HOMELAND SECURITY

Senator Boxer has made improving homeland security one of her top priorities. She has met throughout the state with local first responders, chaired a Commerce Committee hearing on aviation security at Los Angeles International Airport, and visited numerous California airports, seaports, and rail stations--all to hear about the concerns and efforts of Californians regarding strengthened security against possible terrorist attacks. At the same time, she has worked in Washington to strengthen the laws and secure the financial assistance needed at the local level.

Senator Boxer wrote the law to allow pilots to carry guns in the cockpit. In 2002, Boxer teamed up with Republican Senator Bob Smith of New Hampshire to write the law that allows commercial airline pilots to be trained and certified to carry guns in the cockpit and that provides self-defense training to pilots and flight attendants. In 2003, Boxer joined Republican Senator Jim Bunning of Kentucky to write the law that allows pilots of cargo planes to carry firearms.

Senator Boxer authored the provision of the 2001 Aviation Security law to require that air marshals fly on high-risk flights, such as the non-stop, cross-country flights hijacked on September 11.

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Along with Republican Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, Senator Boxer wrote the 2003 law that requires foreign aircraft repair stations to test their employees for drug and alcohol abuse, agree to regular FAA inspections, and submit to a security review and audit if they want to work on American airplanes.

In 2003, Boxer wrote the provision of the FAA Reauthorization law that establishes a system of anti-terrorism training certification for flight attendants.

Senator Boxer is the leading advocate for installing countermeasures on commercial aircraft to combat shoulder-fired missiles. Largely because of her efforts on this issue, the Department of Homeland Security established the Counter-MAN Portable Air Defense Systems Special Program Office, which is developing ways to install missile defenses on commercial aircraft. The Administration’s actions are a direct result of the provision included in the Supplemental Appropriations bill of 2003 at the bipartisan request of Boxer and Representative John Mica of Florida, which required the development of a plan to protect commercial aircraft from shoulder-fired missiles. In 2004, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved a Boxer amendment to authorize $10 million to expand the State Department’s program to buy back and destroy shoulder-fired missiles. The fiscal year 2005 appropriations bill instructed the State Department to spend at least that amount of money.

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In 2003, as part of the Air Cargo Security Act, the Senate passed a provision authored by Senator Boxer to require the study of and recommendations regarding the use of blast resistant cargo containers in airplanes.

In 2002, Senator Boxer supported and voted for the creation of the Department of Homeland Security.

Senator Boxer served as a member of the Senate-House conference committee that wrote the port security law in 2002. In particular, Boxer fought for provisions to provide grants for local ports to make security improvements (such as the installation of fences and video cameras), to require background checks and ID cards at secure areas of ports, and to require each port to establish a comprehensive port security plan.

In 2003, Senator Boxer authored the High-Tech Port Security Act, which would employ state-of-the-art technology to enhance security at America’s ports and to help protect against a terrorist attack. Under Boxer’s legislation, cargo containers would be screened for radioactive or explosive material before leaving ports, and cargo containers would have to be blast-resistant. In addition, the bill would establish Command and Control Centers at the nation’s 20 busiest ports.

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In 2004, Boxer authored legislation to create an $800 million port security grant program to make our ports more secure. It would also allow ports to receive multi-year grants so that they could undertake more comprehensive security enhancements.

In 2001, Boxer supported legislation to provide over $1.7 billion for rail security, including for more police, canine units, and security equipment.

In 2004, Senator Boxer wrote a bill to help improve rail security by providing $500 million per year for five years to protect Amtrak, freight rail, and transit systems from terrorist attacks.

In April 2004, Senator Boxer cosponsored the comprehensive rail security legislation approved by the Senate Commerce Committee, which included several Boxer provisions. First, Senator Boxer ensured that California would receive its fair share of rail security funding by authoring the provision that requires funds to be equitably distributed throughout the country and based on passenger ridership. Also, the Committee agreed to increase the total funding in the bill by $100 billion to ensure that more funding would be available outside the Northeast Corridor, including California. Second, in another provision crucial for California, the Committee approved a change in the bill requested by Boxer to allow tracks, rails, and stations used by Amtrak (but not owned by Amtrak) to be eligible to receive security funding. Third, the bill allows security funds to be used for interoperable communications equipment. Finally, the bill requires a study and recommendations regarding how roads and highways are made inaccessible to emergency personnel because of rail crossings.

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After consulting with first responders throughout California, Senator Boxer introduced the First Responders Homeland Defense Act, which would provide grants for the improvement of local first responder communication systems, provide funding to non-profit organizations to conduct first responder training, and establish a grant assistance hotline.

Boxer has suppported increasing federal assistance to local first responders, including cosponsoring the Domestic Defense Fund Act, which would authorize $7 billion each year in grants to local first responders. These grants would help state and local governments purchase new equipment, upgrade communication systems, and pay for overtime costs.

Senator Boxer strongly supports full funding of the Firefighter Investment and Response Enhancement (FIRE) Act of 2000, which established a grant program to provide fire departments with funding to pay for equipment, training, and additional hiring. Boxer also cosponsored the SAFER Fire Fighters Act to hire 75,000 new firefighters by 2010. She is fighting against Administration proposals to cut or eliminate funding for these programs.

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In 2004, Boxer cosponsored Senator Lieberman’s amendment to the 2005 budget to increase funding for homeland security by $6.8 billion, including an additional $4.4 billion for first responders, $900 million more for port security, $500 million more for border security, and $500 million more for aviation and rail security. These increases would have reversed a proposed $2.5 billion cut in the President's homeland security budget.

In 2002, Senator Boxer authored legislation, passed by the Senate, to increase criminal penalties for anyone who produces, transfers, possesses, or uses a fake ID in connection with domestic terrorism. It became law in 2004. In both 2002 and 2003, the Senate passed Boxer’s proposal requiring the Transportation Security Administration to develop guidelines on the training of airline workers and the use of technology to detect fake IDs.

Shortly after the September 11 attacks, Boxer, as Chair of the Superfund Subcommittee of the Environment and Public Works Committee, held a hearing on chemical plant security. She also cosponsored the Chemical Security Act introduced by Senator Jon Corzine of New Jersey. This bill would provide the federal government with the necessary tools to address potential terrorist threats to chemical security plants, including requiring chemical facilities to implement a security plan and to work with local first responders to develop a response plan in the event of an attack. When a similar bill was considered in the Committee in 2003, it included a Boxer provision to ensure that all chemical facilities meet the same security standards. (Originally, the bill would have allowed some facilities to meet lesser standards.)

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In 2003, as a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, Senator Boxer supported legislation, approved by the Committee, to improve security at nuclear power plants. In December 2001, Boxer urged the State of California to participate in a federal program to distribute potassium iodide pills to those who live near nuclear power plants. The pills help protect people from the possibility of thyroid damage, including cancer, in the event of a release at a nuclear plant.

Boxer cosponsored the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act, which became law in May 2002. Aimed at closing gaps in border security, this legislation creates a database of suspected terrorists and requires the INS to check databases before approving a foreigner’s entry into the United States.

Boxer cosponsored a bill, which became law in 2002, to improve the ability of the United States to prepare for and respond to a biological threat or attack. The law provides funding for the development and stockpiling of drugs and vaccines to combat bioterrorism and provides funding to states to establish emergency response systems. Enactment of this law followed Boxer’s call for the Administration to offer voluntary bioterrorism vaccinations to first responders.

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