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CNN Live At Daybreak
Breaking Down Biggest Government Overhaul in More Than Half a Century
Aired November 25, 2002 - 05:08 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush expected to make a final decision about smallpox vaccinations some time after Thanksgiving. The "Washington Post" reports that Mr. Bush is considering a plan to include some 11 million military troops and emergency hospital workers. Others who want the vaccine may also be able to get it.
Mr. Bush also signs a bill today creating the Homeland Security Department.
And CNN's Jeanne Meserve breaks down the biggest government overhaul in more than half a century.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's a big job and Tom Ridge has to do it. He's expected to be nominated to head up the new department, which will be the third largest in the federal government. This is the largest reorganization of government since the creation of the Department of Defense after WWII. It will bring together 22 different agencies and departments that have had a piece of homeland security with 170,000 employees.
It has its critics.
SEN. JIM JEFFORDS (I), VERMONT: It is irresponsible to divert precious limited resources from our fight against terrorism to create a dysfunctional new bureaucracy that will only serve, give the American people a false, false sense of security.
MESERVE (on camera): But supporters say the new department will focus attention and resources on homeland security like never before, increasing efficiency by minimizing overlapping or conflicting missions. Some say the department will be too big. Others say it isn't big enough, pointing out that scores of independent agencies will still have a role in homeland security.
Some experts point out that moving a dysfunctional agency doesn't in and of itself make the agency any better. Other critics say the new department will not have enough intelligence capability, that it will only be able to analyze what it's given by other departments and agencies. And many ask whether there's enough money for the new department to do what it has to do.
The nation's mayors, in particular, are pressing for funds. MAYOR THOMAS MENINO, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS: That's the missing part. They went home, they didn't even deal with the issue of finances for cities. Cities have spent about $2.6 billion since last September and we're asked to be on the front lines every day. But nobody's willing to help us meet those costs.
MAYOR ANTHONY WILLIAMS, WASHINGTON: The Congress has a duty to see that local government, your first line of response, has the resources to help the federal government execute a homeland security strategy. You can't do that with nothing.
MESERVE: State and local officials say the federal homeland security effort slowed down while Washington debated the legislation creating this new department and they predict the braking effect could increase as agencies and their employees jockey for influence and power in the new bureaucracy. Long-term, many experts think the new department might make us safer, but caution it may not be evident for years.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CALLAWAY: Much more on the homeland security bill coming up this afternoon. Just what does it mean for America? We have all that coming up at 1:00 Eastern time. We'll have live coverage of the bill's signing. That's expected about 1:20.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Half a Century>
Aired November 25, 2002 - 05:08 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush expected to make a final decision about smallpox vaccinations some time after Thanksgiving. The "Washington Post" reports that Mr. Bush is considering a plan to include some 11 million military troops and emergency hospital workers. Others who want the vaccine may also be able to get it.
Mr. Bush also signs a bill today creating the Homeland Security Department.
And CNN's Jeanne Meserve breaks down the biggest government overhaul in more than half a century.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's a big job and Tom Ridge has to do it. He's expected to be nominated to head up the new department, which will be the third largest in the federal government. This is the largest reorganization of government since the creation of the Department of Defense after WWII. It will bring together 22 different agencies and departments that have had a piece of homeland security with 170,000 employees.
It has its critics.
SEN. JIM JEFFORDS (I), VERMONT: It is irresponsible to divert precious limited resources from our fight against terrorism to create a dysfunctional new bureaucracy that will only serve, give the American people a false, false sense of security.
MESERVE (on camera): But supporters say the new department will focus attention and resources on homeland security like never before, increasing efficiency by minimizing overlapping or conflicting missions. Some say the department will be too big. Others say it isn't big enough, pointing out that scores of independent agencies will still have a role in homeland security.
Some experts point out that moving a dysfunctional agency doesn't in and of itself make the agency any better. Other critics say the new department will not have enough intelligence capability, that it will only be able to analyze what it's given by other departments and agencies. And many ask whether there's enough money for the new department to do what it has to do.
The nation's mayors, in particular, are pressing for funds. MAYOR THOMAS MENINO, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS: That's the missing part. They went home, they didn't even deal with the issue of finances for cities. Cities have spent about $2.6 billion since last September and we're asked to be on the front lines every day. But nobody's willing to help us meet those costs.
MAYOR ANTHONY WILLIAMS, WASHINGTON: The Congress has a duty to see that local government, your first line of response, has the resources to help the federal government execute a homeland security strategy. You can't do that with nothing.
MESERVE: State and local officials say the federal homeland security effort slowed down while Washington debated the legislation creating this new department and they predict the braking effect could increase as agencies and their employees jockey for influence and power in the new bureaucracy. Long-term, many experts think the new department might make us safer, but caution it may not be evident for years.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CALLAWAY: Much more on the homeland security bill coming up this afternoon. Just what does it mean for America? We have all that coming up at 1:00 Eastern time. We'll have live coverage of the bill's signing. That's expected about 1:20.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Half a Century>
