Bush Signs Anti-Terror Bill

(AP)  President Bush signed legislation Friday that intensifies the anti-terrorism effort in the United States, shifting money to high-risk states and cities and expanding scrutiny of air and sea cargo.

"This legislation builds upon the considerable progress we have made in strengthening our defenses and protecting Americans since the attacks of Sept. 11," Bush said in a statement.

The bill requires screening of all cargo on passenger planes within three years and sets a five-year goal of scanning all container ships for nuclear devices before they leave foreign ports.

It also elevates the importance of risk factors in determining which states and cities get federal security funds. That would mean more money for such cities as New York and Washington. It also puts money into a new program to ensure that security officials at every level can communicate with each other.

While lauding Congress for passing the bill, Bush said he will continue to work with lawmakers to ensure the cargo screening provisions are workable and don't impede commerce. And he said Congress should strive to better target grant dollars to cities and states based on their vulnerability to a terrorist attack.

"This legislation makes some progress, but it also authorizes billions of dollars for grants and other programs that are unnecessary or should not be funded at such excessive levels," Bush said in a statement. "I will not request this excessive funding in my 2009 budget request."

Bush signed the bill into law before heading to the FBI to have lunch with counterterrorism advisers and then talk with members of his homeland security team. "We've done a lot of work since September the 11th to make this country safe, and it is safer but it's not completely safe," he said at the FBI.

Bush meets this weekend at Camp David with Hamid Karzai, the president of Afghanistan, where South Korean hostages are being held by the Taliban and where the Afghanistan-Pakistan border is considered a haven for the al Qaeda terrorist network.

Among its provisions, the bill requires the president to confirm that Pakistan is making progress combating al Qaeda and Taliban elements within its boarders before the United States provides aid to the country.

The measure carries out unfulfilled recommendations that the Sept. 11 Commission made three years ago in the wake of the terror attacks on the U.S. homeland in 2001. It was passed in the House on a 371-40 vote and 85-8 in the Senate. Republicans generally backed the bill while stressing their own administration's success in preventing another major terrorist attack.

"There is still other work to be done. I continue to believe that Congress should act on the outstanding Sept. 11 Commission recommendations to reform the legislative branch's oversight of intelligence and counterterrorism activities, which the commission described as dysfunctional," Bush said. "While this legislation does not heed the commission's advice, I hope Congress revisits the issue soon."

The independent Sept. 11 Commission in 2004 issued 41 recommendations covering domestic security, intelligence gathering and foreign policy. Congress and the White House followed through on some, including creating a director of national intelligence, tightening land border screening and cracking down on terrorist financing. Democrats, after taking over control of Congress, promised to make completing the list a top priority.

Former Rep. Lee Hamilton, vice chairman of the Commission, said with enactment of the bill some 80 percent of the panel's recommendations will have been met. According to Hamilton, one shortcoming of the bill is that it fails to carry out the commission's recommendation that Congress streamline its own overlapping setup for monitoring intelligence and homeland security matters.

The legislation also:

Authorizes more than $4 billion for four years for rail, transit and bus security.

Requires the screening of all container ships in foreign ports within five years, but gives the Homeland Security secretary authority to delay implementation.

Establishes a new electronic travel authorization system to improve security for visitors from countries participating in the visa waiver program. Bush said he would continue to work with Congress to provide more flexibility to bring some of the closest U.S. allies into the program.

Strengthens a board that oversees privacy and civil liberties issues.

Establishes a voluntary certification program to assess whether private entities comply with voluntary preparedness standards.

Requires the president and Congress to disclose total spending requested and approved for the intelligence community.

Provides civil immunity to those who, in good faith, report suspicious activities that threaten the safety and security of passengers on a transportation system or that could be an act of terrorism.

[prinzowhales]

Where is 'seven-pesos' today?--Church? Klan meeting? Log Cabin Republican getaway? Benefit Barbeque sponsored by the Daughters of the Confederacy?

[drummer94]

ban_islam. Your just deluded. You must've been butfuck@d by a muslim and liked it, and like other morons resort to hate-filled diatribes that mean exactly squat, when you really want some more. ***.

[ban_islam]

[Your post's just get old, ban_. That's all. And I don't see anything to "win" here.]

Then stop trying and don't read my posts if they bother you fu.ckface, not you or anyone is about to stop me. Either debate me or ****-I'm not interested in your pettiness.


[You say you read-up on Islam, then you HAVE to realize that an Ideology cannot be defeated. A man can...but an idea? Posted by drummer94 ]

You're an idiot, we defeated Nazism and don't talk about the handful of nazis that keep the flame burning we know they're irrelevant.

If you want me to spell it out for you-war is the only way to end evil in the world. If you kill all the Nazis and ban their ideology, how can it survive (apart from what we allow)?

You realize the arguments you're making, muslims have made them before-odd coincidence isn't it?

[drummer94]

Your post's just get old, ban_. That's all. And I don't see anything to "win" here. You say you read-up on Islam, then you HAVE to realize that an Ideology cannot be defeated. A man can...but an idea?

[ban_islam]

[well lots offense really. Don't bother. We get it. Islam is athe worst threat to our way of, whatever. End the occupat,er, war now.
Posted by drummer94]

Who's we, you and your multiple personalities? My posts must offend you if you mean offense to me-now that's just encouragement I'm sure you know, oh and leave the whining to the women.


[And we are WAYYYY too strong to be defeated in anything. Posted by drummer94]

Well let's not congratulate ourselves prematurely-we have to win the war first. Complacency and arrogance has brought empires down before (some by muslims).

[drummer94]

....and besides that, the terrorists, enemy, insurgents, whatever, pick one, cannot win anything. Their craziness will NEVER catch on globally or otherwise. And we are WAYYYY too strong to be defeated in anything. ( there's optimism for ya). It's kinda like the 'skeeter I just popped, just not 'till she got her belly filled.

[drummer94]

No offense ban_, well lots offense really. Don't bother. We get it. Islam is athe worst threat to our way of, whatever. End the occupat,er, war now.

[ban_islam]

I'll respond to your posts later, just busy right now.

In the meantime, for anyone who wants to learn more about Islam-there are great documentaries, videos, websites and articles you can access from this page:

http://infolinx.blogspot.com/

[hungry1968]

As for the genocide in Iraq-if the US pulls out, then ya you'll have one, which is why I'd prefer we stay and democratize this country.

The reason the US should stay is mostly to save face-it'll be seen as a victory for Islam if we cut 'n run.
Posted by BIN_islam at 04:31 PM : Aug 04, 2007


If you're waiting until we "democratize" Iraq, you better be prepared to die of old age and still not see it. Those people hate us - our way of life, our liberal society, our treatment of women, etc, etc. What makes you think they want a Democracy? They don't want a politician running the country - they want a religious leader. And the politicians they do have, learned their trade from the absolute worst example of what politicians should be - our politicians.

As for our staying to "save face" - I don't see how sacrificing more American lives, will "save face". That's a twisted and scary logic / rationale you're using. At what point do we consider our face being saved, at 5,000 dead Americans? 10,000?

[cbsreader4]

If he's going to be listening to everyone else's conversations perhaps we should be listening to his. Wouldn't that be enlightening? I wonder who the terrorist would really turn out to be in the end.