WASHINGTON (CNN) - The House Friday approved security legislation implementing many of the recommendations of the 9/11 commission.
The vote for passage was 371-40. The Senate passed the bill Thursday by an 85-8 vote, so Friday's action means the measure goes to President Bush's desk for his signature.
"With this bill, we will be keeping our promises to the families of 9/11," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. "We'll be honoring the work of the 9/11 commission and we will be making the American people safer."
Among the homeland security measures included in the bill are:
– Providing $1.6 billion for emergency first responder communication
– Improving information sharing between local, state and federal law
enforcement
– Allocating $250 million annually for enhanced screening at airports
– Requiring 100 percent cargo screening within three years
– Creating a Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board
Despite the broad bipartisan support, critics of the bill say it does not provide the right for airport screeners to unionize and that some of the rules are impractical, such as requiring all maritime cargo in three years to go through security screening.
"This proposal is simply not practical because of the huge volume, some 11 million containers per year coming into our seaports," said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. Despite her criticism, Collins voted for the bill.
From CNN Politics
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About time. There are release valves for all the regulations that are said to be too tough to meet. I don't think the sink is dumb enough to not sign this one.
Too bad the Bush administration and the rebublican party – the party whose strength is supposed to be national security – didn't manage to pass this in time to help the people in New Orleans and Mississippi.
It would behoove Pres. Bush to sign this one to show that he did something as president to counter terror (besides talk and going after grandmas and babies at airports). Odd that a Rep Congress couldn't get it done. Wonder if Bush will sign it.
Let me get this straight......Republicans had years to pass these proposals and didn't......Democrats recognized the value of these proposals in months and got them passed.........So exactly who is serious about protecting America?
About time the Democrats got off their collective butts and actually work for a change.
Bush hesitated to go into Iraq at the beginning of his presidency until the improper time of post-911. Bush hesitated to respond when he heard the news of that horrible day. Bush hesitated to form a Homeland Security without a push from the Democratic Party. Bush hesitated to get rid of Rumsfeld, Brown, and now Gonzales. Bush hesitated to agree to a 911 Commission until forced to change by many 911 family members. Oh yeah . . . he'll sign this right away!
Let me get this straight.......Republicans had years to enact these proposals and didn't.....Democrats have had months and recognized the value of these and got them passed......So who is really concerned about American again?
Sorry....I meant to say who is really concerned about protecting americans
The duopoly of dem-repubs of our government have NO intention of enforcing our border laws. They talk about it alot in between voting on their own pay raises, but they are committed to open borders by their allegiance to the TLC, CFR, Rockefeller. ... .