Dear Members of Congress:

We write today to share our concerns regarding the mismatch in security spending. In the Fiscal Year 2008 budget resolution, we urge you to redirect a portion of the Administration's proposed increase for the Pentagon -- the Defense Department and the nuclear weapons-related activities of the Department of Energy. These monies are needed instead for non-military security -- such as emergency preparedness and preventing nuclear terrorism.

Increased funding for the Pentagon and cuts in funds for other vital security programs do not make Americans more secure, nor do such actions reflect the values of the public. The Administration's request for the Defense Department and the nuclear weapons portion of the Department of Energy is $502 billion for FY08, 8% more than last year's budget. This does not include the $142 billion requested for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan for FY08. We believe this is not the best use of our federal tax dollars.

Disasters like 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina laid bare many of the shortcomings in the federal government’s ability to keep Americans safe at home. In a post-Katrina era, we know the consequences of budget shortfalls for emergency preparedness. We need increases, not cuts, for the things that would help us respond more adequately to domestic disasters that have hit us hard in recent years.

The Administration's FY08 budget request cuts funds to cities and states for first responders and for critical infrastructure protection. It reduces grants to law enforcement, severely slashing funding. The budget request also cuts funding for medical personnel and significantly reduces funding for firefighters.

We call upon Congress to increase our emergency preparedness by supporting public health services and improving the security of our ports, chemical plants and public transportation. These programs contribute to the day-to-day security of our citizens. If not adequately supported, state and local governments will shoulder debilitating burdens to meet these critical needs. This budget request does not reflect the fact that when disaster strikes at home, it is those at the local level who are the most affected.

On the global security front, we grow increasingly concerned that the federal government is not doing enough to guard against threats of nuclear terrorism. In its 2001 report, the Department of Energy's Baker-Cutler Task Force recommended that we invest $3 billion a year in locking down nuclear weapons-grade materials. An amount of only slightly over $1 billion is requested for these purposes for FY08. We must fully invest in this race against time to control this danger, and match this urgent threat with sufficient funding to win this contest against the looming threat of nuclear terrorism. We recommend greater investment in these vital programs.

The FY08 budget resolution should reflect our nation’s real security needs. Policymakers want to address the most immediate threats to the safety of the American people; yet the United States is consistently ill-prepared to adequately respond to a major natural disaster or catastrophic terrorist attack. It is time our federal tax dollars went to programs that ensure the public’s safety.

As elected officials from state legislatures across the country, we want our neighbors and constituents to be safe and economically secure. We want to provide that assurance in sustainable, measurable, and affordable ways. We ask you to work with us to meet the needs of our citizens. Please exercise leadership to redirect the President's priorities for security spending.

Sincerely,