Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.) asserted that the government is underfunding homeland security initiatives during a speech last night in Healy Hall.

Sanchez said her background in finance as an analyst, strategic consultant and investment banker enables her to better assess the underlying issues of the security problem.

“Politics is about how people come together and divvy up for the common good what resources lie within the country, or city or state, or what have you,” she said.

According to Sanchez, members of the House of Representatives direct spending of about one-third of federal resources each year, which is called discretionary spending. She said most of the discretionary spending goes to the military to support the ongoing war in Iraq.

“The longer we’re in this war, the more and more the discretionary piece gets eaten up by the war and by the military,” she said.

As a result, she said, Congress is left with fewer resources to support other areas, including transportation, education and homeland security.

Sanchez, who serves as chair of the House Subcommittee on Border, Maritime and Global Counterterrorism, said the government must prioritize national security.

“The first role of a government is to make its people safe,” she said.

She also said a lack of communication between government agencies was a major factor affecting the government’s preparation for and response to the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

“The FBI wasn’t talking to the CIA,” she said.

In addition, she criticized the decision not to include the FBI and CIA in the new Department of Homeland Security, although President Bush said in 2002 when he signed the act that the department was designed to analyze information collected by these agencies.

“They’re out on their own. Why? Because they’re powerful and greedy and they want to do their own territorial thing, right?” she said.

Sanchez described how she believes effective homeland security policy should be implemented. First, she said, such policy needs to include a comprehensive way to compile all the information the government gathers about American citizens. Then, the government should use the information to identify potential targets and threats. Finally, it should formulate response plans to potential attacks.

Sanchez said most Americans do not realize how weak homeland security is today. “There are a lot of holes in the system,” she said.

In particular, she highlighted the problems with border protection in the country.

“Do you think we check every person that comes into the United States?” she asked. “No.”

Although Sanchez said that the government has succeeded in some areas of homeland security, she added that the country is not as safe as it should be. Despite the innovative technology that is at America’s disposal, she said, she believes that the major challenge to national security is an inadequate amount of resources.

“We don’t have enough resources to do it all,” she said.

This event was sponsored by the Georgetown University College Democrats, Office of Federal Relations, Women in Politics and MEChA de Georgetown.

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