Show If A Terrorist Attack Succeeded Um I 171 NSEPT By Lyric 11 2001 AMERICAN AIRLINES 77 Flight slammed into die Pentagon at 9J8 am And linked Airlines Flight 93 Wallwork Winik ing requiring a majority of members to be present foraquorum And 2) when there is a vacancy in die House it can only be filled by a special election which takes about four months There is no provision in either the House or Senate to deal with a situation in which numerous members might be incapacitated Many now argue that torney General or Secretary of Homeland Security attempting to gready expand his powers We could even find ourselves in a dispute over who is in charge or under some form of martial law The stakes are high "Everything die government did would be tinder a doud” says Lloyd Outlet a former White House legal counsel How do we fix this hole in our government? An answer has come in die ftxm of might have crashed into the nearby US Capitol-i- ts apparent target— or 9 am had ic left on tone from the busy airport in Newark N J Instead the flight left 41 minutes late and hook passengers ended die hijackers’ suicide mission in a Pennsylvania field realities require changes Two and That morning in Washington the House of a half years after 911 the Representatives was open for busiA Bipartisan ness Speaker J Dennis Hasten (R a unique bipartisan Continuity of Gov- danger of foreign or rnmnr PofTtmironr laiwv4wH jnmrlyin domestic terror has not EL) had just called the chamber to COffllYHSSIOn block 2002 is need "What we order Only a awayChiefJusdce passed by Norman Omstein of AEI Thomrecommends as Mann a Congressional scholar at the William Rehnquist and 26 top feda ‘national will’ we could eral judges from around the nation turn to in a moment of Brookings Institute in Washington DC and their respective think tanks It’s chaired were meeting Even more chilling crisis”saysOmstem the entire House and Senate as well In public service you by Cuder a Democrat and former Sen in Alan Simpson (RJfyo) Fifteen former as the Vice President had gathered in are asked to plan for the Former White House leaders of Congress scholars and former die Capitol five days earlier for a speworst” says Lynn Martin legal counsel Lloyd cial address by Mexico’s President Vicente Foil Administration former and and Cabinet officials ate Cabinet a Cuber (topland Congresswoman Alsu Sea Stepson An attack on the US Capitol not only could have offidaL "We need something that immeexploring how to respond id a catastroheadtfioconiniMon Here’s how landmark we also would a but to phe: They donate theft time without pay diately says destroyed powerful perform’ has unanimously recommended commission have You The reassure national the and the world in American our likely people government jeopput would "At define that Congress pass a simple Constitutional Amendneed a Congress cannot allow terrorists to a time when we ardy your future” eof war-- we could have been without Without such a "national will” we could be left ment allowing for alternate provisions in the event a Congress" says Norman Omstein a government without a government capable of dedaring war of of mass casualties or mass deaths in the House and Senate (During the nuclearchatged Cold War the scholar at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) ideasing emergency funds or of establishing investiHow could that happen? Because 1) Congress has gatory powers for agencies like die FBL We could only plan was for Congress to retreat to a hidden face the specter ofan overly aggressive President Ac- - bunker at West Virginia’s Greenbrier Resort) Devery specific rules covering how it can meet includ spite today’s dangers Congress has yet to act Says Cuder "There are so few things that we can do to prepare for a terror attack but this is one thing that absolutely can be done and it would be IE irresponsible not to do it” co-day-’s a plantokeep government functioning an emergency most-atim- isA&xszascsaB: You can join In writing a Constitutional Amendment that wfll help dedde ftinctioneh the 'event”of ahow our government catastrophe national By completing e Km in at wivwxontihiifyoovsnvnentrgv you can make your voice heard No Internet? Exprtaa your support or eppoaMon to e nattoral wfl by writing to: Continuity of Government Commission AEI Dept P 1150 17th St NW VtaNngtorv DjC 2003& Rw more on the issues huoKed In writing a national wfll vidt wwwMradaLOom and ddc on "WabUnlcs” PAGE IS May 2 2004 PARADE |