Supporting the goals and ideals of National Preparedness Month.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time.

I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 489, which supports the objectives of National Preparedness Month and commends the Department of Homeland Security for initiating this bold and timely program.

I recently introduced this bill, along with my distinguished colleague, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Harman). Her strong leadership on the Select Committee on Homeland Security on behalf of this measure has contributed significantly to keeping our citizens prepared, informed and protected from the continued threat of terrorism. Since September 11, this Congress has worked tirelessly to improve the security of every town and city across America.

This month, September 2004, more than 80 organizations across the United States in every one of the 56 United States and territories are joining with the Department of Homeland Security to encourage Americans to be prepared in our homes, in our businesses and in our schools.

As recent tragic events in Beslan have made it clear, even our children, even our schools are not immune from terrorism.

As we continue to secure our transportation systems and other critical infrastructure, we must also make it a priority to educate our citizens. Moms, dads, students, teachers, businesses and professional men and women, every American at his and her place of work can contribute to the counterterrorism mission. In order to work, this critical mission has to be a partnership, a broad partnership involving not just Federal, State and local governments but each and every citizen.

That is why National Preparedness Month is so important and so relevant to President Bush's strategy for homeland security. It is a creative but practical program that emphasizes clear, commonsense steps that we can all take to secure our communities, to safeguard our neighborhoods and to protect our children.

Every one of us has an important role to play in this effort. We can make emergency communications plans. We should have emergency kits. We can work with our neighbors to promote public awareness and public preparedness.

As Secretary Ridge has reminded us, national preparedness is not just a 30-day exercise. It is not going to be finished and forgotten. It should be for all of our citizens the renewal of a 365-day, 24-7 effort, a commitment to defeat international terrorism in our own homes. National preparedness must be a way of life in defense of our home.

The unthinkable happened on September 11, and we are making sure that it never happens again. The Department of Homeland Security is working to ensure that our capable and courageous police, firefighters and emergency medical personnel are properly trained and equipped. These first responders must be prepared to respond to terrorist attacks and other emergencies, especially if they involve biological weapons or WMDs.

We have come a long way since 9/11, but as the President tells us time and

again, there is still much more to do to keep America safe. Each and every one of us, as I said, has an important role to play in this effort. By staying informed and active in our communities, we can all help accomplish this.

I commend Secretary Ridge and the Department of Homeland Security for inaugurating National Preparedness Month, which is keeping us all focused on this important goal.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 489) supporting the goals and ideals of National Preparedness Month.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Con. Res. 489.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

As Election Day nears, many Americans are understandably nervous about terrorism. Each day brings news of terror warnings at home, terror attacks or other developments abroad and ways the entire world has changed since the international war on terror began. Literally, we can be overwhelmed by the constant bombardment of these frightening updates.

Indeed, since September 11, our Nation has profoundly changed. Homeland security immediately became America's greatest priority. First responders, military personnel and law enforcement officials have vigilantly defended our homeland against further terrorist attacks. Meanwhile, many Americans want to help shoulder some of the burden in protecting the United States. They may, unfortunately, believe that they can do little more than worry. This resolution intends to increase awareness about how Americans can better prepare themselves and our Nation for terrorist attacks and other emergencies.

Mr. Speaker, this is September, the month in which our Nation was brutally attacked. Consequently, the Departments of Homeland Security and Education, the American Red Cross and dozens of national organizations have joined together to appropriately designate this month as National Preparedness Month. I join with the distinguished chairman of the House Select Committee on Homeland Security, the gentleman from California (Mr. Cox) to support the critical goals of National Preparedness Month.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. Cox) for introducing House Concurrent Resolution 489, and I look forward to his words on the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Cox), the chairman of the Select Committee on Homeland Security and the sponsor of House Concurrent Resolution 489.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the adoption of House Concurrent Resolution 489, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, a year after the Department of Homeland Security began its ad campaign to educate the American people on how to prepare for a terrorist attack, a USA Today/CNN/Gallup poll published in March found that most Americans have not heeded the government's advice by stocking up on food and water, formulating a plan to contact family members and identifying a ``safe room'' in their homes.

This statistic is very troubling, because it demonstrates that the government has not done an adequate job in communicating how important it is to be prepared in the event of an emergency or terrorist attack. Being prepared could mean the difference between life and death.

Establishing a National Preparedness Month will focus the public's attention on emergency preparedness and help to resolve issues people may have, such as where to go and how to contact family members during an emergency.

As elected officials, we have a responsibility to help protect and to educate our constituents about the threats facing our Nation. H. Con. Res. 489 would help us to do exactly that.

There is no such thing as a perfect plan to protect the American people from an attack, but we can work to make our plan as perfect as possible. While the poll suggests that Americans are not as prepared as we should be, it does serve as a wake-up call.

So I urge my colleagues to take advantage of this opportunity to vote in favor of H. Con. Res. 489 and to help make sure that we are as prepared as a nation as we can possibly be.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.