GALLUP NEWS SERVICE
PRINCETON, NJ -- This week, several Congressional committees are considering President Bush's proposed legislation to establish a new Cabinet-level Department of Homeland Security. Leaders of the House and Senate are trying to pass the legislation by next month, hoping to have President Bush sign the bill into law by Sept. 11. The latest CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll finds that most Americans support the idea of a new Cabinet-level homeland security agency, but do not see an overly urgent need to establish it by Sept. 11, or by the end of the year.
Most Americans Support New Homeland Security Department
President Bush announced his plans to elevate the existing Office of Homeland Security to Cabinet-level status earlier this month. Congress must pass legislation to establish new Cabinet departments. The current poll finds that nearly three-quarters of Americans, 73%, say that Congress should pass this legislation, while 22% say it should not. These numbers are virtually identical to the proportion of Americans who approved of Bush's proposal immediately after he announced it -- 72% approved and 20% disapproved, according to a June 7-8 Gallup poll.
More than eight in 10 Americans (82%) between the ages of 18 and 29 say Congress should pass new homeland security legislation. This is higher than the level of support found in any other age group; especially among those age 65 and older -- 66% of whom support the legislation. Additionally, Republicans (83%) are slightly more likely to favor the legislation than are Democrats (66%) or independents (71%).
Americans Not Solidly Behind Quick Deadline for New Department
When Bush announced this proposal, he underscored the urgency of the new agency and called for Congress to pass legislation by the end of the year. Some have suggested that the legislation be passed by the symbolic date of Sept. 11. However, Americans do not seem to share this same sense of urgency. Only 44% of Americans say it is very important that the legislation be passed by the anniversary of the attacks, including 18% who say it is extremely important. Slightly more Americans, in this case a majority of 52%, say it is very important that the legislation be passed by the end of the year.
| Importance of Creating Department of Homeland Security Before… |
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| June 21-23, 2002 |
Very few differences exist by subgroup. One exception is seen in the case of political ideology -- conservatives (49%) are more likely than liberals (32%) to say it is very important to pass the legislation by Sept. 11. Likewise, by a 60% to 42% margin, conservatives are more likely to assign importance to an end-of-the-year deadline than are liberals.
Survey Methods
These results are based on telephone interviews with a randomly selected national sample of 1,020 adults, 18 years and older, conducted June 21-23, 2002. For results based on this sample, one can say with 95 percent confidence that the maximum error attributable to sampling and other random effects is plus or minus 3 percentage points. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.
As you may know, shortly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, President Bush created the office of Homeland Security. Now, Bush is proposing that this office be combined with many existing government agencies to create a new Cabinet-level department.
Do you think Congress should -- or should not -- pass legislation to create a new Cabinet-level Department of Homeland Security?
|
|
Yes, should |
No, should not |
No opinion |
|
2002 Jun 21-23 |
73% |
22 |
5 |
How important is it to you that Congress pass legislation to create a Cabinet-level Department of Homeland Security before Sept. 11 of this year-- is it -- extremely important, very important, somewhat important, or not important?
BASED ON --493-- NATIONAL ADULTS
|
Extremely important |
Very important |
Somewhat important |
Not important |
No |
|
|
2002 Jun 21-23 |
18% |
26 |
29 |
24 |
3 |
How important is it to you that Congress pass legislation to create a Cabinet-level Department of Homeland Security before the end of the year -- is it -- extremely important, very important, somewhat important, or not important?
BASED ON --527-- NATIONAL ADULTS
|
Extremely important |
Very important |
Somewhat important |
Not important |
No |
|
|
2002 Jun 21-23 |
25% |
27 |
28 |
18 |
2 |
