Democrats accused President Bush and his fellow Republicans in Congress on Saturday of failing to do enough to prevent London-type bombing strikes on the nation's mass-transit systems.

They argued that while the government has dug deep into its financial pockets to bolster airline security since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, relatively little has been done to better protect trains and buses.

"In the past four years, the federal government has spent about $9 per flying passenger, but only 1 cent per transit passenger," Rep. Robert Menendez of New Jersey said in delivering his Democratic Party's weekly radio address.

"While the money we spend on aviation security is absolutely necessary, we cannot afford to forsake public transportation security," said Menendez.

"The president's refusal to acknowledge this reality in his budget is putting the lives of Americans needlessly at risk," Menendez said.

Posted by: Jonathan Singer / 10:16 AM | Basie! Home