Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2005
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2005 -- (House of Representatives - June 17, 2004)
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Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to be here to present to the body the fiscal year 2005 Homeland Security Appropriations bill, the second such bill ever written by the Committee on Appropriations.
The bill before us provides $32 billion for the Department of Homeland Security. That is $1.1 billion above the current year, and $496 million above the President's request.
Mr. Chairman, it is very hard to believe that the Department was created just a year ago. There have been growing pains, but tremendous progress has been made. This is not an easy task to get our arms around, but I think the Department is succeeding, and their success is significant.
In just one year, for example, the Department has inventoried the Nation's critical infrastructure to include more than 33,000 facilities. The Department is identifying and reducing vulnerabilities at chemical facilities, nuclear power plants, national monuments, subway and light rail systems, and commercial sites. The Department has streamlined the process used to get the money out to first responders, setting up a one-stop shop. They continue to work with State and local governments to identify choke points so that money can flow quickly and get where it is needed. The Department regularly communicates threat information with State and local officials. Last year, the Department issued 41 warnings and advisory notices to State and local entities.
The Department established a two-way communications system with State and local homeland security personnel. This system was recently used in Kentucky when there was a smallpox scare in the small rural town of London. The information was quickly passed on to the Department and other Federal officials and appropriate action was immediately taken. The system works.
The Department has increased their presence to more than 38 ports in 18 different countries, prescreening all high-risk cargo before it reaches our shores. The Department has established three Homeland Security Centers of Excellence, created standards for first responder equipment, and installed and operated sensor systems in 30 high-risk cities to detect biohazards. Those are just some things that they are doing.
There is no doubt, Mr. Chairman, that more work needs to be done, but the Department is clearly on the right track, identifying our vulnerabilities, matching them to threats, and putting out specific guidance on ways to protect our homeland.
Fiscal year 2005 will be the second full year of operation for the Department. This bill continues the successes of the past year and includes initiatives to move us closer to our goals of prevention, preparedness, and response.
The bill provides $4.1 billion for our first responders, the first line of defense. These brave men and women are the first on the scene whenever there might be a problem. They are the backbone of our communities.
Since 9/11, this Congress has provided $26.7 billion for these first responders. Those dollars have helped train more than 285,000 police, fire, and emergency medical personnel around the Nation to respond to acts of terrorism, including weapons of mass destruction. No community in America, whether urban or rural, is immune from acts of terrorism. This bill strikes a balance between funding high-risk communities and providing support for States and localities, striving to achieve and maintain minimum levels of preparedness. For 2005 we propose an additional $1.175 billion to improve security in our urban and most populated areas.
The United States is the most open nation in the world. Our borders are the gateway for billions of dollars in commercial trade and millions of visitors. However, these same borders are potential entry points for terrorists and weapons of mass destruction. This 2005 bill provides $9.8 billion for border protection and related activities. This funding will continue our efforts to create smart borders that keep terrorists out of America without stemming the flow of commerce or legitimate travel. Funding will be used to operate and expand the container security initiative. Funding will be used to design and to identify, target, and search high-risk cargo before it enters our ports. We also fund advanced inspection technologies, including personal radiation monitors and detectors.
This legislation fully supports security for all modes of transportation, providing $5.7 billion to the Transportation Security Administration and Federal Air Marshals.
Since September 11, Congress has provided $14.3 billion for aviation security. Funding has been used for a host of purposes, including securing all of the cockpit doors on commercial flights, installing new technically advanced metal detectors at the airports, searching checked bags for explosives, and federalizing the screener workforce. We continue our commitment to aviation security in 2005 and fully fund the baggage and passenger screening efforts, as well as new technology to improve screening procedures at America's airports and giving Federal Air Marshals the funds they need to cover high-threat domestic and international flights.
The bill also includes $118 million for air cargo screening which will support the hiring of 100 new air cargo inspectors, development of new cargo screening technology, and expansion of canine enforcement teams. The bill also requires TSA to double the number of cargo inspections on passenger aircraft.
The bill funds several initiatives for rail security, providing $111 million for grants to high-threat systems, technology to screen passengers and baggage, and furthering intelligence-related activities.
Security assessments for the 14 subway systems and 278 light rail systems have been completed. And this will continue in 2005.
Additional funds are also provided for radiological, political, chemical and high explosives countermeasures to both rail and transit systems. There is $1.1 billion, Mr. Chairman, for the science and technology directorate. We are targeting funds for research, development, and the discovery of new technologies that can and are being used in our cities and towns today, including environmental sensors to detect biohazards and nuclear detection technology for cargo.
We also continue to fully fund research and development for antimissile devices for commercial aircraft, the so-called "man pads." The bill includes $855 million for information analysis and infrastructure protection. These funds will be used to complete an inventory of critical infrastructure, enhance current communication between Federal, State and local homeland security personnel, and assist local communities as they put protective measures in place. Funds will be used to train State homeland security advisors and local law enforcement on best practices for protecting their critical sites.
Finally, Mr. Chairman, this bill fully supports the traditional missions and operations of agencies that were merged into the Department including the Coast Guard, the Secret Service, and, of course, disaster relief. I believe, Mr. Chairman, we have produced the right mix for this Department. It builds upon the progress of the past year and furthers the protection of our beloved homeland.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS,
Washington, DC, June 15, 2004.
Hon. BILL THOMAS,
Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means,
Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Thomas: Thank you for your letter regarding H.R. 4567, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2005. As you have noted, the bill is scheduled for floor consideration on Wednesday, June 16, 2004. I appreciate your agreement to expedite the passage of this legislation although it contains a provision involving overtime pay that falls within the Committee's jurisdiction. I appreciate your decision to forgo further action on the bill and acknowledge that it will not prejudice the Committee on Ways and Means with respect to its jurisdictional prerogatives on this or similar legislation.
Our committees have worked closely together on this important initiative, and I am very pleased we are continuing that cooperation. I appreciate your helping us to move this legislation quickly to the floor. Finally, I will include in the Congressional Record a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter. Thank you for your assistance and cooperation. We look forward to working with you in the future.
Best regards,
Harold Rogers,
Chairman.
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
COMMITEEE ON WAYS AND MEANS,
Washington, DC, June 15, 2004.
Hon. HAROLD ROGERS,
Chairman, Subcommittee on Homeland Security,
Committee on Appropriations, Washington, DC.
DEAR CHAIRMAN ROGERS: I am writing concerning H.R. 4567, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2005 which is scheduled for floor consideration on Wednesday, June 16, 2004.
As you know, the Committee on Ways and Means has jurisdiction over matters concerning customs and Title 19, U.S.C. 267©(1). There is a provision within the bill which involves overtime pay for U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees and thus falls within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Ways and Means.
However, in order to expedite this legislation for floor consideration, the Committee will forgo action on this bill. This is being done with the understanding that it does not in any way prejudice the Committee with respect to exercising its jurisdictional prerogatives on this or similar legislation.
I would appreciate your response to this letter, confirming this understanding with respect to H.R. 4567 and would ask that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be included in the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD during floor consideration.
Best regards,
Bill Thomas,
Chairman.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to this amendment [AMENDMENT NO. 17 OFFERED BY MR. DEFAZIO]
Mr. Chairman, since 2002, we have included language in either the Transportation bill that preceded Homeland Security, and then the Homeland Security bill in 2004, language that limits the number of screeners to no more than 45,000 full-time equivalents. In my judgment, that language is necessary to force TSA to use taxpayer dollars reasonably and efficiently.
When TSA was first organized, it overhired and mismanaged millions of dollars. When they first came to the Congress when it was a part of the Transportation Department, they said we think we can get by with 30,000 screeners. They came back later and said no, we think it is going to be 35,000. Then they came back later and said 40,000, then 45,000, then 50,000, then 55,000. Finally, I said "Time. Let us talk. What is going on here?" And others did the same thing.
And so we went through their needs and we were careful to determine the optimum amount of people that would be necessary to screen our customers at the airports.
During this zealous hiring phase at the outset, many airports, particularly small ones, had TSA employees screening a couple of passengers a day. For example, Clinton County Airport in New York, and I do not want to pick out examples necessarily, but there is no other way to do it; Clinton County Airport in New York had 20 screeners. How many passengers a day did they have? Twelve. Twenty screeners for 12 passengers a day.
Other airports, Massena and Adirondack, both in New York had the same number of screeners as daily passengers. What we had at that time, and people said so, is that TSA was an acronym for Thousands Standing Around, waiting for a passenger that needed to be screened.
Over the last 2 years, this cap has forced TSA to reshape that workforce so that more screeners have now been assigned in high-traffic airports and fewer in small airports, while still maintaining high levels of security. TSA has also begun to hire part-time screeners to work just during the peak hours, and the rest of the day when we do not need them they are not there. TSA recently created a summer plan to mitigate the anticipated effects of a busy travel season, given the size of the screener workforce. They are right sizing even as we speak.
TSA needs to do more. The agency is still too focused on screeners. It is doing a poor job of phasing in new technologies that would reduce our dependence on screeners.
Here are two examples of cost-savings that can result from using technology: Lexington, Kentucky, an airport I fly in and out of each week, invested just $3.5 million to install explosive detection machines in-line, with the conveyor belt, which allowed TSA to use 4 screeners per shift, rather than the 30 that would have been required using explosive trace detection equipment in the lobby. Not only that, people move through quicker.
There are even bigger savings in larger airports. San Francisco predicts that by having a complete in-line explosive detection system, it will require 100 less screeners, saving about $5 million in salaries and compensation each year.
Deleting this cap would be very premature. Instead of forcing TSA to continue to restructure its workforce to handle high-traffic levels at some airports, and to procure new equipment that could greatly reduce our reliance on screeners, this amendment would permit TSA to request an exemption from this cap and return to the days of "thousands standing around."
If we delete this cap, Mr. Chairman, 5 years from now I am convinced we will have 70,000-plus screeners and no new technology in place, and we are back to where we were.
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