Hearing Of The House Committee On Homeland Security- "Markup of H.R. 1517, H.R. 2611, H.R. 3239, H.R. 3837, H.R. 3963, H.R. 3978, H.R. 3980, H. Res. 28"

Statement

Today, we are here to consider eight measures that will enhance our Nation's ability to respond,
at all levels of government, to the terrorist threat. Taken together, these bills touch each and every
community in the country and will enhance the Department of Homeland Security's operations.
The first bill that we will consider is H.R. 3837, a bill that seeks to ensure that highly-technical
equipment purchased with Homeland Security grant funds can be maintained.
I want to commend the gentlelady from Ohio, Ms. Kilroy, for diligently working to produce this
important legislation that will restore FEMA policy governing the use of grant funds.
On September 22nd, FEMA inexplicably announced that grantees could no longer use future
homeland security grant money to maintain and sustain vital homeland security equipment.
This represented a major about-face on the longstanding policy of allowing grantees to use these
funds to pay for ongoing equipment maintenance costs.
In fact, the FEMA grant guidance for fiscal years 2008 and 2009 encouraged grantees to explain
how they would use grant funding to sustain equipment that had been previously purchased.
In these tough economic times, this FEMA policy change risks putting critical national capabilities
in jeopardy, if grantees cannot use homeland security funds to maintain WMD, interoperable
communications, and other counter-terrorism equipment.
Two related bills that we will be considering today were introduced by the Chairman and Ranking
Member of the Emergency Communications, Preparedness, and Response Subcommittee
respectively.
H.R. 3980, as introduced by Mr. Cuellar, would eliminate redundant grant and preparedness
reporting requirements on State, local, and tribal governments reporting requirements and H.R.
3978, as introduced by Mr. Rogers, would enhance the operations at DHS' Center on Domestic
Preparedness. I strongly support both bills.
Additionally, we will be addressing some unfinished business from consideration of the
Transportation Security Administration Authorization bill that we moved earlier this year.
Specifically, we will be considering H.R. 3963, as introduced by Mr. Lungren, which would allow
Federal Air Marshals to enhance their capabilities by receiving criminal investigative training and
H.Res. 28, as introduced by Ms. Jackson-Lee, which shines a light on the need for enhanced
security in the rail and mass transit environment.
Turning to border security, H.R. 1517, as introduced by Mr. Engel and Ranking Member King,
would correct a longstanding classification problem among a small group of Customs and Border
personnel that were hired before DHS was created. These 35 people are working overseas,
mostly in Ireland, and need to be properly classified as CBP staff.
To ensure proper oversight of the Merida Initiative, we will be considering H.R. 3239, legislation
authored by the gentlelady from Arizona, Ms. Kirkpatrick.
Finally, we will be considering H.R. 2611, a bill introduced by the Ranking Member, Mr. King,
which would make the Secure the Cities program permanent to ensure that this WMD-detection
program, which has operated since 2006, will continue.
All eight of these bills have my support and are responsive to specific homeland security
challenges."

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