Hearing of the House Homeland Security Committee - Opening Statement of Rep. Thompson, Markup on H. Res. 446, H.R. 2626, H.R. 2805, H.R. 3202, H.R. 3284, H.R. 3359, and H.R. 3328

Hearing

I am pleased we are considering a Resolution of Inquiry introduced by Vice Ranking
Member Watson Coleman that directs the Department to provide this Committee with
information regarding payments made to the Trump Organization or costs incurred in
association with the Trump family members' travel on Trump Organization business.
We are in uncharted territory as a Nation. For the first time in history, we have a
President who refuses to put his investments and business interests in a blind trust.
Instead, the Trump Organization is in a revocable trust whose purpose is to hold
assets "for the exclusive benefit of Donald J. Trump." Since President Trump took the
oath of office, his sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, have traveled around the world, at great
expense to the U.S. taxpayers, to promote business for the Trump Organization.
DHS has little choice but to incur whatever costs are associated with carrying out its
protective mission for the President's children but given the scarcity of Departmental
resources, we need to know the degree to which U.S. taxpayer dollars are expended
to essentially increase the President's personal wealth.
We also need to know whether the Department is doing business with the Trump
Organization. We on this Committee have a responsibility to find out whether
decision-makers within DHS are favoring the President's company in procurement or
hospitality decisions. This information is important to ensure that scarce homeland
security dollars are used appropriately and responsibly, in order to carry out the
Department's missions.
In addition to supporting H.Res. 447, I also would urge approval of H.R. 2805, a bill
introduced by CTI Ranking Member Rice to make the Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation Business Travel Card program permanent. Additionally, I support H.R.
3202, the "Cyber Vulnerability Disclosure Reporting Act", as introduced by
Representative Jackson Lee.
I am also pleased to see legislation I cosponsored, the "Cybersecurity and
Infrastructure Security Agency Act of 2017" on the agenda. Mr. Chairman, you and I
have been trying to reorganize the Department's National Protection and Programs
Directorate for some time.Enactment of this measure, which includes considerable input from DHS, will ensure
that the Department is organized in a manner to effectively carry out both its cyber and
infrastructure missions.
Before I yield back, I would note my grave disappointment that at this--our last
markup before the August district work period-- H.R. 3328, the "Cuban Airport
Security Act of 2017" is on the agenda. Last Congress, when we considered an earlier
version of this bill, President Obama was actively working to open the Cuban market
to U.S. travelers. The current President has slammed that door shut.
To take up precious legislative time on a bill that singles out one country when
Secretary Kelly has said that the threat to aviation is "sophisticated and very real" and
TSA is working expeditiously to put new security measures in place at ALL last
departure airports, including those in Cuba, is inane. I urge Members to vote "NO" on
H.R. 3328.

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