Bush to Sign Homeland Security Bill

Fox News ^ | Monday, November 25, 2002 | AP

[Sparta]

WASHINGTON — On his first working day after a four-nation tour of eastern Europe, President Bush planned to sign the new Department of Homeland Security into law Monday, marking the biggest overhaul in the federal government in more than 50 years.

The president was expected to "thank Congress for its bold and historic action in creating a new department largely along the lines of his proposal," said Gordon Johndroe, spokesman for Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge, who was to be named the new secretary of the department and newest member of the Cabinet.

Navy Secretary Gordon England was also expected to be named Ridge's deputy.

The department will have "one primary mission — protecting the American people, and it will allow 170,000 people to work more efficiently and effectively than ever before," Johndroe said.

Not since the creation of the Defense Department in 1947 has the government had so large an overhaul. The new department will employ 170,000 workers and encompass all or parts of 22 federal agencies. It has a $38 billion budget, estimated from the allocations of the existing units being incorporated.

Though the president originally wanted homeland security directed by the White House, Bush relented last June and proposed a new agency that could coordinate all the disparate bureaus and provide a cohesive front against terrorist threats.

Bush's proposal came after reviews of intelligence agencies revealed that a lack of coordination hampered efforts to foresee and prevent the Sept. 11 attacks.

After the bill was introduced by Senate Democrats, partisan wrangling slowed down progress as Democrats demanded worker protections that Bush said were too strict for an agency that would need the highest quality of workers and flexible staffing to confront fast-changing threats.

The sides finally agreed to limited collective-bargaining arrangements after Democrats lost the majority in the Senate on Election Day.

The agency has 90 days to get its leadership structure in place, but was expected to take more than a year before it would be operating at full speed.

Senate Republican leader Trent Lott of Mississippi has already said that he wants some changes to be applied to the agency next year, and has gotten a pledge from House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., to revise certain provisions in the next Congress.

One provision permits federal business with American companies that have moved their operations abroad to sidestep U.S. taxes.

Another measure legally shields drug companies already sued over ingredients used in vaccines. Democrats said this includes existing claims that mercury-based preservatives have caused autism in children.

Also re-examined will be a section that helps Texas A&M University win homeland-security research money, a priority of incoming House Majority Leader Tom DeLay of Texas.

[Sparta]

Brillant pick. Who's going to be the deputy, Vicente Fox.

[Tauzero]

"You know what? If you're not a terrorist, and you keep your nose clean, basically a law-abiding citizen and still entitled to your Constitutional rights....why do you fear so???"

Three points.

1) The right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure has been greatly eroded. (Though as another poster above noted, the "Patriot" act is much worse on this point.)

2) Whether one is a terrorist or not is something that is determined *after* the exercise of these new powers. It is not possible to employ these new powers *only* on terrorists. The ostensible purpose of the new powers is after all, to *identify* terrorists. So the fact that I am not a terrorist provides little, if any, protection against these new powers.

3) The stated purpose of any law is seldom the only purpose for which it is eventually used. In fact, stated purposes of laws often have *nothing whatsoever* to do with the law's eventual effects. Rather than examining stated purposes, it is better to analyze laws according to the incentives and constraints they create, and the actual legal language that defines exceptions or constraints upon the law.

[Sparta]

Do you have a link to it?

[FormerLurker]

You know what? If you're not a terrorist, and you keep your nose clean, basically a law-abiding citizen and still entitled to your Constitutional rights....why do you fear so???

The people whose FBI files were used by Clinton to bring them into line, do you think they were terrorists?

[Victor]

I don't agree with your premise. Clinton violated the law; will violate any law for political gain. In his case (as in the case of any outlaw) it doesn't matter what laws are on the books.

[deport]

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c107:3:./temp/~c107auOcnG::

This link won't stay hot long.... as Thomas kills it shortly after you connect. If it doens't work then the following and click on 5005 about 5 down from the top in the 3rd column.... good luck

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/vote_menu_107_2.htm

[Sparta]

I'm sorry, but all it does is shuffle papers from one agency to another. The fundamental problems(unwillingness to combat illegal immigration) still remain.

[Revel]

From Drudge:

SENATOR ASHCROFT HAD WARNED: 'KEEP
BIG BROTHER'S HANDS OFF THE
INTERNET': 'The [Clinton]
administration's interest in all
e-mail is a wholly unhealthy
precedent, especially given this
administration's track record on FBI
files and IRS snooping. Every medium
by which people communicate can be
subject to exploitation by those
with illegal intentions.
Nevertheless, this is no reason to
hand Big Brother the keys to unlock
our e-mail diaries, open our ATM
records, read our medical records,
or translate our international
communications' -- Ashcroft, Oct
'97...

[FormerLurker]

I don't agree with your premise. Clinton violated the law; will violate any law for political gain. In his case (as in the case of any outlaw) it doesn't matter what laws are on the books.

The power of the Presidency has been vastly enhanced by this bill. Future (or even current) presidents wouldn't even HAVE to break the law in order to stifle dissent.

[Sparta]

Ashcroft being a hypocrite, what else is new.

[cardinal4]

I think the Bush admin would use it more against Foriegners as the Clinonistas would use it more against political enemies such as rape victims, weird religious cults, and Elian Gonzalez.

[deport]

Well we shall see won't we. It takes time to do anything in this beauracy..... We can hope for the best. Unless you have an instant solution and can implement it.

[Sparta]

Bush set to sign Homeland Security bill any minute now.

[NormsRevenge]

Agreed we need a good go-to guy south of the border... not "bus 'em over" foX..

[Sparta]

I was being sarcastic.

[swheats]

A sad day for freedom in America.

Only if you're a terrorist or criminal.

[deport]

Yep sounds like a winner to me.... now can you implement it or get the gov't to.

[NormsRevenge]

Over 50 years since this massive a re-org has been done in the federal govt. History in the making. 22 agencies become as 1, sort of.

For my next trick, world peace..

Good luck, President Bush.