Bush to deliver "State of Secure Union" tonight

Jan 20, 2004 12:00 PM

President Bush will propose boosting domestic security spending by about 9 percent in his 2005 budget during tonight's State of the Union address, The Associated Press reports.

The White House declined to comment on the reported increase, but said that counter-terrorism efforts at home will be a major component of the address.

The proposed increase does not include defense-related Homeland security spending or Bush's 10-year, $5.6 billion Project BioShield initiative aimed at speeding production of vaccines against possible biological weapons including anthrax and smallpox.

Bush proposed a 7.4 percent increase for domestic security in his 2004 budget.

Democrats say the administration is underfunding emergency teams, including police, fire and medical personnel, by about $100 billion over the next five years. They say cities have yet to receive their share of the $1.5 billion in so-called first responder funding appropriated by Congress this year.

The speech is scheduled for 9:01 p.m. EST.

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