WASHINGTON-Democratic senators on Wednesday blasted the Bush administration’s homeland security budget calling it “missing in action.”
This budget is “missing in action. It doesn’t recognize the tremendous challenges of state and local governments,” said Sen. Hilary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.).
The White House has moved funds from state and local grant programs to D.C.-based counterterrorism activities, said Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y). “They are robbing Peter to pay Paul,” said Schumer.
One of the areas proposed to be cut is radio interoperability to allow public-safety agencies to talk to each other, said Schumer. “We learned that horrible lesson on Sept. 11,” he said.
The Capitol Hill press conference continued an assault on the Bush Administration’s homeland security budget that has been going on all week with claims and counterclaims of whether the cuts to first responders are real or perceived.
The debate comes as public safety is facing a possibly expensive retuning effort to solve interference in the 800 MHz band and public safety answering points struggle to upgrade to be able to receive wireless enhanced 911 Phase II information.
