OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Providing for Consideration of H.R. 2017, Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2012

Floor Speech

Date: June 1, 2011
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: National Security

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Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the rule for H.R. 2017, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2012.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks. As Americans began to process the carnage inflicted by Osama bin Laden on our soil, then-President Bush challenged us as a nation to "confront every threat from any source that could bring sudden terror and suffering to America.'' For nearly 10 years, we've done just that. We've made major investments in intelligence, border security, transportation security, and emergency preparedness.

H.R. 2017 suddenly veers away from these incremental efforts and, as a result, sets our Nation on a dangerously wrong path. To cut homeland security preparedness grants by $2.1 billion at a time when DHS is calling for a period of heightened alert because of our successful action against bin Laden is deplorable and reckless.

How we can continue these efforts with an appropriation bill that funds DHS at 7 percent below what President Obama tells us that DHS needs is beyond me.

The probability of a terrorist attack on a major domestic transit system has not subsided, nor has Mother Nature relented and softened the barrage of punishing blows to our communities, including much of my own congressional district. This bill sacrifices the security of our communities just to save a penny here and a penny there.

Our first responders must not be treated as pawns to the political ideology of the day. It is the decimation of the first responder grant programs, at the hands of the Republican leadership, that, by far, is the most offensive aspect of this bill.

The SPEAKER. The time of the gentleman has expired.

Mr. POLIS. I yield the gentleman 30 additional seconds, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. The second most offensive aspect of this bill is the shenanigans surrounding the funding of disaster emergencies. Lastly, ending Medicare in this rule makes absolutely no sense.

For these reasons, I oppose H.R. 2017 and ask my colleagues to join me in voting against the rule and the underlying bill.

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