Lessons Learned From A National Tragedy

September 7, 2007, At the sixth anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Congress has enacted a sweeping new security bill to protect America from future acts of terrorism. The bill, H.R. 1, finally enacts the recommendations of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission, which were submitted to Congress in July 2004.

This comprehensive legislation will do many things to make our nation stronger, our communities more secure and our families safer. From more stringent inspection of cargo entering the United States to the simple step of ensuring first responders can communicate with each other during a tragedy, this legislation will remedy some of the gaps found by the 9/11 Commission. When the president signed the bill on August 3, he joined Congress in committing to take steps to prevent such a terrible tragedy from ever happening again.

Currently, only 5 percent of containers are scanned before they leave overseas ports, but the effects of a bomb detonated in a container in a large American port city would be devastating. At our airports, the situation is not much better as most of the 3 million tons of cargo transported each year on passenger aircraft goes unscreened. This new law will require 100 percent screening of containers bound for the U.S. and 100 percent screening of cargo on passenger aircraft.

One of the lessons learned in the aftermath of the tragedy was that our first responders did not have equipment that enabled them to communicate with each other during a tragedy. We know all too well that firefighters in the World Trade Center did not receive warnings to get out of the towers before they collapsed. The new law creates a grant program at the Department of Homeland Security to help our first responders get the interoperable communications equipment that can save lives and be invaluable during an emergency.

These are just a few examples of how this law will help protect Americans, but there are plenty more. Better equipment at our airports will allow for improved screening of checked baggage and improved screening to detect explosives on passengers. The law also includes measures to prevent terrorists from traveling and from acquiring weapons of mass destruction. And it takes steps to protect bridges, power grids, dams and other infrastructure here at home.

Those of us serving in Congress have an obligation to do all within our power to keep the American people safe. I take that obligation seriously. Enacting these sensible, bipartisan recommendations is an important step to protecting our nation from future acts of terrorism.