Subject: RELEASE: Clinton Stops Downsizing of Key Homeland Security Agency
From: "Clinton, Press Office (Clinton)" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2007 14:09:28 -0500

Statements & Releases - Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, New York

 

For Immediate Release

December 17, 2007

Contact:

Clinton Press Office (202) 224-2243 or

[email-masked]

 

CLINTON STOPS DOWNSIZING OF KEY HOMELAND SECURITY AGENCY

Bipartisan Measure Included in Omnibus Appropriations Bill

WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton today announced that the
Omnibus Appropriations bill includes a bipartisan amendment she authored
to stop the Department of Homeland Security's efforts to downsize the
Federal Protective Service.  The agency is responsible for securing
9,000 non-military federal buildings like the Federal Bureau of
Investigation New York Field Office in lower Manhattan and the Plum
Island Animal Disease Center on Long Island and 1.1 million federal
employees across the nation.  The House and Senate are expected to vote
on the Omnibus Appropriations bill this week.

"The workplace safety of over a million federal employees in over two
thousand American communities depends on the Federal Protective Service.
The Bush administration's scheme would place these workers at risk by
reducing the level of protection around federal buildings and placing
even more responsibility in the hands of private contractors.  We must
make sure the safety and security of our federal workers and facilities
aren't compromised," said Senator Clinton.

The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Federal Protective Service
(FPS) provides law enforcement and security services to over one million
tenants and daily visitors to federally owned and leased facilities
nationwide. The FPS oversees approximately 15,000 contract security
guards. The Administration currently plans to replace current serving
FPS law enforcement personnel with Inspectors. This would reduce the
number of FPS full time staff from just under 1,200 personnel to 950,
and would leave nearly 9,000 non-military federal buildings, located in
over 2,100 American communities, and 1.1 million Federal employees at
risk

The New York/New Jersey region and the National Capital region would see
the largest reductions under the Bush Administration's plan. The
proposed downsizing plan would affect the security at government
buildings in New York State, many of which are considered high-risk
facilities. The facility locations include lower Manhattan, upper
Manhattan, Queens, Long Island, Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, Champlain,
Plattsburgh, Poughkeepsie, Rochester, and Syracuse.

Senator Clinton's amendment would prevent the Administration's
privitization plan from moving forward, and requires the Secretary of
Homeland Security to ensure that the workforce of the FPS includes no
fewer than 1,200 Commanders, Police Officers, Inspectors, and Special
Agents engaged on a daily basis in protecting federal buildings.

Last July, Senator Clinton introduced a bipartisan amendment
co-sponsored by Senators Schumer, Kennedy, Akaka, Lautenberg, Kerry,
Lieberman, Collins, Mikulski, Cardin, and Menendez to prevent further
cutbacks and restore the number of full time staff to a minimum of 1,200
and 900 full time Police Officers, Inspectors, Area Commanders and
Special Agents who will be directly engaged on a daily basis protecting
and enforcing laws at Federal Buildings. Senator Clinton also sent a
letter to Department of Homeland (DHS) Security Secretary Michael
Chertoff, expressing her concerns about the current plan to
significantly reduce the size of the Service. 

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