Department of Homeland Security Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008

Floor Speech

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2008 -- (House of Representatives - May 09, 2007)

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Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, as ranking member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Management, Investigations and Oversight, I have worked with my committee colleagues on this legislation for some time. I was also an original cosponsor of the bill, primarily because of its provisions to improve oversight, management and procurement at the Department of Homeland Security.

On March 28, our committee produced a sound bipartisan bill that the committee passed by a vote of 26-0. Unfortunately, as the bill headed to the House floor, jurisdictional turf battles took over. At least 16 important security provisions were dropped, and many more were altered without input from our side of the aisle.

Unfortunately, at least one of the dropped provisions addressed a key 9/11 Commission recommendation. This feature would centralize jurisdiction and oversight for homeland security in one committee, in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Last Congress, the Republican leadership in the House heeded this recommendation by creating a new standing Committee on Homeland Security. This new standing committee was wisely vested with substantial jurisdiction over DHS.

While we recognize that last Congress was an ambitious first step, experience has shown that jurisdiction over this department still needs further consolidation, not erosion. Far too many committees and subcommittees in Congress still exercise control and oversight authority over DHS. 88 to be exact. Already this year, DHS officials have testified at over 100 congressional hearings.

It's my hope that leaders on both sides of the aisle can come to an understanding to help consolidate authorization jurisdiction under this one committee. Had this been the case this year, the bipartisan, well-reasoned bill that was originally presented to the House would not have been carved up by jurisdictional turf battles.

Until this issue is resolved, the House will not be able to exercise the needed oversight over DHS, just as it does with the other Departments in the Federal Government. Consequently, I must oppose this bare boned bill, and hope that we will address this critical issue of jurisdiction in the near future.

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