| Lawmakers strongly backed u.s.-israel homeland-security cooperation | October 23, 2006 |
The Promoting Antiterrorism Capabilities Through International Cooperation Act creates an office in the Homeland Security Department to develop and share counterterrorism technology and strategies with U.S. allies, including Israel.
The bill was led by House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Peter King (R-NY) and Ranking Member Bennie Thompson (D-MS) and Emergency Preparedness and Science and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Dave Reichert (R-WA) [AREN'T WE PROUD?] and Ranking Member Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-NJ).
The act authorizes private American and Israeli companies to receive federal funding to jointly research and commercialize security products, offers grants to scientists from U.S. and Israeli universities known for high-tech ingenuity and provides funding for quasi-governmental collaboration between federally funded laboratories and their Israeli counterparts to develop technologies such as improved explosive detection systems.
The sponsors applauded the bill—which still awaits action by the Senate—as a vital step in improving America’s ability to combat terrorism. “The time has come,” King said, “for us to break down artificial barriers, artificial walls, and use the commonality of our cultures, of our traditions, of our beliefs, and use the benefit of our technological expertise to form a common bond as we go forward to defeat international terrorism.”
Thompson expressed similar sentiments. “The different challenges faced by our many friends around the world have resulted in new approaches that the United States should leverage to protect our citizens,” he said.
Homeland security cooperation has constituted a central feature of the U.S.-Israel relationship following 9/11. Israeli Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter recently visited the United States to share his counterterrorism expertise with top law enforcement officials including Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and National Security Adviser Steven Hadley. •NER•
Found on Angry Arab Newservice
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