Pryce: Intelligence Bill Enhances
Security Efforts

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Deborah Pryce (R-Upper Arlington) today issued the following statement regarding House passage of the 9/11 Conference Report:

“In a pre-9/11 America, terrorists slipped past our borders and were allowed to roam our country free from scrutiny and detection. Great loss shed light on these shortcomings and today, Congress acted to correct and close many of the lapses of our past,” Pryce said.  “Today, a different America stands between terrorists and their end goal of destruction. Today, a different America meets terrorists with handcuffs, not handouts; swat teams, not stamped passports. 

“Today’s vote is by no means the final solution to an ever-changing threat. Congress will continue to work toward revamping our intelligence, border security and law enforcement operations to stop evil before it becomes terror. As Republicans enter the 109^th Congress, the safety of every American schoolchild, of every airline passenger, and every high-rise employee will remain at the forefront of our endeavors.”

Among other provisions, the House-passed Conference Report on S. 2845 - the National Intelligence Reform Act of 2004 would:

• Create a Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to serve as the head of the Intelligence Community, serve as principle adviser to the President, and oversee and direct the implementation of the National Intelligence Program;
• Increase the difficulty for terrorists to secure financing and improves the tools available to law enforcement to investigate and prosecute money laundering;
• Add a new crime for knowingly receiving military training from a foreign terrorist organization and enables the U.S. to deport any alien who has received such training;
• Require all drivers’ licenses and birth certificates to bear a set of standard characteristics thereby making it more difficult for terrorists to falsify identification to gain admission and remain in the country to plan and plot terrorist acts;
• Double the current number of border patrol officers to 10,000 over the next 5 years;
• Provide 40,000 new detention beds to prevent potential terrorists from being released onto the streets.

This bill builds on the efforts of Congress to fight an aggressive war on terror through active military engagement overseas and proactive security efforts at home through the Department of Homeland Security. Congresswoman Pryce has been instrumental in securing funds that state and local first responders need to protect the people of central Ohio.

Last week, the Department of Homeland Security directed nearly $7.6 million dollars to the city of Columbus to enhance the city’s overall security and help officials prepare to respond and recover from potential acts of terrorism. The funding is part of the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI).

“Protecting our homeland is a shared responsibility. I am proud that the federal government is doing its part by providing the funding that Columbus needs to provide many important resources to our community’s first responders,” said Pryce. “Our local police, firefighters and emergency workers put themselves on the line everyday to keep our families safe and they deserve all the support we can give them.”

Over the past three years, central Ohio residents received the benefit of over $50 million in federal funding for homeland security activities. These activities included airport and transportation security, critical infrastructure protection, overtime reimbursement, communications upgrades, and first responder equipment, training, and planning.