WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA), a senior member of the House Homeland Security Committee, released the following statement on the federal court decision ruling the Bush Administration’s warrantless wiretapping program unconstitutional:

"Instead of poking holes in the Constitution, the Administration should get back to plugging holes in our homeland security.

“Democrats and Republicans agree that we should do everything possible to track terrorists here and abroad, but that alone will not close the gaping homeland security loopholes that still exists nearly five years after 9/11.

“Rather than griping about having to go to a FISA court for legal clearance to wiretap potential terrorists, the Bush Administration should fully inspect cargo put on passenger planes and make sure that a nuclear bomb isn’t sent on a container ship to a major U.S. port."