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)

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I compliment you for the outstanding job that you have done in bringing this bill to the floor. I also thank the ranking member for the support that has been shown.

Mr. Chairman, this bill contains $39.8 billion for Homeland Security. It is worthy of noting that this is $2.1 billion more than the President has requested and that it restores some of the numerous cuts made by the President.

This bill provides accountability. This bill has a strong means by which our homeland will begin to move in the direction of getting the kind of support that it needs to be secure.

I strongly urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Chairman, as we leave general debate and begin to debate the amendments, I would again say I commend the gentleman from Mississippi, the chairman, for the bill that was put forth in the committee which came out of the committee.

I am, again, disappointed by the product that came here today. I understand the realities of politics and the realities of governing, but I just wish we could have made more of an effort to move the committee product further along, rather than make the concessions that were made. There are just so many important matters that were either dramatically revised or eliminated, which weakens the thrust of where we're going.

We will be debating amendments for the next several hours. The debate will be in good faith, just as our efforts on the committee are in good faith, but I just wish the leadership of the House would do more to improve and to enhance and to further the position of the Homeland Security Committee so we can do the job that we have been chartered to do and we can do the job the Ð9/11 Commission wants us to do, to do the job that the 9/11 families want us to do, and do the job that the memory of those who were murdered on 9/11 really command that we do.

With that, Mr. Chairman, I look forward to the upcoming debate. I am disappointed in the product that is before us. Having said that, I remain enthusiastic about the job that we as a committee can do under the chairmanship of Chairman Thompson and with the strong cooperation from the minority on the committee.

Mr. Chairman, with that, I yield back the balance of my time

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman, and I commend her for bringing this amendment to the floor.

This amendment is going to accord the kind of protection that tourists deserve and should receive in high-density areas. It is odd that Las Vegas, Orlando and San Diego were not adequately considered. We are talking about $746.9 million that will be allocated to 46 urban areas.

I strongly support the amendment. It will provide the protection that tourists richly deserve.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I would like to, if I may, extend, my greatest appreciation to Mr. Castle for bringing this amendment to the floor. It is very thoughtful, and it is very timely.

Mr. Speaker, we must learn from the experiences of others. This amendment will provide us an opportunity to study the best practices available and to benefit from these practices by implementing policies and procedures within our country that will help to secure our rail system.

This is a good amendment, and I strongly urge my colleagues to support it. And again, I commend the gentleman for bringing it to the floor.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I would like to commend Mr. Stupak for this outstanding amendment. This amendment is one of our best bets; and, hence, I think IBET is a great way to style the team that will be working.

This amendment will accord us an opportunity to have Customs enforcement, the Coast Guard, the immigration authority, Border Patrol, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police all work together to help thwart and hopefully end any human trafficking, drug trafficking, and cross-border terrorist activities that may take place.

This is a very thoughtful amendment. It provides an opportunity for our countries, Canada and the United States, to work together in the best effort possible to secure the northern border

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. I think this is an appropriate amendment that Mr. Hastings has brought to the attention of the House. It is most appropriate that we have a strategic plan that would provide some leverage such that the expertise of the national lab can be properly utilized.

This is a national plan. It is one that is most appropriate, and we support it. We commend the gentleman for bringing it to the attention of the House.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source