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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 15, 2005

SCHUMER: CHERTOFF WILLING TO FIGHT BUSH ADMIN. FOR MORE FUNDING, FOCUS IN HOMELAND SECURITY

Schumer: Chertoff Has Intelligence Skill to Run Behemoth Homeland Security Department

Chertoff Assured Schumer He Would Advocate for More Resources, Focus, and Better Funding Formula to Protect New York

Today the Senate took up the nomination of Judge Michael Chertoff to head the Department of Homeland Security, and Senator Charles E. Schumer spoke in favor of his nomination and voted for him. Judge Chertoff called Sen. Schumer the before he was nominated to be Secretary of the newly-created Department and they subsequently met in person to discuss a variety of homeland security issues that pertain to New York and the rest of the country. In particular, Schumer was concerned about the funding formula and the Northern Border.

“Judge Chertoff has the intelligence and the skill to run this behemoth department - there’s no question. But what’s really been missing from the government is an advocate for the funds and focus in homeland security that will protect New York and the rest of the country. Judge Chertoff assured me that he would fight within the Administration for the resources that have been missing in homeland security.

“As I told Judge Chertoff, we have a real problem with the funding formula being used now to dole out money across the country. The situation has become so absurd that New York is getting $5.47 per capita in homeland security funds, while Wyoming receives $38.31 per capita. This distribution is completely devoid of logic and Judge Chertoff assured me that he would look at this funding formula to make sure that New York received the most possible funding because it is among the top terrorist targets in the world.

“I also raised with Judge Chertoff the serious staffing shortage we have at the Northern Border with Canada. The Northern Border gets scant attention compared to the border with Mexico, but that exposed border also presents a significant threat to our security. As of last year, we were short more than 1,400 Customs and Border Protection Officers on the Northern Border. We simply cannot, in the long run, afford to underfund the guarding of this important gateway to the United States.”

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