9/11 six years later, are we any safer?

  Eyewitness News

(New York-WABC, September 10, 2007) (WABC) -- As we approach the sixth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks tomorrow, are we any safer now than we were in 2001? Local leaders are giving their assessments. And it's not all good news.

Senator Chuck Schumer released a new report giving the U.S. Homeland Security Department a C grade when it comes to overall security.

Eyewitness News reporter Lucy Yang is in Lower Manhattan with the areas Schumer says need the most work.

Just two days before 9/11, Schumer released his annual homeland security report card, this year slamming the Republican administration with fair to failing grades. And it turns out he's not the only one being critical.

Six years after being blindsided by the September 11th terrorists, are we any more protected? Are we any more secure?

"The progress the dept of homeland security has made in securing our country is shameful," Charles Schumer said Sunday. "We are years behind where we need to be."

The senator gave the worst grade, an F, for preparedness and respose. By this he means the communication handicaps rescue workers experienced on 9/11 have still not been adequately fixed.

The highest grade he gave was a B- for nuclear, chemical and biological security.

Airport security received a C+ while port security got a C-.

Schumer is not the only one issuing poor grades. The government's own inspector general for the homeland security department recently threw the book at air travel, criticizing the transportation security administration, the TSA, for allowing the airlines to turn into sitting ducks.

According to that government report, every day passenger planes carry an extra 7,500 tons of commercial cargo under the cabins. While this helps move freight around the country, the report says the cargo is poorly screened at best.

All this criticism somes as America's most wanted rears his head again, Osama bin Laden releasing a new videotape as if to remind us we cannot never let our guards down. After a year of silence, bin Laden appeared in the tape last week with darker, shorter, hair and beard. Experts now are analyzing the tape and the background for clues about his whereabouts.

Meantime, Schumer's report card also gives a D+ for mass transit and truck security and a C for border security. and a

The senator emphasized there is plenty of time for improvement before his next report card next year.

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