Ron Paul

In the following address, originally given before the House of Representatives in July 2002, Texas representative Ron Paul argues against a bill authorizing the creation of the Department of Homeland Security. He claims that the new department—which consolidates many government agencies into one centralized department—will actually make Americans less safe by diverting critical resources from fighting terrorism to rearranging government offices and command structures. Moreover, Paul contends that creating the new department will result in more government controls over the lives of individual Americans. The bill was eventually passed by Congress and signed by the president in November 2002.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. How many government agencies will comprise the new Department of Homeland Security, as reported by Paul?
2. According to the author, how...