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ST. LOUIS NEWS TODAY - Sunday, October 3, 2004
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Public Continues Support for Tough Surveillance Measures to Prevent Terrorism
ST. LOUIS, (PRNewswire) October 3, 2004 - On the third anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the U.S., two-thirds of U.S. adults (67%) believe it is somewhat or very likely that there will be a major terrorist attack in this country in the next twelve months.
Given this perception, it is therefore not surprising that an overwhelming majority continue to support tough surveillance measures to prevent terrorist attacks. There is some public concern, however, about the way these increased powers might be used by law enforcement.
The majority of U.S. adults feel that the government's anti-terrorist programs have taken only a little (26%) or none (35%) of their own personal privacy away. Furthermore, leading up to the November elections the Bush administration gets somewhat high marks for what it has done to prevent new terrorist attacks in the U.S.
These are the results of a nationwide Harris Poll of 1,018 adults surveyed by telephone by Harris Interactive(R) between September 9 and 13, 2004.
Some of the key findings are:
- By 67 to 28 percent, a majority of adults feel that it is very (17%) or
somewhat (50%) likely that there will be a major terrorist attack in
next twelve months.
- The Bush administration receives a 62 to 37 percent positive rating on
the job it has done in preventing a new terrorist attack. This is down
from February when a 70 to 30 percent majority felt this way.
- Only 17 percent of U.S. adults feel that the government's anti-
terrorist program has taken quite a lot or a great deal of their own
personal privacy away up slightly from 14 percent in February. Another
21 percent feel they've lost a moderate amount of privacy, similar to
how they felt in February (22%).
- Overall, a 77 percent majority feels confident that U.S. law
enforcement agencies will use their expanded surveillance powers in a
proper way. This is virtually unchanged from February though lower than
the September 2001 results (87%).
Many of the questions in this survey have been asked on several occasions since the September 2001 attacks. It is not surprising that though most continue to show very strong support for tough surveillance measures, percentages are down from the marks taken right after September 2001.
Some other results are:
- Two-thirds (67%) percent favor "closer monitoring of banking and credit
card transactions" up slightly from 64 percent in February (and down
from 81 percent in September 2001).
- Six in ten (60%) favor "adoption of a national I.D. system for all U.S.
citizens" up from February's 56 percent (down from 68% in September
2001).
- Those who favor "law enforcement monitoring of Internet discussions"
has increased significantly from 50 percent earlier this year to a
current 59 percent. This is only somewhat lower than the 63 percent who
felt this way in September 2001.
- Those who favor "expanded government monitoring of cell phones and
email" have risen to 39 percent, with 56 percent opposed. In February
this year, a somewhat lower 36 percent minority favored this.
Others with little change include:
- 83 percent continue to favor "stronger document and physical security
checks for travelers," basically unchanged since February (93% in
September 2001).
- 82 percent continue to support "expanded undercover activity to
penetrate groups under suspicion," up from 80 percent in the February
poll (93% in September 2001).
- 60 percent continue to support "expanded camera surveillance on streets
and in public places," virtually unchanged since February (63% in
September 2001).
HUD to Provide $168 Million for Lead Hazard Control Grant Programs
ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com) October 3, 2004 - Thousands of children and families in 28 states and the District of Columbia will live in healthier homes because of nearly $168 million in grants announced by Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson.
The grants, provided through seven HUD programs, will help 72 local projects around the country to conduct a wide range of activities to improve the conditions of families living in lower income housing, including:
- To remove potentially dangerous lead from lower income homes;
- To stimulate private sector investment in lead hazard control;
- To educate the public about the dangers of lead-based paint;
- To fund model programs promoting healthier and safer home environments; and,
- To support scientific research into innovative methods of identifying and eliminating health hazards in housing.
The funding announced today includes more than $145 million to eliminate dangerous lead paint hazards in thousands of privately owned, low-income housing units. These funds are provided through HUD's Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control and the Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration grant programs.
In addition, HUD's Operation LEAP (Lead Elimination Action Program) will provide $8.9 million to stimulate private sector contributions that will enable children to grow up in homes that are free from lead-based paint hazards. HUD will also award $1.9 million in Lead Outreach grants to support public education campaigns on the hazards of lead-based paint and what parents, building owners and others can do to protect children. Further, $1.7 million will assist local research institutions to study ways to drive down the cost and increase the effectiveness of lead hazard identification and control.
Every year, children are harmed or become ill at home from a variety of preventable health and safety hazards. For example, childhood diseases such as asthma can be triggered by excessive dust or moisture in the home. Simple home repairs can often prevent injuries from scalding, electrical shock or carbon monoxide poisoning. HUD's Healthy Homes Initiative addresses a multiple of these and other childhood diseases and injuries in the home by taking a holistic approach and addresses housing-related hazards in a coordinated fashion, rather than addressing a single hazard at a time.
The funding announced today includes more than $6.7 million in demonstration grants to identify and eliminate housing conditions that contribute to children's disease and injury, such as asthma, lead poisoning, mold exposure, and carbon monoxide contamination. HUD is also investing more than $2.6 million to support scientific research into new ways of identifying and eliminating health hazards in housing.
The City of St. Louis will receive $4,000,000 as part of the Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration funding and renewal of $3,000,000 for Lead Hazard Control.
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