February 3, 2003

On January 25, 2002, Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley delivered the Democratic response to the President's weekly radio address. He addressed the urgent need for federal assistance to our nation's first responders. Following are excerpts from his remarks.

"I am the mayor of Baltimore, Maryland - a major city in our country's economy that, like every city and town in America, has been left virtually defenseless by our federal government's failure to fund homeland defense.

"Mr. President, every American is rightly proud of the men and women of our armed forces. We would never send them into harm's way without providing them the best equipment, protection, and intelligence that money can buy. But, this war is not like other wars. It's being fought on two fronts and for the first time in nearly 200 years, that second front is right here, at home, in the population and economic centers of our country — where we are still as terribly exposed as we were on September 11.

"Mr. President, as we await next week's State of the Union, remember that our nation is failing the front line soldiers of our homeland defense - our fire, police and health workers. 501 days after the attacks of 9/11, our first responders are still without the necessary equipment, training and communication systems that they need for America's homeland defense.

"Our nation cannot fund America's homeland security on local property taxes and fire hall bingo proceeds. Your neglect of homeland defense funding has relegated "the common defense" to yet another unfunded federal mandate for already cash'strapped cities - cities that are still reeling from federal and state tax cuts that primarily benefit the wealthy, and a damaged and sluggish economy. Mr. President, this is no way to protect our people at home, to provide for the common defense, and to win the war on terrorism."