Hearing of the Transportation Security Subcommittee of the House Homeland Security Committee - "TSA Reform: Exploring Innovations in Technology Procurement to Stimulate Job Growth, Part III"

Statement

Today, Committee on Homeland Security Ranking Member
Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) delivered the following prepared remarks for the Transportation
Security subcommittee hearing entitled "TSA Reform: Exploring Innovations in Technology
Procurement to Stimulate Job Growth (Part III)":
"This hearing is the third in a series of Subcommittee hearings focusing on the procurement of
security technologies. As the Chairman knows, during the 111th Congress, this Subcommittee,
under the direction of then Chairwoman Jackson Lee, conducted oversight and produced
legislation addressing security technology procurement.
That legislation was marked up in this Committee and passed the House. I look forward to
seeing the Full Committee take up Subcommittee Chairman Rogers' TSA Authorization bill.
Today, we will hear from representatives of the Department of Homeland Security who will shed
light on the Department's efforts to improve the effectiveness of its security technology
acquisition practices.
I will be particularly interested to hear from Mr. Benda and Dr. Nayak about how the cuts
proposed in the DHS Appropriations bill, that passed the House in June, would impact the S&T
Directorate and Chief Procurement Officer's ability to function effectively.
Doing more with less is an impressive campaign slogan, but cuts have consequences.
In July, the Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations and Management, received testimony
from the Department's Undersecretary for Management and Undersecretary for Science and
Technology.
Each official indicated that these cuts would not only require employee lay-offs but would also
require the winding-down of several important and promising research initiatives.
In short, their message was clear. Funding cuts in research and development undermine our
future security.
Where I am from, we call that "eating your seed corn." One day, I hope my colleagues on the
other side of the aisle will realize that long-term benefits do not come from acts of short-term
folly.
Mr. Chairman, we have a duty to oversee this Department. But our duty to oversee is as
important as our duty to properly fund. In the funding scheme approved by this House, we have
failed to live up to our end of the bargain.
On a separate note, I want to point out that TSA has announced the impending re-alignment of
its internal operations. It is not clear to me that this re-alignment will save money or improve
TSA's operations. I certainly hope this Subcommittee will examine this proposed reorganization
I look forward to hearing from Mr. Kane about how these proposed changes will improve the
efficiency of its procurement operations. Finally, Mr. Chairman, I look forward to working with
you and Ranking Member Jackson Lee on the TSA Authorization bill at the Full Committee
level."

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