Speech by Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-California), April 3, 2003

Speech by Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-California), April 3, 2003

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts for yielding me this time.

I rise today to join my colleagues in expressing my frustration and my disappointment in that our first responders are being neglected in this effort to supplement the cost of the war. I am disappointed on behalf of the first responders in our district in Orange County, California. I am disappointed because the police in Anaheim, California are being forced to spend an additional $20,640 a day to maintain their readiness under the orange threat level. Mr. Chairman, $20,640 per day. The Federal Government is telling these local officers at what level they must remain alert and yet adequate funding is not being provided. This mirrors what is going on all across our Nation.

All of our first responders are responding every single day to the threat that still exists against this country. They are responding with additional officers, with additional sergeants, and with the additional overtime necessary to keep their forces alert. Our first responders are fighting the war, and we should be funding them.

As of April 18, 2003, this document was also available online at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/B?r108:@FIELD(FLD003+h)+@FIELD(DDATE+20030403)