States to receive funding for a full-time Weapon of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team--WMD-CST--this year and I want to congratulate the Wisconsin National Guard for their efforts to secure a full-time team. These teams, made up of members of the National Guard, play a vital role in assisting local first responders in investigating and combating the new threat we face in the 21st century. During the 2002 Baseball All-Star Game in Milwaukee, WI had to call in Minnesota's civil support team because Wisconsin did not yet have a full-time team. I am pleased that Wisconsin will now have its own capability to quickly respond and protect its citizens from possible terrorist threats. I have worked for years now to assure that all states and territories have at least one of these teams and I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for helping me in this endeavor. We have had great success. The Bob Stump National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003 made it law that all states and territories have at least one WMD-CST and Congress authorized and appropriated the funds to establish 12 of the 23 teams during fiscal year 2004. Now we must make sure that the last 11 teams are funded in fiscal year 2005.”