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Senate ready for landmark vote on homeland security agency
Washington, Nov 20: US lawmakers geared up for a landmark vote to approve the creation of a multibillion-dollar homeland defense agency, handing President George W Bush a major legislative victory in his global war on terrorism.
Washington, Nov 20: US lawmakers geared up for a landmark vote to approve the creation of a multibillion-dollar homeland defense agency, handing President George W Bush a major legislative victory in his global war on terrorism.
"This is a very important piece of legislation, landmark in scope," Bush said yesterday in a telephone call to Republican legislators from air force one as he headed toward Prague to attend a Nato summit meeting.
Proposed in the wake of the devastating September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the new cabinet-level department is seen as the most significant reorganization of US government in the last 50 years.
"When you wake up in the morning, you will have the authority you need to protect the American people at home," smiled Senate minority leader republican Trent Lott after telling the president of the "good news" that enough senators, including moderate democrats, were ready to back the bill.
A vote was expected later on the measure after lawmakers rejected democratic-led attempts to strip it of what they called last-minute favors to special interests.
"This is a substantial accomplishment," said democratic senator Joseph Lieberman, "a historic day in this new age of insecurity."
In a flurry of morning votes, lawmakers finally agreed to accept language setting up the massive new 170,000-employee, cabinet-level department of homeland security.
The expected final passage of the 500-page compromise bill will be a triumph for bush who has made creation of the agency a cornerstone of his counter-terrorism policy. Bureau Report
Proposed in the wake of the devastating September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the new cabinet-level department is seen as the most significant reorganization of US government in the last 50 years.
"When you wake up in the morning, you will have the authority you need to protect the American people at home," smiled Senate minority leader republican Trent Lott after telling the president of the "good news" that enough senators, including moderate democrats, were ready to back the bill.
A vote was expected later on the measure after lawmakers rejected democratic-led attempts to strip it of what they called last-minute favors to special interests.
"This is a substantial accomplishment," said democratic senator Joseph Lieberman, "a historic day in this new age of insecurity."
In a flurry of morning votes, lawmakers finally agreed to accept language setting up the massive new 170,000-employee, cabinet-level department of homeland security.
The expected final passage of the 500-page compromise bill will be a triumph for bush who has made creation of the agency a cornerstone of his counter-terrorism policy. Bureau Report