President Bush has urged the Democratic-led U.S. Senate to pass a bill establishing a new Department of Homeland Security. In his weekly radio address, Mr. Bush stated that the passage of this bill in the Senate would send the message that defending the country against terrorism is a priority. On Friday, the House of Representatives approved a version of the bill that exempts the new department from certain federal labor laws. Mr. Bush has threatened to veto the bill if the Senate does not approve similar exemptions. The new department will merge 22 federal agencies and will have approximately 170,000 employees.
President Bush Urges Senate to Approve House Exemptions - 2002-07-27
President Bush is calling on the Senate to pass a bill for a new Department of Homeland Security, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing national defense against terrorism. The House has already approved the bill with certain exemptions, and Bush has threatened a veto if the Senate does not follow suit.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
President Bush urged the Senate to pass a bill to create a new Department of Homeland Security, emphasizing the need for national security against terrorism. The House has already approved the bill with specific exemptions from federal labor laws.
- The new department will merge 22 federal agencies.
- Approximately 170,000 employees will be part of the new department.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The creation of the Department of Homeland Security was a response to the September 11 attacks, aimed at consolidating federal efforts to combat terrorism and improve national security.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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