Think tank gives Bush "D" on Homeland security report card

Jul 29, 2003 12:00 PM

The Bush Administration has been slow to improve and tighten domestic security and failed to spend enough on essential programs, a center-left think tank said last week.

The Progressive Policy Institute gave the administration a "D" in its report, America at Risk: A Homeland Security Report Card, adding that much improvement was needed. The group has ties to the Democratic Leadership Council.

"The Bush Administration has not brought the same energy and attention to Homeland security that it has brought to overseas military efforts," the report said. "In short, President Bush has failed to fulfill his promise to make Homeland security his top priority."

The grade is based on a national threat assessment that was mandated by Congress but has yet to be completed. Until the assessment is completed, the federal government is supposed to operate under the assumption that every facility in every state is equally at risk of being attacked.

While Bush received an "A" for nuclear power security and a "B-" for aviation passenger security, he received "F's" for failure to integrate terrorist watch lists, complete a national threat assessment, improve border-identification systems and learn lessons from previous attacks.

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