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New Report Shows Homeland Security Boondoggles |
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NYC Security Cut $70 million while Feds Fund Silly Programs
$16 million to Teach Truckers to Flag Terrorists
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New York City - Tens of thousands of dollars purchasing personal vehicles for officials and security cameras for remote towns, just two of the many pork barrel projects outlined in a new review of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spending released by Representative Anthony Weiner (D-Queens & Brooklyn), a member of the House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security. In addition to detailing over $16 million in outrageous homeland security spending, Rep. Weiner also said that New York City was getting the short end of the homeland security stick.
In one case of wasteful spending, the Department of Homeland Security Program is planning to spend $16 million in 2008 – and $63 million since 2004 – teaching truckers to spot terrorists. The report also highlighted the $22,800 purchase of an emergency response vehicle in Cheboygan County, Michigan. The county emergency management director used the vehicle for his daily commuting, not emergencies. In fact, the vehicle had no emergency response vehicle markings.
While millions and millions of dollars were spent on these boondoggles, Rep. Weiner also documented that New York City has seen a $70 million reduction in its homeland security funding since 2005, under the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) – a 35 percent decrease.
Rep. Weiner
Homeland Security Pork
Nationwide: Teaching truckers to identify terrorists. $16,000,000
Port Royal, SC (pop. 3,950): Street lighting along port. $180,000
Holbrook, AZ (pop. 5,100): Security cameras for water tower. $48,600
Sheboygan, WI (pop. 48,598): Tractor to pull airplanes. $48,550
Cheboygan County, MI (pop. 27,282): Personal vehicle for director. $22,800
Rolette County, ND: "Terrorism prevention" printer. $2,789
Sources: Government Accountability Office (GAO); News articles; Department of Homeland Security.
In 2006 and 2007, 46 cities received money under the UASI program. In 2008, the list of eligible cities has grown to 60. Rep. Weiner said that reducing the number of eligible cities to 15 will return the UASI program to its core mission of providing funding to high-threat, high density urban areas – He authored the THREAT Act (Targeting Homeland Security Resources Effectively Against Terrorism – HR 911), which would cap the number of cities who could receive UASI at 15.
said, "This isn’t brain surgery: when a city faces a major threat, you give the city the tools it needs to protect itself. And yet time and again, we’re seeing remote towns and corrupt officials rake in the money while New York City gets the short end of the stick." |
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Congressman Anthony D. Weiner
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