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Bush wants $ 15 billion more for security
President George W. Bush wants to boost spending on domestic U.S. security by at least $15 billion in his next budget, including more than a doubling of funds for local police and firefighters, the Washington Post said on Saturday.
President George W. Bush wants to boost spending on domestic U.S. security by at least $15 billion in his next budget, including more than a doubling of funds for local police and firefighters, the Washington Post said on Saturday.
Congress has approved some $20 billion this year for homeland security, most of it after the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington.
But the Post quoted unnamed administration officials and congressional budget experts as saying Bush wanted to raise this by at least $15 billion next year.
A White House spokesman declined comment on the figures in the Post.
But Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge told Reuters in an interview earlier this month that the White House wanted to increase spending on police, firefighters and other emergency response teams in the aftermath of the the Sept. 11 attacks.
In that interview, Ridge did not give numbers but he also said that the anthrax crisis showed the need for more money to prevent bioterrorism, and to "expand and enhance" the U.S. public health system.
The administration is preparing the budget now for the year beginning next October. Bush is required to submit his plans to Congress by the first Monday in February.
Congress has approved some $20 billion this year for homeland security, most of it after the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington.
But the Post quoted unnamed administration officials and congressional budget experts as saying Bush wanted to raise this by at least $15 billion next year.
A White House spokesman declined comment on the figures in the Post.
But Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge told Reuters in an interview earlier this month that the White House wanted to increase spending on police, firefighters and other emergency response teams in the aftermath of the the Sept. 11 attacks.
In that interview, Ridge did not give numbers but he also said that the anthrax crisis showed the need for more money to prevent bioterrorism, and to "expand and enhance" the U.S. public health system.
The administration is preparing the budget now for the year beginning next October. Bush is required to submit his plans to Congress by the first Monday in February.
Bureau Report