Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), representative of Times Square and Ground Zero, affirmed his support for H. Res. 1320, a resolution concerning the failed Times Square Bombing of May 1. Nadler reiterated the need for New York City, a primary terrorist target, to receive a greater portion of homeland security funding. He called for additional funding for police, surveillance cameras, improved screening for radiological or nuclear devices entering the city, and 100 percent screening of cargo arriving in our nation’s ports.

“The events of this past weekend should be a loud wake-up call to all Americans,” said Nadler. “To protect New York City, and the millions of people who live, work, and visit each day, we need more antiterrorism funding directed there. The formulas used to distribute such funds, while improved, still ignore the reality that New York City is the number one target. Further, it is important to remember that our ports, including New York City, remain vulnerable. I fought for, and we enacted into law, a requirement that 100 percent of shipping containers coming into the United States be scanned electronically before they arrive in this country. If we wait until a container with a radiological or nuclear device gets to our shores, it is already too late.”

The following is his official statement on the Resolution:

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 1320.

“H. Res. 1320 describes what happened on Saturday, May 1, 2010, concerning the car bomb discovered in Times Square. As the Member of Congress who represents Times Square, I am particularly concerned about these events. We came perilously close to a terrible tragedy, with wide-spread injuries and loss of life.

“As described by this resolution, it was thanks to the alertness of two fellow New Yorkers, Mr. Lance Orton and Mr. Duane Jackson, that we first became aware of the car bomb. They brought it to the attention of the New York Police Department (NYPD). The heroes of the NYPD and FDNY then secured the area, took care of the bomb, and safely evacuated those nearby.

“Subsequently, agents and officials with the NYPD, Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and other law enforcement agencies worked quickly and diligently to apprehend the alleged perpetrator, Faisal Shahzad. Due to their speed, they apprehended him before he could flee the country. I want to salute all of those involved in addressing this situation and acting to protect the public. I sincerely thank them for their service.

“The events of this past weekend should be a loud wake-up call to all Americans. It is a stark reminder that there are sick people in this world who think it is right to murder innocent men, women, and children to make political points. It is a stark reminder that these sick people will stop at nothing to bring this war of terror to America. And, it is a stark reminder that New York City is a prime target.

“To protect New York City, and the millions of people who live, work, and visit each day, we need more antiterrorism funding directed there. The formulas used to distribute such funds, while improved, still ignore the reality that New York City is the number one target. Increased funds could be used, for example, to support more and better surveillance cameras for public places, as well as for a larger police presence.

“More money also could be used to fund the Securing the Cities Initiative. This effort is designed to prevent a radiological or nuclear device from coming into a major city like New York. The horror of what could have happened if the car bomb in Times Square had contained radiological or nuclear material is unimaginable. I have supported efforts to properly fund this program, and I will continue to do so.

“Further, it is important to remember that our ports, including New York City, remain vulnerable. I fought for, and we enacted into law, a requirement that 100 percent of shipping containers coming into the United States be scanned electronically before they arrive in this country. If we wait until a container with a radiological or nuclear device gets to our shores, it is already too late. We need to stop such shipments before they are here. The 100 percent scanning requirement takes effect in 2012, but DHS has indicated they likely will miss the deadline. I call on fellow Members of Congress concerned about terrorism to help me see that it is implemented fully, and as soon as possible.

“These are just a few ways we could make our country safer. The attempted attack on Times Square tells us we have no time to waste. To protect ourselves and our country, we must act now.

“I want to thank Representative Michael McMahon for introducing H. Res. 1320. I also want to again thank the heroes who acted so quickly to take care of what otherwise could have been a deadly situation. I urge all Members to support this resolution.”