Congressman Says Government Let Down American People on 9/11

Dec. 13, 2001
A congressman blames Congress, U.S. foreign policy and intelligence failures, as well as federal agencies that don't share data, for failing to anticipate and help local government respond appropriately to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11.

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Rep. Curt Weldon, R-Pa., blamed Congress, U.S. foreign policy and intelligence failures, as well as federal agencies that don''t share data, for failing to anticipate and help local government respond appropriately to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11.

Weldon also promised local responders hundreds of millions of new federal dollars to help them prepare for future emergencies.

At EPA''s biannual Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Prevention (CEPP) Conference, held Dec. 9-13 in Baltimore, Weldon, as well as EPA Administrator Christie Whitman, called for greater co-ordination among all branches and levels of local, state, and federal government in emergency planning.

The CEPP Conference, attended this year by more than 1,600 rescue personnel, community leaders and international representatives, has grown in significance in light of the recent terrorist attacks. Several sessions are dedicated to analyzing lessons learned and first hand accounts from the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

"Both Congress and the administration failed to take steps to protect the American people, and let me tell you folks, we haven''t learned all the lessons yet," said Weldon during the CEPP Conference''s Dec. 11 general session.

Speaking to attendees the day before, Whitman used more diplomatic language, but both government leaders emphasized that preparing for possible future terrorist environmental emergencies has provoked acute new challenges for government.

"We must make a renewed commitment to make emergency planning and response a coordinated effort that involves local, state, and federal partners working hand-in-hand," said Whitman.

Weldon, a former firefighter who now chairs the House Subcommittee on Military Readiness, complained he had tried for years without success to get Congress or recent administrations to:

  • Send more money to local responders so they can buy personal protective equipment and improve communication capabilities;
  • Allocate more radio frequencies to local responders;
  • Offer to local responders technology used by the U.S. military, such as thermal imagers;
  • Integrate the non-compatible "stove-piped" data systems of federal agencies so they can share data on suspected terrorists;
  • Allow intelligence agencies to hire those who may have been guilty of human rights abuses.

Weldon and other speakers made the point that in the early stages of the response to terrorism, many officials thought the federal government could handle everything.

The need for local-federal partnerships was underscored by a presentation following Weldon''s, during which an FBI special agent shared the stage with a local Baltimore "HAZMAT" responder. The two men explained how crucial it is for local, state and federal workers to establish personal relationships before disaster strikes.

Weldon repeated to conference attendees a statement he said he made to CNN on Sept. 11: "Today the American government has let down the American people."

But Weldon also promised that help for local responders, in the form of a huge new infusion of federal dollars, is on the way.

(This article is the first in a two-part series. Tomorrow: Congressman says federal support for local responders to rise from $30 million to $900 million annually.)

by James Nash

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

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