Congress Reacts to London Attacks

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RENEE MONTAGNE, host:

Members of Congress are on a weeklong recess here in the United States, but many of them reacted quickly to the news of the terrorist bombings in London. They expressed sorrow for the victims of the attacks and their loved ones, and they began to consider what the bombings might mean for US homeland security and for politics. NPR congressional reporter Andrea Seabrook joins me now to discuss all of this.

Andrea, how are members of Congress reacting to the attack on what is, of course, a staunch US ally?

ANDREA SEABROOK reporting:

Renee, first and foremost, members of Congress, as you said, are expressing sympathy with Londoners and, in fact, solidarity with them, echoing the solidarity many Americans and many members of Congress felt from Britain in the days after September 11th. Lawmakers were very clear that they stand with Britain in this time. But opinions began to diverge when lawmakers turned their focus on what these bombings mean for the United States. Some, like House Speaker Dennis Hastert and Majority Leader Tom DeLay, both Republicans, said it only firms their resolve in the war on terrorism. And a major front of that, they say, is Iraq. Many Democrats, like New York Senator Chuck Schumer, took these attacks on this London subway system as warning number two, after the Madrid bombings, that the US needs to beef up security on mass transit here in the United States. Some in Congress think too much money has been spent on airline security in the wake of 9/11. For example, listen to this clip of the chair of the Senate Homeland Security & Government Affairs Committee, Maine Republican Susan Collins.

(Soundbite of Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee meeting)

Senator SUSAN COLLINS (Republican, Maine): We have perhaps overinvested in aviation security at the expense of other vulnerabilities, whether it's rail security, chemical facilities or the security of our seaports. I believe that these bombings will prompt a reassessment of federal spending and the allocation of scarce resources.

SEABROOK: And, in fact, Democrats in the House have tried several times to attach provisions to bills that have passed the House to up money for port and rail security. Those have been voted down. And there's a bill in the Senate right now aimed at increasing transportation security.

MONTAGNE: Senator Collins just now mentioned scarce resources. Could this spark, as you say, more debate about spending priorities?

SEABROOK: Absolutely, Renee. It's hard to explain just how tight the budget is these days and it's still running a big deficit. When it comes to adding funds to something like mass transit security, that would have to pull money from something else, some other federal priority. And mass transit is something you find mainly in cities. So that could make the debate not necessarily a partisan fight but between rural and urban lawmakers. Democrats and Republicans also battle over how much money the Iraq war has cost, over $200 billion at this point, and whether that money should be spent on homeland security and so on. And then some worry Congress could even go too far with this. For example, listen to Randall Larsen. He's a retired Air Force colonel and the director of the Institute for Homeland Security.

Mr. RANDALL LARSEN (Director, Institute for Homeland Security): I think it's most important that we do not overreact. I imagine there will be members of Congress today that will be calling for new spending bills to put bomb-sniffing detectors, you know, on our public transportation, which, frankly, I think would be a foolish response and a great waste of money.

SEABROOK: Again, money is going to be a big factor in any debate on this.

MONTAGNE: And Congress returns to Washington next week?

SEABROOK: Yes, they do. And you should expect to see the Senate transportation security bill get a boost. Expect House Democrats to say a sort of `I told you so' to Republicans about homeland security money. And expect the Homeland Security Department to make mass transit protection a higher priority. Then again, last word, a warning that if President Bush names a Supreme Court nominee, that could eclipse just about everything else in Washington.

MONTAGNE: NPR congressional reporter Andrea Seabrook.

This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News.

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