Handouts For The Homeland

Rep. Cox Says Bulk Of $10B Not Being Spent To Make America Safer

(CBS)  Cox says the bulk of the anti-terrorism money should have gone to protecting high risk targets, instead of being doled out to every local community in the country, whether they need it or not. "In some cases, the money just arrives," he says. "It's as if you've won the Publisher's Clearing House sweepstakes."

Converse, Texas, first used its new homeland security trailer to transport riding lawn mowers to the annual lawnmower races.

Newark, N.J., spent a quarter of a million dollars on air-conditioned garbage trucks. In Columbus, Ohio, the fire department is buying bulletproof dog vests for its canine corps. And Mason County, Wash., famous mostly for its Christmas trees, spent $63,000 for a decontamination unit that no one’s been trained to use. It’s been sitting in boxes in a warehouse for a year.

Hazardous material suits are especially popular. Missouri spent $7.2 million for 13,000 of them, one for every law enforcement officer in the “Show Me State.”

"In Des Moines, your taxpayer dollars went to purchase, among other things, to be prepared for a terrorist attack, traffic cones," says Cox.

What does that have to do with homeland security? "Well, you know, that's one of the beauties of homeland security," says Cox. "In the end, everything has something to do with homeland security."

Like the four Segways purchased by the sheriff’s office in Santa Clara County, Calif., which could be used to transport its bomb squad in the event of a terrorist attack against facilities in Silicon Valley. Sheriff Laurie Smith and Capt. Edward Perry say the protective suits are heavy -- 85 pounds each -- and hot. The ordinance experts are only allowed to stay in them for 30 minutes at a time. They say the Segways will allow them to get to the explosives quicker and stay there longer.

"The people who view these as not necessary, I think, are wrong," says Smith.

How will it help them deal with the threat of terrorism? "Well, it's another tool in our toolbox to help us prepare for dealing with explosive devices. And terrorists use explosives," says Smith.

"Santa Clara County may well be a site that al Qaeda has in mind," says Cox. "But if it is, I hope that we have more sophisticated equipment than Segways with which to respond."

An hour north of Santa Clara County is the city of Oakland, and one of the largest ports in the country, which makes it a legitimate terrorist target. Although primary security is provided by the U.S. Coast Guard, Alameda County Sheriff Charlie Plummer used homeland security money to buy underwater cameras that were used in the search for Lacy Peterson; a boat with diving equipment; and the first-ever, lead-lined, weapons-of-mass destruction container.