Senator Hillary Clinton Stops Downsizing of Key Homeland Security Agency

Bipartisan Measure Included in Omnibus Appropriations Bill

December 17, 2007 -- Washington, DC – Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton today announced that the Omnibus Appropriations bill includes a bipartisan amendment she authored to stop the Department of Homeland Security’s efforts to downsize the Federal Protective Service. The agency is responsible for securing 9,000 non-military federal buildings like the Federal Bureau of Investigation New York Field Office in lower Manhattan and the Plum Island Animal Disease Center on Long Island and 1.1 million federal employees across the nation. The House and Senate are expected to vote on the Omnibus Appropriations bill this week.

“The workplace safety of over a million federal employees in over two thousand American communities depends on the Federal Protective Service. The Bush administration’s scheme would place these workers at risk by reducing the level of protection around federal buildings and placing even more responsibility in the hands of private contractors. We must make sure the safety and security of our federal workers and facilities aren't compromised,” said Senator Clinton.

The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Federal Protective Service (FPS) provides law enforcement and security services to over one million tenants and daily visitors to federally owned and leased facilities nationwide. The FPS oversees approximately 15,000 contract security guards. The Administration currently plans to replace current serving FPS law enforcement personnel with Inspectors. This would reduce the number of FPS full time staff from just under 1,200 personnel to 950, and would leave nearly 9,000 non-military federal buildings, located in over 2,100 American communities, and 1.1 million Federal employees at risk

The New York/New Jersey region and the National Capital region would see the largest reductions under the Bush Administration’s plan. The proposed downsizing plan would affect the security at government buildings in New York State, many of which are considered high-risk facilities. The facility locations include lower Manhattan, upper Manhattan, Queens, Long Island, Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, Champlain, Plattsburgh, Poughkeepsie, Rochester, and Syracuse.

Senator Clinton’s amendment would prevent the Administration’s privitization plan from moving forward, and requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to ensure that the workforce of the FPS includes no fewer than 1,200 Commanders, Police Officers, Inspectors, and Special Agents engaged on a daily basis in protecting federal buildings.

Last July, Senator Clinton introduced a bipartisan amendment co-sponsored by Senators Schumer, Kennedy, Akaka, Lautenberg, Kerry, Lieberman, Collins, Mikulski, Cardin, and Menendez to prevent further cutbacks and restore the number of full time staff to a minimum of 1,200 and 900 full time Police Officers, Inspectors, Area Commanders and Special Agents who will be directly engaged on a daily basis protecting and enforcing laws at Federal Buildings. Senator Clinton also sent a letter to Department of Homeland (DHS) Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, expressing her concerns about the current plan to significantly reduce the size of the Service.

Source: Senator Hillary Clinton