“That is the view from the White House and most of the U.S. Congress these days. It is World War III forever, by the look and the language of it, and the meanness quotient of the U.S. image in the world is growing logarithmically with every passing day.
— Hunter S. Thompson⁷

“It has become apparent to me that the federal government rushes off in one direction without ever talking to the individual states. We have been trying to get the federal government to confer with the states that have taken an active role in trying to harness technology in government, and to develop a unified approach. There are good ideas on both sides and we need to commingle them. Admittedly, there's not a big precedent for doing that.”
Rep. Joe May, Virginia State Legislature⁸

“Even if we select a container for inspection by X-ray technology at the port of entry on the suspicion that it contains a weapon of mass destruction, by that time it could be too late. And that is fundamentally why we need to push our zone of security back further in the importation process.”
U.S. Customs Commissioner, Robert C. Bonner
In a speech before the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)

“We have an Administration that is committed; that has embraced the cause for the security of the American public and this is an Administration that is looking to adopt technology, because it cannot afford to fail in this highly visible task. So I think it is safe to say that the political will is strongly in favor of security and ID systems.”
Dr. Joseph Atick, CEO of biometrics supplier Visionics Corp., Jersey City, N.J., during his keynote address at the Biometric Consortium in Washington.

“Explosive detection equipment is a vital part of our baggage-checking program. Every available explosive detection machine will be used to its maximum capacity.”
John Magaw, Under Secretary of Transportation in a speech before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

“The recent establishment of the Office of Homeland Security is a good first step, but a series of questions must be addressed regarding how this office will be structured, what authority its Director will have, and how this effort can be institutionalized and sustained over time. The Director will need to define the scope and objectives of a Homeland Security strategy. The strategy will involve all levels of government, the private sector, individual citizens both here and abroad, and other nations.”
David M. Walker, Comptroller General of the United States in testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Budget