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American Morning
Homeland Defense: Work Continues in Washington, D.C., Despite Intensified Security
Aired October 12, 2001 - 11:01 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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's begin in Washington. U.S. Capitol Police are constantly receiving information from the FBI and the highest level security agencies, but one of their problems is a manpower shortage.
For the latest on that, let's go to congressional correspondent Kate Snow, who is standing by on Capitol Hill.
Kate, good morning.
KATE SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.
U.S. Capitol Police are working very hard right now and so hard, actually, that they are running out of manpower. They may need to bring in military reinforcements is what we're told by U.S. Capitol Police. They are considering that; they haven't decided to do that. They are considering bringing in U.S. military troops in order to relieve some of the Capitol police officers working tremendously long hours.
Ever since September 11, there has been enhanced security here on Capitol Hill. Some of the changes that we've seen with our own eyes being made are they are filling up barriers and planters -- things that normally hold plants -- with concrete, in order to block the paths of entranceways into the U.S. Capitol. There are now layers of impediments at every entrance, every place that a vehicle could potentially get near the Capitol. There are layers of concrete barriers.
The streets around the U.S. Capitol are also changed. They are off limits to any truck traffic, any truck over 1 1/4 tons in size. That's about the side of a small FedEx truck. Anything bigger than that or even that size is not getting through on these streets anymore. That's about a 40-square block area around the United States Capitol. As of this morning, that new regulation is being strictly enforced.
I mentioned Capitol police officers. They are now working some 12 hours a day, some of them working even longer hours than that. That's the real issue. They need some relief. That's why they're looking at this possibility of bringing in U.S. military troops here, thinking that perhaps they could rotate in, take the place of some of these officers, and allow some officers to go out and get some enhanced security training as well.
Paula, I wanted to mention a couple of other things happening on Capitol Hill this morning, because there is a lot happening inside the building as well as outside the building. Right now, discussions are under way about the anti-terrorism bill that passed in the Senate late last night. They're talking about bringing it up in the House, but there is a bit of a scuffle between Republicans and Democrats, Democrats unhappy they haven't seen the version that they're talking about voting on today. They fear there may be some violations of civil liberties, so we will see how that plays out.
And on a separate issue, the economic stimulus plan, a plan meant to inject some life back into the nation's economy, discussions are under way in the House on that, two very different versions -- Democrats wanting a bill worth more than $100 billion, which would contain rebates to taxpayers and also a lot of increased spending, hiring security guards for the nation's infrastructure. That's meant to boost the economy. Republicans have a much smaller plan that is mostly focused on tax cuts, which, of course, is what the president has said all along he would support. So we are watching that play out as well.
Paula, back to you.
ZAHN: Kate, I know we have had you posted there all morning. Have you had an opportunity to talk with any representatives or senators as they have come to work this morning, and if you have, what is their reaction to this latest FBI warning.
SNOW: I have talked to them. I can tell you that everybody that works this the building, everybody who comes in here every day, is certainly a little bit skittish, a little bit concerned about that security threat, if you will. But at the same time, they're ready to get the job done. They are inside, as I say, working on these other issues. So security is not really their big focal point. They're busy trying to get things done inside the building. I think that's the attitude of most lawmakers here: On a Friday, try to get as much done as they can before they go back to their districts for the weekend.
ZAHN: Kate, thanks so much for the report.
Let's go back to Bill, in Atlanta.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Paula, last night, we heard the president in about a 45-minute Q&A session at the East Room of the White House. Already, the White House is bust at work again today. There is more news now.
Kelly Wallace is positioned there this morning.
Kelly, good morning to you.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.
President Bush is definitley continuing to focus on the domestic and international fronts in this campaign against terrorism. On the domestic side, the Senate passed a bill last night to beef up airline security, the White House saying the president has a lot of concerns about that bill, in particular, the fact that it would federalize all the airport baggage screeners. So the president is hoping that Congress can work something out; obviously, White House officials are focusing on that.
On the international front, the president met with his national security team earlier today, as he always does.
Also, Bill, White House aides are getting peppered with questions about something President Bush said Thursday in that news conference. For the first time, the president said he sees the United Nations having some sort of role in a post-Taliban Afghanistan. First, let's listen to what the president said last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It would be a useful function for the United Nations to take over the so-called nation building -- I would call the stabilization of a future government -- after our military mission is complete.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: President Bush has long said that the goal is not nation building in Afghanistan, White House aides saying there is no change in policy here, that the president continues to believe the U.S. military mission is not to rebuild a nation and that any rebuilding of a nation will take place after the military mission is complete.
On the financial front, another development, the White House is expanding the net when it comes to those individuals and organizations whose bank assets will be frozen. Last month, the president named 27 individuals and organizations. Today, the Treasury Department added 39 additional names to the list. Here is Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL O'NEILL, TREASURY SECRETARY: This morning, we took the next step in the financial war. Together, Secretary Powell and I notified all financial institutions in the United States to block the assets of 39 additional persons and entities that are either wanted terrorists or who are known financially to support terrorism.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: Treasury Secretary O'Neill was telling reporters yesterday that, so far, this U.S. and international effort to block and freeze bank assets linked to terrorists has resulted in freezing $24 million in assets associated with the al Qaeda organization and Afghanistan's ruling Taliban regime.
Finally, moving to the humanitarian front, just about an hour from now, the president is to deliver a keynote speech at the annual event for the March of Dimes. Here the president will once again repeat something he announced Thursday night when he called on children in the United States to send a dollar to the White House to help feed the children of Afghanistan.
For all the kids watching, you can send your dollar bills to America's Fund for Afghan Children, care of the White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, Washington, D.C. 20509-1600.
Bill, to give you a little behind the scenes, White House aides came up with this idea when they were preparing for the March of Dimes speech, because the March of Dimes was really developed in 1938 when Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the president, called on children around the country to send dimes to the White House to help eradicate polio. Now the president is calling on children to send a dollar bill here.
HEMMER: Reaching back to go forward.
Kelly, quickly, we don't have much time. The bombing reports we're getting of Afghanistan today are not nearly as intense as in the past few days. It is a Muslim day of prayer. Is there consideration given to that day?
WALLACE: It appears so. I don't have any exact information to pass to you, but it does appear, certainly the White House, Bill, is very sensitive to angering Muslim nations, angering Arab nations, about doing anything that would be very much against any sort of religious practices.
But we have heard from U.S. officials that there would be a series of days of active bombing and then maybe some period of time for a few days to let go, to kind of get a sense of the situation, to see what's happening on the ground. But you do know that this administration is definitely trying to be sensitive to religious...
HEMMER: In a word, Kelly, Camp David this weekend again or not?
WALLACE: Camp David definitely, the president leaving this afternoon. Expect him again probably to do another video teleconference with his advisers on Saturday. His radio address will also focus on the progress in this campaign against terrorism -- Bill.
HEMMER: I'm out of questions. Kelly, thanks.
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