| The recent terror plot by British nationals involving | | | | financial institutions or didn't know there were any |
| chemical explosives and transatlantic flights has | | | | significant targets in New York City, just the quality |
| increased awareness of homeland security after a | | | | of the report." |
| relatively calm period marked by little terrorist activity | | | | As the British terror plot was unfolding, the Bush |
| aimed at the U.S. and Great Britain. | | | | administration was attempting to cut funding for |
| With the heightened awareness comes a new | | | | developing new explosives detection technology. |
| emphasis on filling homeland security related positions | | | | Congressional leaders rejected the plan, instead |
| across local, state and federal agencies as well as | | | | voting to continue funding for the research, which |
| airlines and other corporations. New security | | | | has been aided by technology supplied by the |
| measures have necessitated a hiring drive for many | | | | Japanese. Congress has also expressed bipartisan |
| companies related to the travel industry, which has | | | | criticism of the way in which the Homeland Security |
| been affected the most. | | | | Department is spending its current budget, calling the |
| In New York and Washington D.C., where funding for | | | | Sciences & Technology Directorate a "rudderless ship |
| homeland security has dropped based on recent | | | | without a clear way to get back on course". |
| changes to the criteria on which the allocation of | | | | A statement by the senate appropriations committee |
| preparedness funds is based, local officials were | | | | that accompanied the Department of Homeland |
| critical of the Bush administration and Department of | | | | Security's 2007 budget read, "The committee is |
| Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. It has | | | | extremely disappointed with the manner in which |
| been speculated in the press that many of the flights | | | | S&T is being managed within the Department of |
| targeted by the would be terrorists would have been | | | | Homeland Security". |
| destined for these two cities, although the nature of | | | | As more terrorist activities are uncovered, greater |
| the plot would have prevented them from ever | | | | emphasis is likely to be placed on maximizing the |
| reaching their destination. Still, decry local officials, the | | | | effectiveness of Homeland Security Department |
| decision to reduce funding to previously targeted | | | | funding, although where the funds will eventually be |
| cities while increasing funding for less densely | | | | appropriated will continue to be a hot topic for |
| populated areas could have disastrous consequences. | | | | debate. |
| According to New York City Mayor Michael | | | | To learn more about online homeland security |
| Bloomberg in a recent weekly radio address, "I just | | | | degrees, visit our site. You can also obtain homeland |
| think the ways they went about it was wrong. I | | | | security degree information on our blog. For more |
| think some factual things were wrong. Forget about | | | | education resources and degree programs, visit |
| the fact that they didn't have the right number of | | | | Search for Classes. |