The panel's criticism was spread over several targets, including a lack of urgency in fixing known problems and a ''pork-barrel'' mentality in funding security projects.

''We shouldn't need another wake-up call,'' said Thomas Kean, a former Republican governor of New Jersey who headed up the commission. ''We believe that the terrorists will strike again; so does every responsible expert that we have talked to. And if they do, and these reforms that might have prevented such an attack have not been implemented, what will our excuse be?"

Members called it "scandalous" that terrorism preparedness money is not going to address the greatest risks. And families of Sept. 11, 2001, attack victims want a handful of senators, including Utah's Sen. Orrin Hatch, to help change that.

But the Republican senator says the changes the commissioners support, which have been approved three times by the House, would shortchange Utah and other Western states. "Much of the homeland security grants money is now already risk-based, but that small amount guaranteed to Utah makes a world of difference in our state," Hatch said.

Kean, though, said: "It is scandalous that we still allocate scarce homeland security dollars on the basis of pork barrel spending and not on risk."

The commissioners urged the Senate to adopt a fully risk-based funding model passed by the House that would make sure the preparedness money gets to the areas facing the most dire threats of terrorist attacks.

The policy change would flip the failing grade to an "A," the commissioners said in their report.

However, the proposal would mean a sharp cut in homeland security money guaranteed to states like Utah, and Hatch says he won't support such a change because it would shortchange the West.

According to a report by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service, the proposal would reduce Utah's $14.85 million in guaranteed federal money to $6.75 million, based on the 2005 funding level.

"From Day One I've fought against the inherent bias in Washington against Utah and other rural and Western states. The House provision appears to write that bias into law," Hatch said in a statement. "It cuts the money coming to Utah and overtly exempts Utah from competing for much of the remaining share."

Carie Lemack, whose mother died aboard one of the planes in the 2001 hijackings, said it is not true that Utah would be prevented from getting homeland security funding for deserving projects, only that Utah and every other state would have to show the need for the money.

"Every state should be held to high standards," said Lemack, a member of the Family Steering Committee that worked with the 9/11 Commission.

Kean noted reports that some cities have used homeland security money to buy air-conditioned garbage trucks and bulletproof vests for police dogs as examples of a flawed system.

"These are not the priorities of a nation that is under threat," Kean said.

"Our intelligence isn't perfect but certainly it should be a guide to how we allocate security dollars. This shouldn't be about large states or small states or urban and rural, it should be about protecting the most American lives."

Lemack and other family members of Sept. 11 victims were urging senators to support the risk-based funding that is included in a bill to renew portions of The Patriot Act.

They have focused on five lawmakers: Sen. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio; Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan.; Sen. John Rockefeller, D-W.V.; Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Hatch.

All of them are on the conference committee working out differences in the House and Senate versions of the Patriot Act legislation.

Kean said six senators on the conference committee are needed to support the funding change, and so far five have expressed support.

Hatch also opposed attempts earlier this year to change the homeland security funding formula to give the Homeland Security secretary more discretion over allocations.

Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, supported the added flexibility.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.