After the Terrorisms attacks of September 11th, many needs have appeared in order to combat and strengthen our nation from more possible coming attacks, and in order to achieve these, President’s Bush proposed $369 billion for the 2003 Budget for DOD and an additional $10 billion, if needed, to fight the war on terrorism.

In the immediate result of the attacks, Congress rapidly appropriated $40 billion to assist reconstruction, wage war against terrorism, and strengthen our defenses at home.  In these months since September 11th, the $10.6 billion of the $40 billion dedicated to homeland security purposes has helped to:

• Help the largest criminal investigation in U.S. history.
• Obtain enough medicine to treat up to 10 million more people for anthrax or other 
   bacterial infections;
• Investigate the sources of terrorist funding, and then freeze the financial assets of more 
  than 150 individuals and organizations connected to international terrorism.
• Arrange hundreds of Coast Guard cutters, aircraft, and small boats to patrol the
  approaches to our ports and protect them from internal or external threats;
• Acquire equipment for certain major mail sorting facilities to find and destroy anthrax
  bacteria and other biological agents of terror; and 
• Station 8,000 National Guards troops at baggage-screening checkpoints at 420 major
   airports.

At the same time as national security was being funded, Congress began working immediately on four urgent and essential missions for the defense of our homeland:

• Ensuring state and local first responders (firemen, police, and rescue workers) are prepared for terrorism.
• Enhancing our defenses against biological attacks;
• Securing our borders; and
• Sharing information and using information technology to secure the homeland.

The President’s provided $21 billion to fulfill these missions.  Together with other programs, total spending for homeland security would rise to $38 billion in 2003—an $18 billion increase over 2002, a virtual doubling of the pre-September 11th levels.

Also, President Bush requested $5.9 billion to improve our defenses against bioterrorism, principally in the following four major aspects:

· The President proposed spending $1.2 billion in 2003 to increase the ability of state and local health rescue systems to act in response to bioterrorism attacks.

· $2.4 billion for research and development programs of technologies that will strengthen our bioterrorism response capabilities in the mid- and long-term. 

· Bioterrorism initiative, which includes $851 million to improve federal Capabilities to respond to bioterrorism events. 
· $392 million to strengthen our ability to detect and react quickly through improved communications to a biological attack. 
 

As of International help, many of our friends need our help to contribute to the war on terrorism. And the 2003 Budget makes that help available. So:

· About $3.5 billion for economic assistance, military equipment, and training for states on the front line in the war against terrorism.
· $121 million for anti-terrorism assistance, training, and equipment to help other countries fight global terror.
· $4 million for the Treasury Department’s Office of Technical Assistance to provide training and other needed expertise to foreign governments’ finance ministries and offices to combat terrorist financing.
 

FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

The 2002 President’s Budget will provide FEMA $3.6 billion to address and increase our nation’s preparedness for terrorist attacks. Nearly all of this funding will be used for terrorism-related gear and equipments, as well as training grants for first responders, including firefighters, police, and emergency medical technicians. The funding in addition would permit FEMA to supply grants to states to instruct 400,000 citizen volunteers for Community Emergency Response Teams, making available aid and assistance to earliest responders following terrorism incidents and other emergencies. 

The budget as well provides $50 million for FEMA’s Office of National Preparedness to work with states and localities on terrorism preparedness, as well as to administer the first responder grant program.

Regarding Terrorisms’ legislative updates since September 11th, there are several bills and joint resolutions signed into law. Many of these are:
HR2883: Intelligence Authorization Act for fiscal year 2002. To authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2002 for intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government, the Community Management Account, and the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, and for other purposes.
HR2888: 2001 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Recovery from and Response to Terrorist Attacks on the United States. Making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year 2001 for additional disaster assistance, for anti-terrorism initiatives, and for assistance in the recovery from the tragedy that occurred on September 11, 2001, and for other purposes.
HR2926: Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act. To preserve the continued viability of the United States air transportation system.
HR3162: Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT ACT) Act of 2001. To deter and punish terrorist acts in the United States and around the world, to enhance law enforcement investigatory tools, and for other purposes.
S1438: National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2002. A bill to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2002 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military constructions, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe personnel strengths for such fiscal year for the Armed Forces, and for other purposes. 
S1793: Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act of 2001. A bill to provide the Secretary of Education with specific waiver authority to respond to conditions in the national emergency declared by the President on September 14, 2001.