Expressing Sense of The House of Representatives on Fifth Anniversary of Terrorist Attacks Launched Against The United States on September 11, 2001

EXPRESSING SENSE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ON FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF TERRORIST ATTACKS LAUNCHED AGAINST THE UNITED STATES ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 -- (House of Representatives - September 13, 2006)

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Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of all those whose lives were affected by September 11, 2001. I rise in memory of those who lost their lives that fateful day. I rise in support of the families and friends who lost loved ones and exhibited courage and strength in the face of adversity, and I rise in support of the firemen, police, EMTs, soldiers and others who put lives at risk every day to protect our Nation against terrorism.

Five years ago, every town, small and large, was jolted by 9/11. In the days and months that followed, Members of this very body vowed to do whatever it took to ensure that an attack like 9/11 never repeated itself. We joined hands and crossed party lines to stand up against an enemy that did not see us as Democrats or Republicans, but only as Americans. We made promises and swore that we would do everything we could to secure America.

Five years later, we are still making promises and America is still not as safe as it should be. And five years later, Mr. Speaker, the bipartisanship we had after 9/11 is mostly gone.

Indeed, just yesterday, I was disappointed to read that my colleagues across the aisle called Democrats ``clueless'' on national security. Meanwhile, the House majority leader had the audacity to question whether Democrats were ``more interested in safeguarding the rights of accused terrorists than protecting Americans.''

All I can say is, shame on you all for putting politics and partisanship above the security of our communities. Shame on you for using the memory of 9/11 during a charged political season as a coverup for Congress' do-nothing approach to homeland security.

There is nothing wrong with drafting a bipartisan resolution to honor our Nation and respect the memory of 9/11, but there is something wrong when this body takes upon itself to pat itself on the back about a few past deeds when we have left the bulk of the work of homeland security unfinished.

I ask anyone in this room to tell me whether this resolution gives first responders effective interoperability so that they have the tools and funding to talk to one another, or provide for a sufficient number of Border Patrol or ICE agents as well as equipment and technology so we don't have to tax an overworked National Guard to defend the border, or whether or not this resolution provides adequate funding for protecting our skies, our subways and our ports, or whether or not this resolution reverses the ongoing trend of wasting homeland security funds on bloated Beltway contractors that are making out with taxpayer dollars while security is left along the wayside. I think not, Mr. Speaker.

Eleanor Roosevelt once said, ``What you don't do can be a destructive force,'' and that is what I fear. What this Congress does not do today will leave us less secure tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, last Friday I sent a letter to you urging that the House act on a number of proposed homeland security measures that have been offered in this Congress, some dating back as early as 2005. My letter details 21 specific bills that have been written by Members of Congress to protect our country and close security gaps plaguing our Nation's rail and mass transit security, emergency communications, chemical facilities security, cargo container security and much more. I have not yet heard back on my letter. These bills deserve an up or down vote or consideration as stand alone measures by this House.

The leaders of the 9/11 Commission said earlier this week that our Nation is still not as safe or prepared as it can be because we have failed to fulfill their ``most elementary'' recommendations. 9/11 Commission Chairman Kean added that ``If everybody in Congress is for recommendations, what happened? How come they're not passed?''

Mr. Speaker, Democrats have already offered to fulfill the Commission's recommendations through these measures listed in my letter. Now is the time for action.

That said, Mr. Speaker, I am aware that the Republican leadership may push through a number of security measures in the House in the next 2 weeks to address certain vulnerabilities in an attempt to show that this body cares about security. While I am happy that we are finally seeing some action on some critical homeland security issues, I am concerned that what will come before this body are shell bills that claim to secure our Nation without allocating the funding, manpower or technology necessary.

Indeed, debate is ongoing right now to include FEMA reorganization in the Homeland Security appropriations bill, and my colleagues across the aisle have said that they won't provide funding for improving interoperability of first responder communication systems. Certainly we all remember the failures of 9/11, when many first responders lost their lives because communications didn't work. Yet my colleagues across the aisle are refusing to include interoperability funding in the proposed FEMA reorganization, because the White House doesn't want it.

``Security on the cheap'' is no way to legislate our Nation's future. Americans are tired of Congress giving itself accolades while the Nation's business goes unfinished. America wants Congress to keep its promises and give all our citizens a country as secure as it needs to be.

Despite my Republican colleagues saying we Democrats don't have a clue about how to make our country safer, here it is: Join us and pass these 21 measures that provide real security to our Nation. Let's finally listen to the true bipartisan experts on this issue, the 9/11 Commission, and move forward with legislation to implement the 9/11 Commission recommendations.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time

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