Lieberman Encourages Continued Bipartisanship

March 12, 2007 – Despite the fact that Democrats now control both sides of Congress, Homeland Security Chairman Senator Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) emphasized at the 2007 Alfred K. Whitehead Legislative Conference in Washington, DC that to ensure the nation’s security all parties must work together.

Lieberman addressed many issues important to fire fighters – including implementation of the remaining recommendations of the 9/11 Commission and funding the FIRE Act and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program. “These initiatives will help keep America’s citizens out of harms’ way,” said Lieberman.

“I will be standing with you in the 110th Congress,” Lieberman told delegates. “Your agenda is my agenda. That is because your agenda is good for the United States of America. I will fight with vigor because the American public safety is at stake.”

Lieberman said that passing the remaining recommendations of the 9/11 Commission is particularly important because it calls for a grant program dedicated to providing an interoperable communication system.

“After 9/11, we found out that lives were lost because fire and police could not communicate,” he said. “You are the first to respond to terrorist attacks and natural disasters, as we saw in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. You deserve our best and our most. That’s why it is so important that this legislation pass.”

In addition to adequate communication systems, Lieberman also discussed the importance of providing fire fighters with other resources they need – resources that can be funded by the FIRE Act and SAFER program. For this reason, Lieberman said he fails to understand why the administration continues to underfund these grants.

As the senator promised his support on these issues, collective bargaining and early retiree health care, he thanked the fire fighters for always being there for him.

“There used to be an ad campaign that said, “I got my job through the New York Times,” he said. “I am proud to say that last year, I kept my job through the IAFF. General President Harold Schaitberger told me that the fire fighters would be with me no matter what and, from beginning to end, you were.”

Senator Lieberman concluded by encouraging delegates to encourage others to be bi-partisan. “After you lobby your issues with your congressional leaders, make an appeal for them to work on a bi-partisan basis,” he stated. “Or, if I am in the room, a tri-partisan basis.”

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