Tuff On Terror

Earlier this week, Representative Tom Reynolds (R - NY26), chair of the House Republicans' campaign committee: "'National Democrats are stone-cold guilty of engaging in a reckless and irresponsible pattern of neglect for the security of our citizens.'" So the Administration diverting funds away from developing new explosives detection technology would be what? Gross incompetence as opposed to reckless irresponsibility? AP (08.12.06):

"As the British terror plot was unfolding, the Bush administration quietly tried to take away $6 million that was supposed to be spent this year developing new explosives detection technology. Congressional leaders rejected the idea, the latest in a series of Homeland Security Department steps that have left lawmakers and some of the department's own experts questioning the commitment to create better anti-terror technologies." Bureaucracy Impedes Bomb-Detection Work

For some reason, the Administration wanted "to take $6 million from the Sciences & Technology Directorate's 2006 budget that was supposed to be used to develop explosives detection technology and divert it to cover a budget shortfall in the Federal Protective Service, which provides security around government buildings." Judd Gregg (R - NH), chair of the Senate Homeland Security Subcommittee, and the ranking Democrat Robert Byrd (D - WV), rejected the idea. Harold Rogers (R - KY5), chair of the House Subcommittee on Homeland Security, and the ranking Democrat, Martin (Olav) Sabo (D - MN5), also rejected the idea. Pretty clear what Congress thought about this little stunt, eh?