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. HOYER. I thank the distinguished chairman, and I congratulate him for the great work that he is doing. This is a critical bill that we consider today. And, as he has pointed out, we have had a number of bills dealing with homeland security on the floor.

I also want to thank the ranking member for his leadership both in this Congress and in the past Congress on this issue. I think the American people are advantaged by having two people of real substance who care about this issue working together, even though from time to time, as the gentleman has pointed out, there are disagreements. He had the same problems that the chairman is having, and we are trying to work through those problems. And I certainly am going to support the manager's amendment as he tries to work this.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, Congressman Thompson, for all his hard work on this very, very important authorization bill.

The highest duty of our government is to protect the American people, to secure our homeland and to defend our national security. Unfortunately, since the horrific terrorist attacks on our Nation on September 11 opened our eyes and exposed our vulnerabilities, we have not done enough to protect our homeland. As Tom Kean, the former Republican Governor of New Jersey and cochair of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission stated last August, ``We are not protecting our own people in this country. The government is not doing its job.''

Yesterday's arrest of six men who apparently were plotting to attack and kill soldiers in Fort Dix in New Jersey is a stark reminder that we cannot, we must not let down our guard; that we must remain vigilant.

This legislation, which I believe will receive strong bipartisan support, is a critical step in the right direction. Among other things, this bill authorizes $39.8 billion for the Department of Homeland Security for fiscal year 2008, which is $2.1 billion in addition for our homeland security that was asked for by the President. It restores the President's 52 percent cut to the State Homeland Security Grant Program, which helps first responders to prevent, prepare for and respond to acts of terrorism. It restores the President's 55 percent cut in firefighter assistance grants. It restores the elimination of the local law enforcement terrorism prevention program and restores the elimination of the SAFER, which is the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response program. I want to thank the chairman for doing that and congratulate him on his leadership because, as the ranking member pointed out, this bill was reported out unanimously. It was a joint effort and a very important one at that.

Furthermore, Mr. Chairman, this legislation contains strong accountability measures aimed at strengthening and streamlining management of the Department of Homeland Security, which has struggled with its management challenges; and it includes provisions to improve information sharing, to enhance bioterrorism preparedness and to eliminate the Department's authority to establish its own personnel management system.

Mr. Chairman, ever since the Department of Homeland Security was created, an effort which I opposed because I thought that would create a Department too large and too diverse to manage well, frankly, I think my concerns have been evidenced. It is the challenge of this committee, now that we have created the Department, to ensure that in fact it does act in an efficient manner to protect our homeland. But I have been concerned about the efficacy of consolidating 22 agencies and 170,000 people into one Department. However, since the Congress chose to create this new Department, it is our duty, as I said, to ensure that it has the resources it needs to do its job as effectively as possible and to ensure that the Department is well managed.

This legislation, Mr. Chairman, by focusing on oversight and management is a critical response to the issues and problems that have been encountered at the Department since its creation.

I want to again congratulate Mr. Thompson, who is doing such an excellent job of leading this committee, and Mr. King, who brings a focus for the country as opposed to a partisan focus to this work with Mr. Thompson. I want to congratulate them both.

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