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American Morning
Semate Overwhelmingly Approves Homeland Security Bill
Aired November 20, 2002 - 08:31 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR; In the minute, we will go back to Washington, because Jonathan Karl is tracking a very important story, too. President Bush returns back from Europe next week, expected to find the homeland security bill on his desk waiting for his signature. The Senate overwhelmingly approved the bill late yesterday, 90-9 the final count.
Jonathan Karl on the Hill now with more on this -- Jonathan.
JONATHAN KARL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bill, certainly overwhelming approval, but for a while yesterday it was white knuckle time on the Senate floor for Republicans as they barely fended off a Democratic challenge, and amendment that would have, they said, delayed the homeland security bill and possibly even possibly killed it. They barely won that. That was an intense battle, but you wouldn't know it by the final result.
As you said, 90-9 in favor of this creation of a new department of homeland security. What's interesting about the nine who voted no, though, they included the four most senior Democrats in the Senate, Robert Byrd, Daniel Inowe (ph), Ted Kennedy and Fritz Hollings, kind of an unofficial council of elders for the Democrats, all voted against it.
Now what this department does, this is of course a vast reorganization of the federal bueracracy, 170,000 employees that will do intelligence analysis, infrastructure protection, border protection and immigration, and also there will be a response-and-recovery division.
As for the president, the president initially opposed the creation of this department. This was a Democratic idea, the idea of Democrat Joe Lieberman. The president, though, last summer came on board and made it one of the top priorities of his administration, and the top priority of this lame duck session of Congress. So, not surprisingly, he was happy with the result.
The president put out a statement last night saying, "The United States Congress has taken a historic and bold step forward to protect them American people by passing legislation to create the Department of Homeland Security."
Now, what happens next? This goes to the president's desk. He is expected to sign it possibly by next week, and when he does, he will announce the new secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, and White House officials say that will be none other than Tom Ridge -- Bill. HEMMER: And he was not giving up much with Paula a bit earlier today. Is that a done deal, Jonathan? Is that pretty much an assumed thing in Washington?
KARL: White House officials have been telling us that is all but done. Nothing is done until it's finally announced, but basically, that's clearly the president's choice, and Tom Ridge has told the president that he'll accept the job if it's offered.
HEMMER: All right, Jonathan, thanks. Jonathan Karl from the Hill on that.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired November 20, 2002 - 08:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR; In the minute, we will go back to Washington, because Jonathan Karl is tracking a very important story, too. President Bush returns back from Europe next week, expected to find the homeland security bill on his desk waiting for his signature. The Senate overwhelmingly approved the bill late yesterday, 90-9 the final count.
Jonathan Karl on the Hill now with more on this -- Jonathan.
JONATHAN KARL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bill, certainly overwhelming approval, but for a while yesterday it was white knuckle time on the Senate floor for Republicans as they barely fended off a Democratic challenge, and amendment that would have, they said, delayed the homeland security bill and possibly even possibly killed it. They barely won that. That was an intense battle, but you wouldn't know it by the final result.
As you said, 90-9 in favor of this creation of a new department of homeland security. What's interesting about the nine who voted no, though, they included the four most senior Democrats in the Senate, Robert Byrd, Daniel Inowe (ph), Ted Kennedy and Fritz Hollings, kind of an unofficial council of elders for the Democrats, all voted against it.
Now what this department does, this is of course a vast reorganization of the federal bueracracy, 170,000 employees that will do intelligence analysis, infrastructure protection, border protection and immigration, and also there will be a response-and-recovery division.
As for the president, the president initially opposed the creation of this department. This was a Democratic idea, the idea of Democrat Joe Lieberman. The president, though, last summer came on board and made it one of the top priorities of his administration, and the top priority of this lame duck session of Congress. So, not surprisingly, he was happy with the result.
The president put out a statement last night saying, "The United States Congress has taken a historic and bold step forward to protect them American people by passing legislation to create the Department of Homeland Security."
Now, what happens next? This goes to the president's desk. He is expected to sign it possibly by next week, and when he does, he will announce the new secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, and White House officials say that will be none other than Tom Ridge -- Bill. HEMMER: And he was not giving up much with Paula a bit earlier today. Is that a done deal, Jonathan? Is that pretty much an assumed thing in Washington?
KARL: White House officials have been telling us that is all but done. Nothing is done until it's finally announced, but basically, that's clearly the president's choice, and Tom Ridge has told the president that he'll accept the job if it's offered.
HEMMER: All right, Jonathan, thanks. Jonathan Karl from the Hill on that.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
