美國國會「大規模破壞武器與及恐怖主義防護委員會」10 日在紐約舉行了一場聽證會，紐約市長彭博會中對九位議員所組成的委員會說：「聯邦政府必須採取更多行動來幫助我們保護的城市。我很高興議員能重視這個委員會在預防上的重要性，因為國會本身失焦了。」
彭博說：「7年前的9月11日，有群恐怖份子明目張膽地襲擊紐約市中兩棟最高的摩天大樓，為歷史上恐怖和邪惡的篇幅，寫下醜惡一章。在這7年間，紐約市民團結重建我們的城市，使得紐約更安全、更強壯，也比以往更受歡迎。」
市長表示，紐約至今仍是全世界恐怖份子攻擊的頭號目標。但在2008年預防生物恐怖主義的經費竟在54個具有資格的州或城市中排名21。
彭博詳細敘述他在911發生後不到3個月上任以來其團隊對預防恐怖主義的貢獻。但他指控布希當局及國會刪減預防恐怖主義的預算，以及將預算撥給其他種類天災人禍的威脅。
「在同時，我們仍然必須與國會和衛生及福利部協調修正生物恐怖主義準備基金的分配，該基金並未考慮到恐怖攻擊的風險性。」市長表示。
「因為2001年炭疽菌事件中，紐約是國內少數曾經歷生物恐怖攻擊城市的其中之一，但在2008會計年度，我們只收到了每人2.72美元的預算，只排名21，很不可思議。」
彭博施政團隊已將防恐列為第一順位，他和曾在委員會發言的警局局長凱利說，他們將改組紐約警局的情報處，並成立新的反恐局，至今共同聘用了1000名的探員。
自從5月開始，國會委員會就約談了200名專家，包括政府官員或民間人士。他們曾參與國內外的反恐工作，及在國內外阻止恐怖主義擴散的情報人員。委員會計畫在2008年11月發表報告。
"The federal government needs to do more to help us protect our city," New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg told the first public hearing of the nine-member Congressional Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism Wednesday in New York.
"I'm glad to see that Congress has focused this Commission on prevention - because Congress itself has lost that focus," the mayor said.
"Seven years ago tomorrow, a group of terrorists brazenly attacked the city's two tallest skyscrapers, writing an ugly new chapter in the history of horror and evil," Bloomberg said. "In the seven years since, New Yorkers have come together to rebuild a city that is safer, stronger, and more welcoming than ever. "
The mayor said New York City is still the number one target of terrorists from around the world, yet for bioterrorism prevention funding it ranks 21st out of 54 eligible states and cities in the amount of funding provided in 2008.
Detailing the efforts his administration has made to prevent terrorism since he took office less than three months after the 9/11 attacks, Mayor Bloomberg accused the Bush administration and Congress of cutting the budget for terrorism prevention and allocating funds for it as part of a mix of other threats.
"At the same time, we also must keep working with Congress and the Department of Health and Human Services to fix the distribution of bioterrorism preparedness funding - which is allocated essentially without regard to the risk of terrorist attack," the mayor said.
"Because of the anthrax episodes in 2001, New York is one of only a handful of places in the nation that's ever experienced a bio-terror attack. Yet in Fiscal Year 2008, we received $2.72 per capita, putting us an incredible 21st out of 54 eligible states and cities."
His administration has made terrorism prevention its #1 priority, Bloomberg said. He and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, who also testified before the commission, said that they have overhauled the NYPD's Intelligence Division and created a new Counterterrorism Bureau, which together now employ a total of 1,000 officers.
Since May, the commission has interviewed over 200 experts inside and outside of government. They have met with counterterrorism and intelligence officials in the United States and abroad who are working to stop proliferation and terrorism. The commission plans to issue its report in November 2008.
