The discovery of the poison ricin in a U.S. Senate mail room this week shows how much authorities have improved antiterror defenses against an attack on a leading branch of government. It also shows there is a limit to how much homeland security money can buy.
So far, no one has fallen ill from the ricin, a poison that can kill if ingested, and emergency workers deserve credit for moving quickly once the presence of ricin was confirmed in the office of Senate majority leader Bill Frist of Tennessee. The area was quickly quarantined. Senate staffers who may have been exposed were sent off for showers, their clothes bagged and taken away. Three Senate office buildings were closed temporarily and unopened mail at the Capitol underwent further testing. Though some complained about confusion during the first few hours, the response showed authorities have learned from the anthrax attacks that shook Congress - and the public - in 2001.
The nation cannot completely isolate its elected representatives in an open society, nor should it want to. The new equipment and safety protocols now being followed attempt to strike a balance between openness and security. Congress has installed biohazard filters on the Capitol ventilation system, it screens and irradiates incoming mail and it has improved the security and communications procedures that kick in when a crisis develops.
Even so, an envelope containing ricin still got through. It could have just as easily contained anthrax, which poses a far greater threat because it can affect large numbers of people.
Washington is a virtual fortress these days, far better protected than other potential targets around the country. In strengthening the security shield around official Washington, lawmakers and homeland security officials should not overlook the need to do more to protect airports, seaports, the food supply and other vital centers of American life and commerce.
