Improving America's Security Act of 2007--Continued

Floor Speech

IMPROVING AMERICA'S SECURITY ACT OF 2007--Continued -- (Senate - March 13, 2007)

Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, now is the time to implement the unfinished recommendations of the 9/11 Commission.

I commend Senators LIEBERMAN and COLLINS for their leadership and the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee for its work on this important legislation. More than 5 years after 9/11 despite tens of billions of dollars spent America's ports, rails, airports, borders, nuclear powerplants and chemical plants still are not completely safe. It has been more than 2 years since the 9/11 Commission issued its final recommendations, and here we are, today, still debating the same issues.

This legislation builds upon previous efforts to enhance homeland security and includes several critical provisions to allocate homeland security resources based on risk, ensure that first responders have interoperable communications equipment, and improve government-wide information sharing.

I especially am pleased to note three provisions included in this bill that I have championed for some time. This legislation specifies that States can use Federal grants to design, conduct, and evaluate mass evacuation plans and exercises. While most cities and States have evacuation plans, the lack of training drills and exercises makes it difficult to address problems and work out solutions before lives are at risk in a real emergency. As we learned from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, there is no substitute for being prepared. We may only have one chance to get it right.

In addition, this legislation makes important structural changes to strengthen the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board. Again, I commend Senators LIEBERMAN and COLLINS for including a broad statutory mandate and subpoena power for the Board. This bill also would require Senate confirmation for the chair and the vice-chair of the Board, as well as mandatory public reporting by the Board and reports for Congress. These provisions are key to ensuring the integrity of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board.

Finally, this bill improves intelligence and information sharing within the Federal Government and with State and local governments. I am pleased that the bill we consider today would make the program manager for the Information Sharing Environment, ISE, permanent and authorize additional funds and staff to accomplish the ISE mission. The bill also requires additional reports to Congress on the status of ISE development. These comprehensive new requirements would improve and strengthen government information sharing structures, which will mean a more integrated intelligence network and a more secure Nation.

The 9/11 Commission gave Congress a critically important job by charging us with making structural changes to close the gaps in America's homeland security defenses. This legislation responds to that challenge, and I support its final passage.

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