Research Briefing

Obama’s Homeland Security Secretary Has A Lot Of Explaining To Do About Obama’s Security Agenda

“Janet Napolitano, Secretary Of The Department Of Homeland Security, Will Address The National Press Club On April 15 …” (Luncheon Speakers, National Press Club, Accessed 4/14/10)

HOW WILL AXING VALUABLE PROGRAMS FROM YOUR BUDGET IMPROVE NATIONAL SECURITY?

Under Proposed FY2011 Homeland Security Budget, Coast Guard Budget Decreased By 3%. “Under the Coast Guard's 2011 spending plan, its funding and active-duty personnel would drop about 3 percent, to $10.1 billion and 41,984, respectively.” (Spencer S. Hsu, “Coast Guard Commandant Says Budget Cuts Will Hurt,” The Wall Street Journal, 2/12/10)

• Despite Increased Demands For Coast Guard. “The retrenchment comes at a time of increased demands. Already tasked with marine safety, aiding commercial navigation, and enforcing environmental laws, the service increased homeland security missions for drug and migrant interdiction, port security and support of national defense after the 2001 terrorist attacks. Several Coast Guard patrol boats perform security missions near Iraq in the Persian Gulf, while a receding polar ice cap and expansion of navigable Arctic waters has led some to call for a bigger Coast Guard role there. “(Spencer S. Hsu, “Coast Guard Commandant Says Budget Cuts Will Hurt,” The Wall Street Journal, 2/12/10)

Homeland Security Budget Also Eliminates Important Maritime Security Teams In New York City. “Five of the Coast Guard's 13 elite Maritime Security and Safety Teams (MSST), created since 2001 to protect waterfront cities, would be eliminated. Obama is proposing cuts in New York City, San Francisco, Anchorage and King's Bay, Ga.”  (Mimi Hall, “Obama's Budget Curbs Border Programs,” USA Today, 2/4/10)

WHERE WERE YOU ON JANUARY 27^TH WHEN YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT HOUSE HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE ON CHRISTMAS DAY BOMBER INCIDENT?

Rep. Chris Carney (D-PA) On January 27: “I Am Very Dismayed That The Secretary Herself Isn't Here. I Mean It's Probably Fair To Ask — Where The Hell Is Secretary Napolitano?” (Glenn Thrush, “Source: Napolitano Skipped Christmas Plot Hearing For Think-Tank Meeting,” Politico, 2/1/10)

Napolitano Originally Said She Was In Europe. “Napolitano had originally told Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) that she needed to miss the hearing because of a trip to Europe to discuss aviation security.” (Glenn Thrush, “Source: Napolitano Skipped Christmas Plot Hearing For Think-Tank Meeting,” Politico, 2/1/10)

• But Napolitano Was In The Country Two Days Before The Hearing. “Napolitano initially begged off the original hearing, citing a trip to Europe — but she was in the country two days before the committee met.” (Glenn Thrush, “Napolitano In Closed-Door Meeting With Dems,” Politico, 2/3/10)

Then, According To “Person Familiar With The Situation” Napolitano Skipped The Hearing To Meet With A Think Tank In Washington, DC.  “At the moment the homeland security secretary might have been testifying about the biggest security breach on her watch -- before the major House committee tasked with investigating the matter, she was in her office consulting with members of an unspecified think-tank, according to a person familiar with the situation.” (Glenn Thrush, “Source: Napolitano Skipped Christmas Plot Hearing For Think-Tank Meeting,” Politico, 2/1/10)

“In Fact, The Secretary Returned Home Monday [From Europe], And Was Reportedly Still Tired Two Days Later -- If Not Quite Cancel-All-My-Appointments-Tired.” (Glenn Thrush, “Source: Napolitano Skipped Christmas Plot Hearing For Think-Tank Meeting,” Politico, 2/1/10)

Napolitano’s Spokesperson Refused To Discuss The Secretary’s “Non-Public Schedule” When Questioned. “Kudwa said Napolitano ‘is ready and willing’ to appear before Congress. She would not say what Napolitano was doing at the time of the hearing, citing a department policy of never discussing the secretary's non-public schedule.” (Pam Benson, “Napolitano Criticized For Not Attending House Hearing,” CNN’s Political Ticker Blog, 1/27/10)

• And Another DHS Official Claims Napolitano Was “Very Well-Prepared” For The Hearing She Did Not Attend. “Another DHS official said Napolitano initially declined the offer to testify today due to an expected scheduling conflict, but that conflict ultimately didn't materialize. In the meantime, Lute made sure she was ‘very well-prepared’ for today’s hearing, according to the official.” (Mike Levine, “DHS Secy On Hot Seat: Was It Warranted?” FOX News, 1/27/10)

WILL YOU ADVISE OBAMA AGAINST MOVING TERRORIST TRIALS TO NEW YORK CITY?

Security Secretary Janet Napolitano Not Consulted On Original Decision About New York Terror Trials. Sen. Hutchison: “So, were you consulting in the beginning before the decision was made to bring them to New York for the trial?” Sec. Napolitano: “I was not, not in the sense of being consulted as to whether security concerns would preclude the ability to try them in New York, but I’m very comfortable with the decision to try them in New York.” (Senate Committee On Commerce, Science, And Transportation Hearing, 12/2/09)

And As Of March, Sec. Napolitano Still Had Not Given President Obama Advice On Location For Khalid Sheikh Mohammad Trial. O'REILLY: “Khalid Sheikh Mohammed not going to be tried in New York City. You know that. The president hasn't decided where, but let the military have them. Cheaper, more efficient, correct?” NAPOLITANO: “Well, that decision will be made ultimately. The decision has not…” O'REILLY: “What was your advice to the president?” NAPOLITANO: “I've not advised the president on this one.” (Fox News’ The O'Reilly Factor, 3/18/10)

Now Attorney General Holder Says New York “Is Not Off The Table” For Terrorist Trials. “New York is not off the table as a place where they might be tried but we have to take into account the concerns that have been raised by local officials and by the community.” (Committee On Judiciary, United States Senate, 4/14/10)

Even Though Trial Would Cost Millions Per Year, Significantly Disrupt Lower Manhattan. “According to the mayor's estimates, security for the trial could cost the city upward of $200 million a year and would significantly disrupt businesses and residents in and near Lower Manhattan, where the federal courthouse is located. While it is customary for the federal government to pick up at least part of the additional cost, the Obama administration had not formally guaranteed that it would; some within the administration questioned what they saw as inflated cost estimates.” (Editorial, “Government Retreating On Civilian Trial For Accused Terrorist,” The Washington Post, 2/1/10)

• American People Overwhelmingly Support Use Of Military Tribunals For International Terrorists.  “Voters believe much more strongly that Guantanamo Bay prisoners should be tried in a military tribunal rather than a civilian court. Sixty-seven percent (67%) favor the military tribunal route, and just 15% are opposed.” (“44% Say Terrorist Trials Should Be Held At Guantanamo, 33% Disagree,” Rasmussen Reports, 2/1/10)

DO YOU SUPPORT MOVING INTERNATIONAL TERRORISTS TO AMERICAN SOIL?

Obama Administration Proposing Sending Gitmo Detainees To Illinois. “President Obama on Monday will propose a $3.8-trillion fiscal 2011 federal budget that includes $237 million for the purchase and upgrading of a prison in Illinois to house detainees now at the Guantanamo Bay military prison in Cuba.” (Lynn Sweet, “Obama Budget Includes $237 Million To Buy Illinois Prison For Guantanamo Detainees,” The Chicago Sun-Times, 2/1/10)

• But According To A USA Today/Gallup Poll, "Americans Oppose The Closing Of Gitmo By More Than A 2-To-1 Margin." (David Morgan, "The First Draft: Poll Shows Growing U.S. Support For Afghan Troop Increase," Reuters' "Front Row Washington" Blog, 11/25/09)

USS Cole Commander Says Releasing Detainees From Guantanamo Bay Is "An Unacceptable Risk To American Lives." "The incident Friday means 'we have the clearest indication yet that the president's continual release of Guantanamo Bay detainees presents an unacceptable risk to American lives,' said Kirk Lippold, commander of the USS Cole when it was attacked by al-Qaeda in Yemen in 2000. Yemen 'is incapable of containing a growing terrorist insurgency... The nearly 200 detainees held at Guantanamo Bay are 'the most dangerous of the terrorists we brought there,' Lippold said. 'They are high-level al-Qaeda or Taliban.'" (Mimi Hall, "Alleged Airliner Plot Raises Concerns About Gitmo Closing," USA Today 12/30/09) 

WHY DO YOU SUPPORT TSA EMPLOYEE UNIONIZATION

DESPITE THREAT IT WOULD POSE TO AIRPORT SECURITY?

Napolitano Supports Allowing TSA Employees To Unionize. “I think that we can accomplish collective bargaining and also do that in such a fashion that we never at one moment sacrifice any bit of security, that that can be built into any collective bargaining agreement.” (“Testimony Of Secretary Napolitano Before The Senate Commerce, Science And Transportation Committee,” Department of Homeland Security, 12/2/09)

But Defense And Counter-Insurgency Expert Lt. Colonel James Corum (Retired) Says “Unions Are A Major Obstacle To Security Against Terrorists.” Colonel James Corum: “[T]he unions are a major obstacle to security against terrorists. Union rules greatly increase costs, they protect incompetent employees, and make it ridiculously difficult to transfer police to where they are most urgently needed.” (Lt. Colonel James Corum, “Obama Has Nominated Duds For A Key Anti-Terrorism Post,” The Telegraph, 3/15/10)

And Labor Dispute In Canada Lead To Luggage Not Being Screened Before Being Placed On Airplanes. “Passenger luggage was not properly screened — and sometimes not screened at all — during a labour dispute last October at Toronto's Pearson International airport, CBC News has learned… Security expert James Lewis said it was only by chance that a disaster was diverted… ‘If terrorists had known that in those three days that their baggage wasn't going to be searched, that would have been bad. But fortunately, it looks like people lucked out and no one happened to be testing the system right at that moment.’” (“Luggage Security Lax During Pearson Labour Dispute: Report,” Canadian Broadcasting Company, 12/20/06)

WITH RISE IN VIOLENCE ALONG MEXICAN BORDER,

HOW DO YOU JUSTIFY CUTS TO BORDER SECURITY AND IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT?

Attorney General Eric Holder Says Border Security A “Priority” For Obama Administration. “[I]t is in fact a priority for this administration to ensure that our borders are secure and especially with the border we're talking about, the southwest border.” (Committee On Judiciary, United States Senate, 4/14/10)

But DHS 2011 Budget Cuts Funding For Immigration Services And Enforcement. “[T]he new budget request disregards much-needed reforms for immigration services and enforcement as well as security at the U.S.-Mexican border-- cutting the overall immigration services and enforcement budget from $20.05 billion to $19.8 billion.” (“The FY 2011 Homeland Security Budget: Spending Doesn't Match the Missions,” Heritage Foundation, 2/26/10)

• As Well As Funding For U.S. Customs And Border Protection. (“DHS 2011 Budget In Review,” Department of Homeland Security, 02/10)

As Threat Of Cross Border Violence From Mexico Continues To Grow. “Along the border, fears are growing that the escalating drug violence in Mexico will spill into the United States. Last month, a well-known rancher was murdered in southeastern Arizona. Authorities suspect an illegal immigrant did it… The murder prompted governors in New Mexico and Texas to send forces to the border. This week, the Mexican government sent dozens of police and soldiers to the Juarez Valley to restore order. For many on both sides of the border, the fear is very real.” (John Burnett, “Sheriff To Texas Border Town: 'Arm Yourselves,’” NPR, 4/9/10)