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Issues
Terrorism
Since 9/11, we’ve made progress in hardening our defenses here at home against terrorist attacks. Congress has invested billions in airport, border and infrastructure security, inspections in cargo ports and to monitor sites that contain dangerous chemicals. We’ve removed bureaucratic obstacles to intelligence-sharing between government agencies and local law enforcement, created new tools to detect and shut down terrorist funding networks, and increased funding for police and fire departments. But we still have a long way to go. In Congress, I’ve been working to reform the flawed funding formulas which send too many homeland security dollars to places that don’t need it. For all the progress we’ve made, I’m still fighting every day to remind my colleagues from other parts of the country about the unique threats we face here in New York. I’m pushing legislation, for instance, that will require the Coast Guard to improve its defenses around the Indian Point nuclear power facility. More must be done — and I won’t stop fighting until New York gets the stronger protection it deserves. An important lesson from 9/11 was that just trying to stop terror attacks here at home wasn’t enough — we needed to take the fight to the terrorists abroad. The men and women in our military have done exactly that. They ended the Taliban’s rule in Afghanistan and sent an unmistakable message that, from now on, the United States will hunt down terrorists wherever they are. In Iraq, America’s men and women are continuing to make us proud. While the information provided Congress in advance of Operation Iraqi Freedom demonstrates the need to continue improving our intelligence-gathering capabilities, we cannot let mistakes deter us from losing sight of the battle American men and women are undertaking right now against terrorists. As the statements of Osama Bin Laden and Abu Musab Al Zarqawi make clear, Al Qaeda wants nothing more than for U.S. forces to withdraw before the democratically-elected government is able to defend itself. Because we are fighting a state-less terror network that operates in the shadows, the war on terror requires us to develop sophisticated new capabilities. As chair of the Financial Services Oversight & Investigations Subcommittee and founder of the Congressional Anti-Terrorist Financing Task Force, I’ve been leading the charge in Congress in combating terror finance. I’ve led lengthy investigations into terrorist financing activities and how those who wish us ill manage to move money around the globe to support terrorist training and networks. I’ve traveled to Qatar and Saudi Arabia to press for more cooperation in stemming financial flows to extremists. Working with my colleagues, we’ve exposed global money-laundering schemes used to finance terrorism, and developed new tools which the federal government can use to freeze the assets of individuals and entities that are funding terrorists and weapons of mass destruction. We’ve made progress. The 9/11 Commission gave the Treasury Department an A- in fighting terror finance — the highest grade awarded — in part because of our work. But Al Qaeda continues to have access to the financial resources needed for attacks, and therefore our job is far from done. We must continue to strengthen our ability to clamp down on Al Qaeda’s financial lifelines, and must continue to press for greater cooperation from other nations. I’ll continue spearheading these efforts in the House of Representatives until we successfully dry up terrorist funding. Related News
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LINKS TO KEY WASHINGTON NEWS SOURCES
PO Box 599 Katonah, NY 10536 sue@suekellyforcongress.com