Homeland Security

Sununu, Bush and the other Republican radicals like to talk about how they are improving our safety but when it comes time to take critical votes, they protect themselves, not us.

Port security...

Sununu Has Voted Against Funding For Port Security Over a Dozen Times. Since 2003, Sununu has voted against increased funding for port security sixteen times. Sununu voted against increased funding to hire more inspectors to scan incoming containers and increased funding for the Cost Guard. [S. Con Res. 83, 3/16/06, #59; S. Con Res. 83, 3/15/06, #47; HR 2360, 7/13/05, #177; SC R 18, 3/17/05, #64; HR 4567, 9/14/04, #179; HR 4567, 9/9/04, #171; HR 4567, 9/9/04, #169; HR 4567, 9/8/04, #166; HR 2555, 7/24/03, #300; HR 2555, 7/23/03, #295; HR 2555, 7/23/03, #294; HR 2555, 7/22/03, #291; S 762, 4/3/03, #120; S 762, 4/3/03, #119; S 762, 4/2/03 #115; HJR 2, 1/16/03, #2]

Sununu Twice Voted Against Screening All Incoming Cargo. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency inspects only 6 percent of the 9 million containers that enter the United States every year. This despite a study completed in 2005 by the Coast Guard and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that identified 66 of the nation's 359 ports as being especially vulnerable to terrorist attack. Sununu voted twice in 2006 to kill amendments to screen 100% of incoming cargo containers. [Vote 248, 9/14/06; Vote 47, 3/15/06]

Airport security...

Sununu Was One of 12 to Oppose More Airport Screeners. Last year, Sununu was one of only 12 Senators to vote against lifting the hiring cap on Transportation Security Administration screeners at airports and seaports. The cap, which was set at 45,000, led to short-staffing and longer lines at many of the nation's airports. “If we want to make our airports safer, and also reduce the long lines travelers are seeing at baggage screening, we need to get rid of this arbitrary cap," said Senator Lautenberg. [Vote 241, 9/12/06; Lautenberg Press Release, 9/12/06]

First responders...

Sununu Has Voted Against First Responders Over 30 Times. Since 2003, Sununu has voted against first responders at least thirty-three times. Sununu's votes against first responders included votes against funding for the Community Oriented Policing program, Byrne Grants and increasing funding for police and fire fighters. [SCR 83, 3/16/06, #74; S. Con Res. 83, 3/16/06, #59; S Con Res 83, 3/15/06, #45; HR 2862, 9/14/05, #227; HR 2862, 9/13/05, #226; Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs Press Release, 3/17/05; HR 2360, 7/14/05, #183; HR 2360, 7/11/05, #178; HR 2360, 7/13/05, #177; S Con Res 18, 3/17/05, #70; SC R 18, 3/17/05, #64; SCR 18, 3/15/05, #50; HR 4567, 9/14/04, #179; HR 4567, 9/14/04, #175; HR 4567, 9/9/04, #170; HR 4567, 9/9/04, #169; SCR 95, 3/11/04, #42; HR 2660, 9/5/03, #328; HR 2555, 7/24/03, #300; HR 2555, 7/24/03, #299; HR 2555, 7/23/03, #296; HR 2555, 7/2/03, #293; HR 2555, 7/22/03, #291; S 762, 4/3/03, #123; S 762, 4/3/03, #120; S 762, 4/3/03, #119; S 762, 4/2/03 #115; SCR 23, 3/25/03, #92; SCR 23, 3/25/03, #91; SCR 23, 3/25/03, #88; S Con Res 23, 3/21/03, #78; SCR 23, 3/21/03, #65; HJR 2, 1/16/03, #3; HJR 2, 1/16/03, #2]

Even common sense security.

Sununu Voted Against Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. Earlier this year, Sununu voted against a bipartisan bill that implemented most of the remaining recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. The Commission, which was created in the wake of the September 11th attacks to investigate the terrorist attacks and help prevent additional attacks, developed a series of proposals to help rectify the failures that allowed the first attacks to happen. The bill included several measures designed to practically implement the Commission's recommendations, including: Improvements in information sharing for the nation's intelligence and law enforcement community including the creation of information sharing standards, $3.1 billion in domestic homeland security grants including $542 million for law enforcement anti terrorism activities, $3.3 billion for improvement of interoperable communications, for the nation's first responders, and $450 million for the installation of bomb detection equipment in the nation's airports.[Vote 73, 3/13/07; New York Times, 3/14/07; Reuters, 3/13/07; AP, 3/13/07; CQ Today, 3/14/07; DPC Report, 2/28/07]

Sununu Obstructed 9/11 Commission Recommendations, Voted Against Focusing Resources On War On Terror. The Bush administration and its Congressional allies like John Sununu have dragged their feet in implementing the recommendations put forward by the 9/11 Commission despite receiving failing grades on the Commission report card. The Commission gave the government 5 Fs and 12Ds on its report card. Sununu continued this obstruction in September 2006 by opposing the Democrats' Real Security Act to implement the 9/11 Commission's recommendations, screen all incoming cargo and re-open Alex Station, the CIA unit tasked with finding Osama Bin Laden that the Bush administration shut down earlier in 2006. [Vote 243, 9/13/06; Final Report on 9/11 Commission Recommendations, 12/05; New York Times, 7/4/06]

Sununu Puts Tax Cuts For Millionaires Ahead Of 9/11 Commission Recommendations. In September 2006, Sununu voted to kill a proposal that would have implemented all 41 recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. [Vote 244, 9/13/06]

Don't be fooled by Sununu's safety talk