News from Congresswoman Jane Harman

Congresswoman Jane harman - Press Release

July 1, 2002

HARMAN BRIEFS, QUESTIONS COMMUNITY LEADERS ON PROPOSED DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

- "Moving boxes in Washington won't matter at all if we don't improve our homeland security throughout the country, including here in the South Bay"-

REDONDO BEACH - US Representative Jane Harman (D-Redondo Beach), Ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security, today convened a meeting of local elected officials, community leaders, city emergency management officials, law enforcement officials and representatives of first responder groups to discuss the impact of the creation of a Department of Homeland Security on the security of the South Bay.

"A cabinet level department responsible for homeland security is a much-needed step in America's effort to prevent a second wave of terrorist attacks," said Harman. "I've been talking about reorganizing the federal homeland security structure for months, and now President Bush has proposed creating a new Cabinet Department. But creating the department will require the largest reorganization of the federal government since the establishment of the Department of Defense in 1947, and those at the state and local level will be greatly affected. Moving boxes in Washington won't matter at all if we don't improve our homeland security throughout the country, including here in the South Bay."

The meeting was also an opportunity for the participants to offer suggestions, ask questions, and voice concerns with one of the leading voices in Congress on homeland security.

Participants were most interested to discuss how federal funding will be affected by the creation of the Department, and how local responders will be able to access officials and information in Washington.

Harman also updated the South Bay leaders on H.R. 4598, the Homeland Security Information Sharing Act, which passed the House last week by a vote of 422-2. The bill requires the CIA and FBI to share terrorist threat information with state and local governments and responder groups. Harman said, "The Homeland Security Information Sharing Act addresses a critical problem: the need to share information on terrorist threats across the federal government and down to the local government and first responders. Information will empower those of you on the front lines and help you secure our homeland against a second wave of attacks."

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