In Emergency, WH Connected to Lobbyists, Not Congress

[Rose Siding]

Many lawmakers will not be able to communicate with other government officials if another major terrorist attack occurs in the United States because they lack access to a White House-directed emergency phone service.
...
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), chairwoman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said she does not possess such a card.

“They haven’t told me about it,” said Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.). “It would be good to have.”

After saying he doesn’t have a GETS card, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) asked one of his aides to find out how to secure one.

Rep. John Linder (R-Ga.) remarked that he’s on the House Homeland Security Committee “and I’ve never seen it.”
...
One K Street insider who has a GETS card said, “As a lobbyist, I was shocked to hear that very important members of Congress didn’t even know about this important program. More specifically, members of leadership as well as members of the Senate and House Homeland Security committees don’t even have GETS cards.”

http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/040606/news1.html

Heck of a job, Bushie.

[Canuckistanian]

1. Shocked! Shocked, I say!

Why, as a lobbyist, I say this is outrageous! These Dems don't even do their homework! (heads-up for GOP spin) :sarcasm:

[salin]

2. Showing again that Bushco doesn't acknowledge congress as a branch of govt

now corporate lobbyists and their money.... that's another story.

[Rose Siding]

3. If Schumer's looking for another "incompetence" angle, this one's ripe

snip>
Asked why so many members do not have GETS cards, Graves noted that the DHS has points of contacts in the House and Senate who are supposed to coordinate lawmaker requests.

“If don’t have it, then there’s not a lot I can do about it,” Graves said.

[Rose Siding]

4. This is a mega screw-up- Blackberries and cells were useless on 9/11

The admin is defending its failure by saying that when phone systems fail, Congress could communicate using "cell phones and Blackberries"

snip>
Lawmakers, however, said their cell phones and BlackBerrys were of little use after the 2001 attacks.