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view
Special
interests dominate agency
The Senate joined the House to approve the
creation of the Department of Homeland Security
Tuesday in an effort to prevent terrorism
in the United States. The new department
is the largest government reorganization
since the creation of the Defense Department
in1947 and will employ 170,000 people from
22 different agencies.
Although the bill to authorize the new Cabinet
agency passed 90-9, many Senators reported
that they were not totally satisfied with
the final version of the bill and that changes
will probably be made next year.
Now, for the numerous problems with the
hailed Homeland Security Department.
According to a statement on the White House’s
Web site from President Bush, “This bill
includes the major components of my proposal
— providing for intelligence analysis and
infrastructure protection, strengthening
our borders, improving the use of science
and technology to counter weapons of mass
destruction and creating a comprehensive
response and recovery division.”
The problem is that at the last minute,
the bill was also loaded down with special-interest
provisions that in essence do nothing to
protect the safety of t he American public
.
The added indefensible provisions in the
bill include allowing the pharmaceutical
industry protection from lawsuits over negative
side effects of vaccines; this “protection”
will also terminate injury cases currently
in the courts.
Additionally, makers of bomb detectors,
gas masks or other anti-terrorism devices
will enjoy immunity from all liability.
The Senate could have eliminated these provisions,
however they chose to rush the measure instead.
These special interest provisions must go,
if the Homeland Security Department is seen
as a measure created for the protection
of the American people — as those involved
with it claim.
Since the year is coming to an end, and
the bill just passed, there is little hope
that beneficial changes will be made to
it anytime soon. Regardless, it is evident
that changes must be made before we begin
to see the consequences of something so
laden with special interest.
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