Michael Chertoff: Hillary Wrong About Rail Security

July 09, 2005

Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff fired back at 2008 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on Friday, saying her claim that President Bush had cut the budget for rail and subway security by $50 million was flat-out wrong.

Confronted with Sen. Clinton's criticism by NBC "Today" show host Katie Couric, Chertoff shot back: "I think that really understates the amount of money in the budget that's available for rail security. In fact, the president's budget talks about a dramatic increase in infrastructure protection, $600 million, and that would be available for rail security." Chertoff said the Bush budget provides "billions of dollars in urban security initiatives and part of that is available for rail security."

And he also addressed Sen. Clinton's complaint that New York wasn't getting its fair share of federal security dollars.
"In fact, one of the big points of the president's budget has been to move to a risk-based funding effort," Chertoff told Couric. "And that risk-based funding effort will take account of the vulnerability of mass transit and consider our other vulnerabilities as well."

The Homeland Security chief called the Bush budget "a very strong budget, not only on mass transit security, but on security across the board."
Even after Secretary Chertoff set the record straight Friday morning, however, Mrs. Clinton continued to complain, telling reporters later in the day that she was "absolutely outraged" over Bush cuts for rail security.