Chemical Facility Security Improvement Act of 2007

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise today to fully support this resolution, which speaks to this Congress, appropriately recognizing and honoring the brave Americans, the great patriots, who work to protect us all through their service at the Department of Homeland Security.

And I believe that the first and foremost responsibility of the Federal Government is to provide for the national defense. That is actually in the preamble of our Constitution. Additionally, for all of us who have the honor to serve in this House, protecting our homeland and securing our borders against those who would harm us is something that we all take an oath to do.

Before those horrific attacks on our Nation on 9/11, we thought about national defense more in terms of having a strong military, the best trained, the best resourced, facing down enemies overseas in conflicts where we had a national interest in spots around the world. We didn't usually think in terms of actually being attacked or continuing to be threatened with attacks on American soil here in our homeland.

9/11 changed all of our lives, as on that day cowardly terrorists murdered nearly 3,000 of our fellow Americans, innocent people who were just going about their daily lives. And the terrorists used the tools of our own freedoms against us. And why? Because they hate us, and they especially hate our freedoms.

They sought to weaken us, to destroy us, and instead they united us. They awoke us, and instead, made us begin to take the necessary steps to protect ourselves from future attacks.

We knew we had to change the way we practiced security measures at our airports, on our railways, on our roadways, at our ports, and at our border crossings. We knew we had to secure our infrastructure, that we had to better prepare our first responders and local emergency management agencies, that we had to share intelligence, that we had to tear down silo mentalities and do a much better job of sharing intelligence and resources.

And we also knew we had to create an agency here at the Federal level and task them with implementing this seemingly impossible job. And so the Department of Homeland Security was created 5 years ago, and what a remarkable success story it has been.

The brave men and women of the 22 agencies, more than 213,000 individuals that make up the department, deserve our respect, and they deserve our gratitude. We have not had another successful attack on our shores since that day, in no small part due to the vigilance and the hard work of the Department of Homeland Security and their efforts to provide for our common defense against America's enemies, against the enemies of freedom, those who are truly cowards, those who hide in the shadows and who prey on the innocent.

Mr. Speaker, as Congress recognizes and pays tribute to the Department of Homeland Security for the dedication and the commitment they have made to our homeland security during the past 5 years that they have been in existence, we also look forward to standing shoulder to shoulder with them as we look towards the future.

We understand that we need to do more to clearly define the lines of congressional committee jurisdiction, to streamline, to make more effective and cost efficient many of the department's missions. We recognize that the largest room is always the room for improvement, and that the department is looking to Congress to continue to assist them and not to hobble them.

Mr. Speaker, I am a new member of the Committee on Homeland Security, and I am proud to represent my district in Michigan, a border State with many unique dynamics, such as the first and second busiest international border crossings on the northern tier and the busiest rail entry in the country, the magnificent Great Lakes, fully one-fifth of the freshwater supply of the entire planet, a long liquid border that we share with our wonderful neighbors, the Canadians.

These are issues and items that require the attention of the Department of Homeland Security, and yet, Mr. Speaker, every Member, every Member of this House, could tell us of particular dynamics in their district, or their State, or their region of the country that also require the attention of the department.

Identifying and dealing with the threats to our homeland are done each and every day, 24/7, by the remarkable men and women of the Department of Homeland Security. And it is certainly appropriate that we honor those who serve us so well, that we thank them for their vigilance, we salute them for their dedication, we appreciate their commitment to democracy and liberty and freedom.

I urge my colleagues to pass the resolution before us and formally thank the great Americans who make up the Department of Homeland Security for keeping our Nation safe.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, at this time, it is my great honor to recognize for as much time as he may consume the distinguished ranking member of the Committee on Homeland Security, the gentleman from New York (Mr. King).

Yes, I have no further speakers at this time, Mr. Speaker. And so I would certainly urge my colleagues to pass the resolution before us and honor the brave men and women of the Department of Homeland Security, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlelady for yielding.

I thank Chairman Carney for helping to bring this matter to the House floor today, and I rise in strong support of H.

Res. 1038 because we do owe a tremendous debt of gratitude and thanks to all of the employees of the Department of Homeland Security.

Mr. Speaker, you and I come from adjoining districts in New York. Probably between our districts we lost well over 200 people on September 11. And I think any of us on September 12 and September 13 anticipated there would have to be another successful attack on our country in the not-too-distant future. Well, the fact is, we have now gone 6\1/2\ years without an attack.

During 5 of those years, the Department of Homeland Security has been up and operational. And it was really a tribute to the men and women who comprise the formerly separate 22 agencies who came together to be combined into this one department for what they have been able to do and what they have been able to achieve. It is no accident, it is not luck we haven't been attacked. It is for a number of reasons, but among the very prime reasons is the tremendous effort by all these men and women. And doing that was not easy because they each came from different cultures and traditions. They had different types of training and a different type of emphasis. They had a tough enough job before September 11. But now added to that was the new dimension of homeland security. And they had to do what they were doing at a different level, and they combined their efforts with employees from other agencies who were trained differently, who had a different way of looking at things, and they had to learn to speak and think as one. And they have done it. They have done a terrific job.

I believe it was last year we held hearings on how far the department has come. And yes, it is easy to be a critic. It is easy to stand back and say this should be done better and that should be done better. But the consensus of the testimony we had from experts was that the Department of Homeland Security is further along in its progress than the Defense Department was after a comparable period of time after it was formed over 60 years ago. So it is important to keep that in mind, and also to keep in mind that their work is a 24/7 job, that at any given time, there are active threats against the United States or active plots against the United States, and there is no simple easy way to stop it. And there are many ways. We have to fight it overseas. We have to fight it at the national level making sure that all intelligence is coordinated. But no one is more central to that than the Department of Homeland Security because they have to coordinate the national and international intelligence and then also make sure it gets down to the local levels, to make sure that the local police, the State police and the local law enforcements throughout the country are apprised of what could be happening, what might be happening, and also to absorb information that is sent back up from the local governments to the Department of Homeland Security.

So I commend them. I think it is too easy to take shots. And we see it in Presidential debates, we see people who take random shots at the people in this department, and it is so unfair because they are literally on the firing lines for us. They are on the front lines for us. In many ways, they are doing it anonymously because obviously their successes cannot be recorded. They are not publicized. How do you prove an attack didn't happen that was actually going to happen and didn't? And those that we do know about often can't be spoken about. But they are there. They are doing it. And in addition to that, they have the added responsibility from Congress because of the events of September 11 and having to do much more as far as border security and illegal immigration is concerned. So there is just a myriad of responsibilities that have been thrust upon them in addition to all they have been doing before, and they are doing it first class.

It is important for us in the Congress to live up to that same level, that same standard, that these employees are setting. It's important for us to get our act coordinated in the Congress, to make sure that jurisdiction is consolidated as much as possible so that we can speak with one voice, not to take partisan advantage, not to be allowing jurisdictional disputes between and among committees to impede the job that we should be doing. We can take a lesson from those employees out there who have put aside their prerogatives, put aside their own petty interests for the common good.

So I commend all the employees of the Department of Homeland Security on the fifth anniversary. Thanks for keeping us safe. Thanks for doing what you are doing. And I believe we can speak for all Members of this House that we will continue to do what we have to do to make sure that you get the tools to do your job and also get the support that you so richly deserve from all of us, and most important, from your fellow Americans whom you have done so much to protect.

I urge the adoption of the resolution.

Mr. Speaker I rise today to support H. Res. 1038, ``Recognizing the 5th Anniversary of the Department of Homeland Security and honoring the Department's Employees for their Extraordinary Efforts to Protect and Secure our Nation.

On September 11, 2001 this nation suffered a terrorist attack that surpassed anything we had dealt with before. After witnessing those events, I decided that the protection of our homeland would be at the forefront of my legislative agenda. I knew that all of our collective efforts as Americans would all be in vain if we did not achieve our most important priority: the security of our Nation.

After the events of September 11th, the Department of Homeland Security was created in an effort to consolidate our Nation's efforts to prevent, respond to, and mitigate threats to the homeland, including acts of terrorism, natural disasters, or other emergencies.

Since its first full scale year in 2003, the Department of Homeland Security has integrated 22 disparate agencies and offices. Due to the Homeland Security's employees' diligence, the department has done a magnificent job of deterring, detecting, and preventing acts of terrorism from occurring on U.S. soil.

Over 331 pieces of legislation related to Homeland Security have been introduced since the Department's inception. From the health-related issues surrounding clean up of Ground Zero to Customs and Border Protection, the Department covers several facets affecting our national security.

Working for the Department of Homeland Security is more than a job. It would be like saying that we as Members of Congress simply have a job. Homeland Security is a belief in the greatness of this nation and the desire to protect it no matter where the enemy comes from, no matter how large or small the attack.

I thank the employees for the work they do and their belief in the need for protecting our Nation's borders, airports, seaports, rail lines, transit systems, and most importantly our way of life.

That is why I have introduced legislation such as H.R. 750 [110th] the Save America Comprehensive Immigration Act of 2007, which seeks to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to provide increased protections and eligibility for family-sponsored immigrants. It would authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security to deny a family-based immigration petition by a U.S. petitioner for an alien spouse or child if: (1) the petitioner is on

the national sex offender registry for a conviction that resulted in more than one year's imprisonment; (2) the petitioner has failed to rebut such information within 90 days; and (3) granting the petition would put a spouse or child beneficiary in danger of sexual abuse. Among other things it would direct the Secretary to establish the Task Force to Rescue Immigrant Victims of American Sex Offenders.

I also introduced H.R. 1530, the Chemical Facility Security Improvement Act of 2007 to prohibit federal funds from being used by the Secretary of Homeland Security to approve a site security plan for a chemical facility unless the facility meets or exceeds security standards and requirements to protect it against terrorist acts established by the State or local government for the area where it is located.

Because while I support and commend the Department of Homeland Security, I still believe that the Department's mission and goals are still malleable. We need to continue to improve the Department's comprehensive national strategies to ensure that the more than 87,000 different governmental jurisdictions at the Federal, State, and local level are protecting our nation's borders, transit systems, people, and ideals.

This work could not be done however, without the more than 208,000 employees of the Department working to ensure disaster preparedness at all levels of government while sacrificing their invaluable time with their family and working long hours to stand willing, able, and ready to respond if catastrophe strikes.

The Department of Homeland Security is critical in ensuring our great nation's preparation for future terrorist threats and attacks. Its employees step beyond the ordinary call of duty and tirelessly help to prepare our Nation to counter acts of terrorism, natural disasters, and other emergencies.

I urge my colleagues to support the achievements of the Department of Homeland Security, and support this resolution honoring the 5th anniversary of the Department of Homeland Security and its extraordinary employees.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1038) recognizing the fifth anniversary of the Department of Homeland Security and honoring the Department's employees for their extraordinary efforts and contributions to protect and secure our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, we are here today to recognize the fifth anniversary of the Department of Homeland Security. This is an opportunity for us to praise the tireless employees who, day in and day out, are working hard to prevent another terrorist attack on our soil, in our skies, and on our waters, and to also ensure that we're prepared should a catastrophe strike again.

Congress is often critical of DHS, and we have had some harsh hearings in the Homeland Security Committee. But our criticism of the management at DHS is only because we hope to ensure the department's employees have the resources they need to do their jobs and to keep America safe. The department is still in its formative years and still experiencing expected growing pains.

When DHS was established, it was the largest reorganization of the Federal Government since the creation of the Department of Defense 60 years ago, with 180,000 employees and 22 agencies that merged to form one new department. That number has grown by nearly 30,000 since then.

Let's take a moment to honor DHS in its 5-year anniversary but also to recognize these employees for their dedicated service.

To the Customs and Border Patrol officers and the Border Patrol agents protecting our borders, at our ports of entry and in between; and to our Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents ensuring that criminal aliens are accounted for and removed; and to our Transportation Security officers, protecting millions of passengers daily and quickly adapting to threats to prevent future hijackings or worse; and to our Federal Air Marshals, quietly protecting our skies; and to our Secret Service, called upon earlier than ever to protect presidential candidates; and to the men and women of the Coast Guard, protecting 360 ports and over 90,000 miles of coastline, ready to respond at a moment's notice; and to the first responders of FEMA, who have again proven themselves in their response to the California wildfires and the recent Midwest tornadoes.

Thank you. We know all too well the long hours you've committed to our country and the time away from your homes and families. We sincerely appreciate all of your work and your service.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers.

If the gentlewoman from Michigan has no more, and she is ready to close, I will close after she does.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I might consume.

I would like to talk about what the department does for a few moments. It is imperative that we honor and recognize the fact that the Department of Homeland Security and all its components provides the awareness for our Nation to prevent threats and identify our vulnerabilities. It prevents threats through detection and deterrence, and it mitigates those accidents and those attacks that might happen. It protects people and/or critical infrastructure and, of course, the economy. It responds to terrorism. It responds to natural disasters and certainly any other emergencies. It provides us the opportunity and the ability to recover from terrorism and from natural disasters. And it serves the public by facilitating lawful trade, lawful travel and lawful immigration.

It is committed to organizational excellence, and through that organizational excellence, we are all protected.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks of this resolution and include any extraneous material.

I yield back the balance of my time, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1038, which recognizes and honors the employees of the Department of Homeland Security for their contributions in protecting our Nation from terrorist attacks.

We commend today the more than 200,000 employees of the Department that have dedicated themselves to the ongoing effort to secure our Nation.

In January 2003, the Department of Homeland Security officially was established, and in March 2003, 22 Federal agencies were brought together and the Department became operational. The Department has come a long way these five years.

With great interest, our Subcommittee on Management, Investigations, and Oversight has watched and encouraged the Department's progress in managing its components, organizing its people, and executing the critical mission of protecting the Nation.

I am especially pleased with the 21 percent staffing increase that Customs and Border Protection achieved in just one year. I have every confidence these agents are working tirelessly to help improve the security of our borders every single day.

Similarly, the hard-working people at the Transportation Security Administration have implemented a wide range of improvements at our Nation's airports. T-S-A is now training its own employees to be explosives detection canine handlers, which will allow for a considerable surge in detection in the event of a threat to any transportation system.

I am also proud that two key DHS facilities are located in my hometown of Anniston, Alabama. The Center for Domestic Preparedness provides live chemical agent training to first responders, and the Noble Training Center provides training for hospital and healthcare professionals to prepare for and respond to disasters.

The people who serve at the CDP and Noble Training Center provide an invaluable service to our Nation and deserve our thanks.

Yet as we look back over five years of growth and accomplishment, we must also look forward to next year's transition and beyond.

Consolidation of congressional oversight authority is still sorely needed, and remains the sole recommendation of the 9/11 Commission yet to be enacted. The lack of consolidated Congressional oversight jurisdiction over the Department has a direct negative impact on the Department's ability to fulfill its mission of securing the homeland. Congress must address this issue immediately.

In addition, the Congress needs to establish an annual DHS authorization bill to provide the steady-handed guidance that 86 different committees and subcommittees cannot. This Committee, followed by the House and our colleagues in the Senate, must produce an authorization bill in advance of any appropriations bill this year.

And finally, we must allow the Department's employees to work unimpeded by further organizational shuffling.

These and many more challenges lie in front of us. It is our job to ensure that the Department is ready for the future, especially as it prepares to transition to a new administration.

We therefore gladly extend our thanks to the many dedicated individuals that make up the backbone of our Nation's current and future security.

I urge my colleagues to support passage of this resolution.