Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Act Of 2009
Floor Speech
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Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I am pleased to present H.R. 2868, a bill to authorize reasonable, risk-based security standards for chemical facilities.
Faced with the fact that DHS' chemical security program, CFATS, would expire, the President requested and received a 1-year extension to allow this bill to go through the legislative process. Under the CFATS program, DHS placed about 6,000 facilities in four risk tiers. These sites account for just 16 percent of the 36,000 facilities that initially submitted information to DHS.
My committee began working on comprehensive chemical security legislation 4 years ago in response to widespread concern that chemical plants may be ideal terrorist targets. Previous attempts at getting comprehensive chemical security legislation to the floor in the last two Congresses were unsuccessful.
However, this Congress, thanks to the collaborative approach taken by Chairman Waxman, as well as by Chairmen Oberstar and Conyers, the House now has an opportunity to consider this homeland security bill. I am proud of the robust stakeholder engagement that went into this bill, and to the extent with which Department and Republican input was sought and included.
H.R. 2868 closes a major security gap identified by both the Bush and Obama administrations. Specifically, titles II and III authorize EPA to establish a security program for drinking water and wastewater facilities. EPA's new program will complement CFATS.
This approach, which is fully supported by the Obama administration, taps into the existing regulatory relationship between EPA and public water facilities.
Additionally, H.R. 2868 requires all tiered facilities to assess ``methods to reduce the consequences of a terrorist attack.'' Plants that voluntarily perform these assessments, which are sometimes called IST assessments, often find that good security equals good business. In fact, this week, Clorox announced, to strengthen its operation and add another layer of security, it would voluntarily replace chlorine gas with a safer alternative at six of its bleach manufacturing facilities.
H.R. 2868 simply incorporates this best practice into how all tiered facilities integrate security into their operations. Additionally, H.R. 2868 strengthens CFATS by adding enforcement tools, protecting the rights of whistleblowers, and enhancing security training.
Some on the other side are arguing for a 3-year blanket extension of DHS's current authority. Such an approach flies in the face of testimony that we received about gaps in CFATS and would be a rejection of all the carefully tailored security enhancements in the bill.
This legislation demonstrates the progress we can make with a transparent process that is open to diverse viewpoints and addresses the concerns of everyone who wants to be in the process. This is exactly how government should work.
With that, Mr. Chairman, I urge passage of this important legislation and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Chairman, before I yield to the gentleman from Texas, I would like to say that this is a security bill. A good security bill makes all of us safe. What we're looking at now is an opportunity to go into facilities that don't, in many instances, have security assessments. If we make security assessments, then we will identify those vulnerabilities those facilities have and help them correct them. Bad people would love to get into facilities with vulnerabilities and do harm. What we're trying to do is help those facilities create the capacity to be secure. That's all we're doing.
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Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Before I recognize the gentlewoman from California, let me say that nothing in this bill prevents the Secretary from using her discretion in continuing the exemption for farmers. I will put my credentials from agriculture up against anyone's in this body. I represent a rural district. Nothing I would do in this body would harm agriculture, and I think if you check my voting record, you will absolutely see that.
Also for the record, to the gentleman from Oklahoma, let me say that, before any of these things are done, the Department has to see if it's technically feasible; they have to see if it's cost effective, and if it lowers the risk at the facility.
So all of those concerns you raise are justified, but they are addressed in the bill. So I would say that, between the time for general debate and when we start voting, if you would go back and look at that, I think some of your concerns will be resolved.
I yield 2 minutes to a member of the committee, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Richardson).
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Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Chair, I yield myself the balance of my time.
As you've heard, Mr. Chair, this legislation before us today is critical to the security of our Nation and is deserving of the full support of this House.
With that, Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
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