Homeland Security

The September 11 terrorist attacks have shown that we need to be diligent in protecting America from terrorists. Congress has taken several steps in protecting our nation, including the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, increased funding for our first responders and increased research and development funds for the latest anti-terrorism technology.

Going forward, increased use of technology will be the key in the continued fight in the War on Terrorism. This means leveraging our national assets – including our national labs and partnering with the private sector and our universities – to develop and bring to bear technologies designed to protect critical infrastructure, identify threats and prevent potential attacks.

Congress must do everything within its power to ensure our local first responders have the equipment and training they need to respond to any incident. One of our top priorities must be to develop a national strategy to identify the most likely threats and prioritize our response.

At home, the Port of Tacoma is the largest container port in Washington State and I have worked hard to increase security at our ports. But my commitment does not end there. As a Member of the House Armed Services Committee and the subcommittee on
Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities, I work to ensure that our military is the best and most effective fighting force in the world. By aggressively prosecuting the War on Terrorism around the world, our servicemen and women help prevent terrorist organizations from bringing the fight to our shores.

Finally, I strongly believe we must accomplish these goals while protecting the crucial civil liberties that have defined our nation for centuries.