Gregg Takes Lead In Attacking Bush's Homeland Security Budget

Both Republican and Democratic senators took aim Tuesday at the president's proposed 2007 Homeland Security budget in a hearing, saying it fails to live up to Bush's strong warnings about the threat of terrorist attack.

Leading the attack was Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH). It's the latest example of Congressional Republicans taking a stand against the Bush Administration. Over the past few months, Congressional Republicans have come out against a variety of issues, including federal funding of stem cell research, the way the administration handled the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, warrantless surveillance, and the proposed transfer of ports to a United Arab Emirates-owned company.

This is what happens when the President's approval rating is at an all-time low, and mid-term elections are just around the corner.

"It's a hollow budget and I can't understand it," Gregg told Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff yesterday. "I've watched the press conferences where the administration says it is committed to border security and domestic defense, and this budget isn't going to get there."

Gregg said the funding priorities of the Bush administration treat border protection like "a stepchild of national defense."

The budget does not fulfill a funding commitment to add 1,500 law-enforcement officers to guard the borders against illegal aliens. Money needed to hire the officers and supply additional beds to house illegal aliens awaiting deportation would come from the administration's proposal to double fees paid by commercial airline passengers from $2.50 per airport stop to $5. The same proposal to increase passenger fees was killed last year by Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK).

"The increase in funding is tied directly to the fee increase, and they know that is a non-starter," Gregg said. "Ted Stevens says it's a non-starter and proved it last year, yet the administration sends up budget."

Gregg had sought to have the White House include border protection funds as part of $92.2 billion in supplemental funding the Bush administration is seeking. But the Bush Administration declined his requests.

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This item first appeared at JABBS.

It's not about security, it's about dividing the spoils so Gregg gets more.

Byrd (D-WV) and Murray (D-WA) were as agitated as Gregg at the DHS budget.

Wonder how many elderly widows he has tossed out of their homes lately, in keeping with so-called Republican "Family Values"?