(Host) Governor Jim Douglas says the state of Vermont will receive nearly $5 million in federal Homeland Security grant money to help provide additional training and equipment for local and state emergency response teams. Douglas says 80% of the money will be allocated as grants to local organizations through a competitive application process:
(Douglas) “This is a very, very important grant. Most of it will go to local first responder organizations – fire departments, police agencies – so that they have the equipment and training resources they need. It’s a very, very important step in the right direction.”
(Host) At his press conference, Douglas also said that he thinks President Bush is doing a good job preparing the country for a possible war with Iraq:
(Douglas) “The president of the United States has to do what he feels is appropriate to protect the United States of America. I hope the Security Council will understand that it ought to see that Saddam has failed to comply with the resolution that it has approved in the past. But in the end, the president will do what’s right for America and I’m sure that if he makes that difficult decision all Americans will support him.”
(Host) Douglas says he continues to hope that Saddam Hussein will voluntarily leave Iraq – a situation that could make it unnecessary for the United States to take military action.