Keeping Our Cities and Towns Safe and Secure
The first and most important function of government is to keep citizens safe. We paid a huge price for lack of vigilance on 9/11.
As a firsthand witness to 9/11 and as a member of the Committee on Homeland Security, I work each and every day to try to make our nation safer and more secure. We have come a long way. But we have a long way to go. In the realm of security, "close" doesn’t cut it.
Fairfield County lost over 60 people on 9/11. Our security interests are significant, and our needs are real. I will never forget the devastation I witnessed at Ground Zero, and I am committed to ensuring the 4th District is prepared for emergencies and has the resources and coordination to protect our citizens when disaster strikes.
Emergency Preparedness
In times of tight budgets and waning revenues, it’s easy to overlook the need to provide back-up services and forward-looking, modern protections in an effort to save taxpayer dollars. But we cannot neglect emergency preparedness. As a member of the Homeland Security Committee, I have secured over $12,800,000 for local organizations to prevent and respond to terrorist attacks.
For instance, in Westport, we were able to secure funding for a new emergency generator, which will replace a dangerously old system of emergency back-up power.
A Foreign Policy that Promotes our Security
Just as essential to our safety as investment is our commitment to maintaining our alliances in dangerous parts of the world. As the only stable democracy in the Middle East, that solidarity begins with our relationship with Israel.
From ensuring our local first responders are equipped to take on challenges on the ground to giving state and federal law enforcement officials get the investment they need to coordinate efforts to enacting nuanced foreign policy that protects our interests both at home and abroad, we must always remain focused on our homeland security.
