Strengthening Our Security at Home
Maria believes our government's highest priority must be to keep all Americans safe. Maria has fought to increase funding for border security and first responders to keep our communities safe and our nation's borders secure. She's pushed for the use of new technologies to better protect us from unseen threats. Maria worked to keep Washington state's military bases open, adding military personnel in our region. She has called for a full review of National Guard equipment needs, troop levels, and deployment practices, and she has fought to make sure our troops on the ground have the equipment they need to keep them safe and to help them do their jobs.
Protecting Our Borders, Ports and Ferries
Working with members of both parties, Maria succeeded in tripling the number of law enforcement officers on the long and open border with Canada. She has worked time and again to strengthen security on the northern border. Maria has pushed to increase funding for our ports and ferries, critical to our security and economy in the Northwest. She has introduced the Northwest Border Prosecution Initiative, which requires the federal government to reimburse state and local authorities for costs related to border security. Maria is fighting to make it illegal to tunnel under our borders, a commonsense measure to keep us safe.
Improved Security Through Technology
Maria fought for and worked to pass important technological improvements for border security, including improved databases, a port of entry integrated entry and exit data system, stricter tracking of student visas and unmanned aerial vehicles to patrol the long northern border. Maria's plan for stronger biometric standards would close the loophole that in 1999 allowed a terrorist to enter Washington from abroad using a stolen identity. She has worked to make sure that the Department of Homeland Security and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission share information so that we can track hazardous nuclear materials as they move around our country or across our borders.
Supporting First Responders
Maria has fought hard to protect the COPS program, which has put nearly 2,000 police officers on the ground in Washington state. She has fought for billions of dollars to fund hospitals, clinics, training for health care professionals, vaccine stockpiles, food and agricultural safety measures, improved coordination in the event of a disaster, and better tracking of toxins. She cosponsored and helped pass into law the Bioterrorism Preparedness Act to better equip our first responders and health care professionals. Maria secured key funding for tsunami warning sirens in Washington state, and continues her fight to pass the Tsunami Preparedness Act which would greatly improve the existing Pacific tsunami detection and warning system.
Fighting Meth Crime and Abuse
Working with the Washington state delegation, Maria helped secure $11 million for the Washington Meth Initiative to help shut down meth labs, investigate meth-related crimes and help prevent meth abuse. This funding is desperately needed in Washington state, which ranks sixth in the country in meth production, and first in the number of children found on meth sites. Maria successfully got almost $100 million through Congress for the Meth Hot Spots grants to train state and local law enforcement to investigate and prosecute meth offenders.