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

Mr. Chairman, today we are considering H.R. 1684. This bill takes important steps to build capacity, provide resources, and ensure accountability at the Department of Homeland Security.

H.R. 1684 authorizes $39.8 billion in appropriations for the Department. This is $2.1 billion more than the President requested in his budget earlier this year. This bill sends a message to the President, America's security cannot be done on the cheap. Congress will not stand by as he cuts programs that help our hometown heroes protect our communities.

In this bill, we reinstate critical funding for first responder programs like the State Homeland Security grant program and FIRE Act grants.

In addition to authorizing funds, H.R. 1684 addresses issues that some of the committee's oversight efforts have exposed. For example, it has become obvious to us that the Department has no long-term vision. We created a Directorate of Policy to do just that. This office will also focus on private-sector partnerships, tribal security, and school security.

As another tool to help the Department get its house in order, we created a Comprehensive Homeland Security Review. This legislation also strengthens interagency coordination and supports integrating DHS at a single headquarters.

The Inspector General, GAO and the committee have all observed that DHS is spending a lot of money with little accountability. In the past few years, we have seen ice trucks take the scenic routes to disasters, trailers rotting in Arkansas, and border cameras packed away in warehouses. All of this waste was on the taxpayers' dime. No more. H.R. 1684 gives the Inspector General sharper teeth to investigate disaster response and border security programs.

The bill strengthens the integrity in the agency's contracting practices and promotes small business opportunities. This bill makes sure our Homeland Security agency is buying its uniforms and equipment here at home from U.S. sources. H.R. 1684 covers numerous other areas, including biosecurity, intelligence and cyber security.

Mr. Chairman, this bill is part of the real deal. It's the sixth Homeland Security bill that Democrats have brought to the floor since January. Only two bills made it to the floor last year in a Republican-led House. This Congress, we passed a 9/11 bill; and staff discussions have begun in preparation for a Member conference. We also passed bills on rail security, Homeland Security technology, international cooperation, and employee morale.

Winston Churchill once said, ``The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty. ``

In H.R. 1684, we have an opportunity to protect our homeland. We can be naysayers and complain about bureaucratic bungling, or we can tackle head on the difficult issues of Homeland Security.

I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill that puts DHS on the path to becoming the agency that Congress envisioned and the American people deserve.

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Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of the time for closing.

First of all, let me pay tribute to my colleague from New York, Ranking Member King. We have worked very well on this bill. This is the first time that we have done an authorization bill before an appropriation bill. We are trying to establish jurisdiction for this committee going forward. This is the first Democratic effort in that direction.

Some of us would have preferred a broader bill, but my colleague understands that, given the nature of Congress and the nature of how we do business, sometimes that's not practical.

What I did was brought, through this manager's amendment, which you will see after this debate, a bill that we all have agreement on, even the chairmen of the various communities of jurisdiction. So I am committed, just like the ranking member and most Members in Congress, to support the Department of Homeland Security, to make sure that we defend ourselves against terrorists abroad as well as terrorists at home, to make sure that we respond to disasters regardless of what nature they come in. But in order to do that, we need a robust organization. We need someone with accountability. This bill, H.R. 1684, builds on that.

Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to vote ``aye'' on H.R. 1684.

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

Mr. Chairman, my manager's amendment strengthens H.R. 1684 by adding some things and taking out some others. Ninety-two percent of the provisions that I am seeking to have removed were items offered for the first time in the committee's mark-up. They were good ideas, but we haven't had the benefit of giving these novel ideas the full consideration they deserve.

After the mark-up, I had the opportunity to speak with a number of chairs who had a shared interest in these items. Collaboration is a wonderful thing, Mr. Chairman. In some cases, they offered suggestions to make the bill better. Those changes are contained in this amendment. In other cases, they offered to work together on these issues and other legislative vehicles. So, as a testament to the collaborative spirit of this majority, I offer this amendment.

I am well aware that some of my Republican colleagues are complaining about what my amendment does. I am reminded of what LBJ once told an audience: ``Perhaps you can help. Don't just complain, develop a better doctrine.'' This Congress, we're developing a better doctrine.

It is important to look at this milestone in context. Let me provide a little lesson on the Committee of Homeland Security's history.

In 2003, the year the committee was created, then Chairman Chris Cox failed to put forth an authorization bill.

In 2004, Chairman Cox scheduled his first markup of an authorization bill but barely got half the committee Republicans to show up. Outnumbered by Democrats, the markup was cancelled after opening statements. Even if the markup had proceeded, it was still 2 months late, as the appropriations bill had passed a month earlier.

In 2005, Mr. Cox was still a day late and a dollar short in getting the bill passed through the House. The appropriation bill still came first.

In 2006, the committee took two steps back. My colleague from New York didn't even mark up an authorization bill until late July, a month and a half after the appropriation bill passed the House. His bill never even went to the floor for a vote. Come on, now. We've all learned Legislation 101, that Congress first authorizes, then appropriates.

Today, under Democratic leadership, we are considering a timely, thorough and thoughtful authorization bill that has the input of numerous committees.

This is the earliest a Homeland Security authorization bill has ever appeared on the floor. It also bears mention that it is on the floor before the appropriations bill. America is not interested in congressional infighting but in getting the job done. We are doing just that.

I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support my manager's amendment.

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