US Senate Passes 9/11 Panel Proposals Bill

"The Senate overwhelmingly approved legislation yesterday to implement many of the remaining reforms suggested by the Sept. 11 commission, answering its three-year-old call for better emergency communications; more money for cities at high risk of terrorist attacks; and tighter security for air cargo, ports, chemical plants and rail systems.", reports Washington Post.

.............."This bill will make the people of America, in an age of terrorism, safer yet than they have been before," said Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn।), chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky।) criticized the legislation, saying it would weaken U.S. security overall by "pumping for big labor." By allowing the workers to unionize, Democrats "would make the Department of Homeland Security more like the Department of Motor Vehicles," he said.

.............Democrats have been bolder on homeland security issues since the midterm elections। A recent Washington Post poll showed that Americans trust congressional Democrats to do a better job than Bush in handling terrorism.

This week, Lieberman criticized a White House proposal to cut grants to state and local first responders by 40 percent compared with 2004 levels। Instead, he urged boosting the Department of Homeland Security's $46.4 billion fiscal 2008 budget by $3.4 billion.

"More, not less, must be done to make sure we are fighting the war against terror on the home front with the same financial commitment that we are fighting the war on terror overseas," he said.

...........Unlike the House measure, the Senate bill would not require radiation scanning for all U.S.-bound cargo containers at foreign ports. It would declassify the total dollar amount the nation spends on intelligence, against the wishes of the White House, but would support the administration's push to tighten the requirements and expand a security program under which nationals from friendly countries may travel to the United States without a visa.

Carie Lemack, president of Families of September 11, called the Senate vote "a good first step," but she said survivors would continue to push for tighter screening of air cargo and measures to prevent nuclear terrorism.

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Personal View

This legislation passed after overcoming three years of political constraints, goes on to show how, "Democracy is Off,By and For The People".

Each and every Country be it Democratic or otherwise must take a lesson out of US's strong "Democracy".

This much I can add, being from a Democratic Country, that has the responsibility to show to all chaotic neighbouring countries as an 'Ideal Democracy' for them to follow.

Love and Peace.

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