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Foxx votes against diminished homeland security bill

Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (NC-05) today voted against a weakened homeland security bill (H.R. 1684) that ignores direct recommendations of the 9/11 Commission—despite Democrat promises to enact these recommendations. The Democrat leadership also stripped the bill of bipartisan security measures, effectively reducing the country’s ability to guard against and respond to terrorist attacks.

“Here we have another example of Democrats ignoring their promises—promises to enact 9/11 Commission recommendations and to work in a bipartisan fashion,” Foxx said. “I’m not sure what my Democrat colleagues hope to accomplish by eliminating funding that protects high risk sites like airports and nuclear power plants. But by stripping out vital security measures, such as funding for screening of employees at high risk sites, they have gutted an otherwise good bill.”

Democrat editing of the legislation has quashed dozens of security provisions in the bill, including funds for anti-terror screening tools for customs agents. Democrat changes will also prevent first responder grants from being used for training for emergency situations, would strip out funds aimed at protecting America’s food supply from attack, and kill funds for a mobile bio-metric identification system for illegal aliens captured at sea.

“Recent successes, such as the arrest of extremists planning to attack a New Jersey military base, are the result of homeland security programs at work. Eliminating or gutting dozens of programs does nothing to ensure future success on this front,” Foxx said.

“How can we take the Democrats at their word? They promised in their campaigns to strengthen American security and enact the 9/11 Commission recommendations. But they ignored those promises with this legislation. The Democrats have concocted nothing more than a feeble attempt to look strong on security and tough on terror—all without a stitch of strength or toughness,” Foxx said.

The bill passed the House of Representatives 296 to 126. The White House has threatened a veto because the bill undermines essential security programs and the effectiveness of the Department of Homeland Security.

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