Statement by David Wright, President, AFGE Local 918 National Federal Protective Service Union

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is a statement by David Wright, President, AFGE Local 918 National Federal Protective Service Union:

On behalf of the men and women who protect federal buildings across this country, I am shocked that the Obama Administration's budget includes no additional funding for the Federal Protective Service - one of the nation's most important homeland security agencies.  In past three years, the GAO has come out with no less than four reports detailing the impact of insufficient funding and manpower and the vulnerability it has created in our national homeland security safety net.

Congress has held hearing after hearing on the situation and the issue has been widely reported in the press.  Yet the agency remains underfunded, understaffed and unimproved in any real way.  Even worse, the Administration is proposing to eliminate the minimum staffing standards established by Congress.  This could signal an effort to reduce the size of this agency.

We view this as an irresponsible decision.  Federal buildings are, and always will be first line targets for international and homegrown terrorists such as Timothy McVeigh.  If the terror trials are held in NY, the FPS will have a major responsibility for overall security.  If something were to happen there, it might well be traceable to this decision.

We are certain that Congress will not support this decision and provide the resources necessary to secure the nation's federal buildings.  We urge President Obama to reconsider and support sufficient funds for the FPS to perform its mission.

SOURCE AFGE Local 918