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Washington, D.C. – With the sixth anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 tomorrow, Congressman Pete Visclosky paid tribute to the nearly 3,000 men and women who were killed during the tragedy by praising new legislation that protects the country from terrorism.
The new 110th Congress enacted the “Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007” (HR 1), a sweeping new security bill which finally enacts the recommendations of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission into law. These recommendations were submitted to Congress by the 9/11 Commission back in July 2004.
“One of the best ways the United States Congress can honor the memories of those who were killed in that horrific attack is to recommit ourselves to ensuring that such a terrible tragedy never happens again,” said Visclosky. “This 9/11 bill is one of the most important pieces of legislation that will be enacted by this new Congress, as it goes to the fundamental goal of protecting the citizens of our country.”
The comprehensive, bipartisan legislation will do many things to make our nation stronger, and our cities and towns more secure, including:
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Requiring 100 percent scanning of U.S.-bound seaborne containers before they leave a foreign port within five years;
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Requiring 100 percent screening of cargo on passenger aircraft within three years;
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Investing in the interoperable communications equipment that first responders by creating a stand-alone grant program at DHS, authorized at $400 million a year;
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Quickly accelerates the installation of advanced (in-line) electronic explosive screening systems for checked baggage at the nation’s airports;
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Improves explosive detection at passenger screening checkpoints at airports;
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Provides that homeland security grants will be allocated primarily on the basis of risk;
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Authorizes more than $4 billion over the next four years to improve the security of mass transit, rail, and buses;
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Takes aggressive steps to better prevent terrorist travel;
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Improves the security of our critical infrastructure – such as our dams, our bridges, our power grids, and our telecommunications systems;
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Strengthens intelligence and information sharing with local law enforcement, including strengthening state and local intelligence “fusion” centers.
“We learned on September 11, 2001, that our country must have better tools in place to prevent acts of terrorism, and I am pleased that this new Congress had taken action on the recommendations put forth by the 9/11 Commission,” said Visclosky.
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