Recognizing and honoring the employees of the Department of Homeland Security for their efforts and contributions to protect and secure the Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 134) recognizing and honoring the employees of the Department of Homeland Security for their efforts and contributions to protect and secure the Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation and insert extraneous material on the bill into the Record.

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

Just over 5 years ago, September 11 redefined our national security needs. With the loss of thousands of innocent lives at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and in my home State of Pennsylvania, national leaders realized that the Federal Government needed the ability to better protect the United States from any and all threats, foreign or domestic, natural or man-made. And while emergency management agencies displayed resilience in the aftermath of 9/11, it was clear we needed an organization that could coordinate their efforts. We needed a single agency with the ability to prevent another 9/11 and to respond, if need be, to natural or man-made disasters.

To answer this call, Congress passed the Homeland Security Act of 2002 creating the Department of Homeland Security. In the largest reorganization of the Federal Government since the formation of the Department of Defense six decades ago, the Department of Homeland Security was tasked with the Herculean responsibility of coordinating with State, local and tribal entities to prevent future terrorist attacks, to secure our borders and to prepare for and respond to events of national significance.

Comprised of 22 different Federal agencies and employing over 208,000 of our finest Federal employees, DHS has become one of the largest Federal departments. Twenty-four hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, employees from the Department of Homeland Security are working to prevent and prepare for any threats to our country. They are patrolling our skies, securing our borders, sailing our coastal waters and screening people and cargo entering our country. They are also working with State and local governments and first responders in all 50 States and our territories to ensure we can respond to any future large-scale events, either man-made or natural.

These dedicated Homeland Security employees are working tirelessly to improve the safety of all Americans and are doing a job that we must commend.

Recently, the Office of Personnel Management released the results of the 2006 Federal Human Capital Survey, a review of how Federal employees feel about their work. Many Americans may not have heard about this survey or its findings, but they are significant.

DHS employees expressed frustration over a number of issues, most notably the management of the agency. These rank-and-file workers, on the front lines day after day, feel they are not being managed in the most effective manner possible. This disconnect between management and the line officers of the department is very disturbing to a number of us here in Congress. We must work to resolve these issues.

The last thing we need is for the morale problems of the Department of Homeland Security to hamper the duties of those front-line employees. As a former first responder myself, I know how important it is to have trust and faith in your management. While there was certainly shocking failures at the management levels of the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the Hurricane Katrina response, there is a good example; that is, the United States Coast Guard which is part of the DHS. It covered itself in glory by performing one of its most vital and successful missions since its creation. Over 20,000 gulf coast residents were rescued by the devoted men and women of the Coast Guard.

Tens of thousands of other line officers under the purview of the DHS have been doing a thankless job for the last 4 years as well. Our Nation must remain vigilant against all threats to the homeland, against acts of terrorism and natural disasters.

Department of Homeland Security employees stand willing, ready and able to respond should catastrophe strike. They work long hours to deter, detect, and prevent acts of terrorism against the homeland. They can be sure that during this Congress and beyond, my colleagues and I will maintain oversight of the management of Homeland Security, but I cannot stress enough how we truly appreciate the work of the DHS employees who are working tirelessly to protect the safety of all Americans.

On January 24, the Department of Homeland Security marked its fourth anniversary. In light of this anniversary, it is fitting and appropriate for the House of Representatives to take a moment to honor the employees.

I would also like to take a moment to note that Mr. Rogers of Alabama, the ranking member on the Subcommittee on Management, Investigations, and Oversight, wanted to be here as well. He is currently out of town on a codel, but he stands with me in honoring the employees of the Department of Homeland Security.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to unanimously adopt House Resolution 134 in honoring the employees of the Department of Homeland Security.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Al Green).

Mr. Speaker, I would inquire as to whether the gentleman from Florida has any more speakers.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``aye'' on House Resolution 134.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

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

I rise today in support of House Resolution 134, which honors and recognizes the contributions the employees of the Department of Homeland Security make to our country's safety and security.

I am pleased to be an original cosponsor of this resolution with my Homeland Security colleague, Christopher Carney, who chairs the Management, Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee. I also want to acknowledge other original cosponsors, including my subcommittee ranking member, Mike Rogers, full committee chairman Bennie Thompson, and full committee ranking member Peter King, a man who has worked on Homeland Security issues, and I greatly admire his work.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to help bring this resolution to the floor today because I think that DHS employees are too often overlooked and underappreciated, and unfairly criticized in most cases despite their most dedicated and earnest efforts to do their job, which they do very well.

Mr. Speaker, I believe that they have been tasked with an almost impossible job, I think you will agree, and am confident that DHS employees are doing the very best they can under some extraordinary, difficult circumstances.

I was, however, particularly disappointed to learn, as the recent survey shows, that the morale of the department is low, and that DHS employees have less job satisfaction than any other group of Federal employees. That is not good to see. I have heard that the department's employees are concerned that they do not have the resources to do their jobs effectively, that they are not promoted based on merit, that creativity and innovation are not properly rewarded, and, perhaps most troubling, most of them do not believe that they have access to adequate information about what is happening in their department.

This needs to change, as far as I am concerned. I am heartened that department secretary, Michael Jackson, has told DHS employees, ``Starting at the top, the leadership team across DHS is committed to address the underlying reason for DHS employee dissatisfaction and suggestions for improvement.''

I also commend DHS Secretary, Michael Chertoff, in comments before our committee last week for acknowledging the problem and promising to fix it. I believe it is imperative to the security of our homeland that the dedicated men and women who carry out the directives and policies that Congress puts forward feel good about themselves and the jobs that they are doing so they can best achieve the very noble goals toward which they are working.

It should be proud of the work the more than 200,000 employees at DHS work tirelessly to help prevent and respond to acts of terrorism, natural disasters and other emergencies. I think Secretary Chertoff's directive to the Homeland Security Advisory Council to establish a culture task force to respond on ways to empower, energize,

and create a more mission-focused culture within DHS and among its Federal, State and local partners was a good first step.

I would say, however, that the answers lie not in creating more bureaucracy but in streamlining and better defining the mission of DHS headquarters and allowing its component organizations to use their particular talents and expertise to accomplish their individual mission in as efficient, creative, and innovative manner as possible.

I also believe we must acknowledge the role that Congress has played and will continue to play in the ultimate success or failure of the department in accomplishing its mission of defending America and saving lives. We in this body must be sensitive to the demands and mandates that we place on DHS employees in the conduct of the war.

I think we can all agree that an overwhelming majority of DHS employees are hardworking, as I said. They are dedicated and hardworking individuals who are personally committed to keeping us, our families, our country secure from terrorist attacks and other disasters that could befall this great Nation.

We must remember, however, that decentralized congressional jurisdiction over Homeland Security issues and the desire to provide proper oversight often makes it difficult for them to do their job. I hope that, especially as members of the Homeland Security Committee, we do not unintentionally make their jobs more difficult in our desire to do our jobs.

I want to thank full committee chairman Bennie Thompson, ranking member Peter King, subcommittee chairman Chris Carney, and subcommittee ranking member Mike Rogers for bringing this resolution to the floor today.

I urge all of my colleagues to support this resolution and recognize the contributions DHS employees make to protect and secure our Nation. They should know that we understand the daily challenges they face and appreciate the dedication and hard work, the professionalism which they embody, and they conduct themselves in a fine manner.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Reichert).

Mr. Speaker, I yield such 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe).

Mr. Speaker, I do not.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 134, to recognize the employees of the Department of Homeland Security for their efforts and contributions to protect and secure the Nation.

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.

After the events of September 11, 2001 the American people became painfully aware of the difference between feeling secure and actually being secure. The president responded to the need for development and implementation of a comprehensive national strategy to secure the U.S. from terrorist threats or attacks and thus on November 25, 2002 with the largest government reorganization in 50 years, DHS was established.

More than 208,000 employees of the Department work with state, local and tribal partners 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 Homeland Security Department's employees not only stand vigilant and steadfast against terrorist attacks but fulfill the mission of the department to protect continuously our Nation's borders, airport, seaports, rail lines, and other transit systems.

While it is fitting and appropriate to recognize the contributions of DHS employees, Mr. Speaker, it is also necessary to recognize that this Administration continues to deny labor rights to some of the most vital workers in the Transportation Security Administration--the TSA Screeners. Hiding behind the argument and the rhetoric that it needs a flexible security screening force, the Bush Administration continues to equate basic collective bargaining rights with a lack of patriotism. That is, the Administration is operating under the mistaken belief that allowing employees to collectively bargain for rights that others at DHS have will negatively impact homeland security. This is simply untrue.

If the Administration's argument were true, then this means that the law enforcement officers at the Border Patrol, Customs and Border Protection, and the Federal Protective Services are all negatively impacting homeland security--since these brave men and women have collective bargaining rights. And, despite having these rights, these folks are part of a flexible and highly sought after human resource, just like the TSA Screeners. So, as we honor all DHS employees, Mr. Speaker, let us not forget that we must do more to make DHS a fair and equitable place to work.

I thank Congressmen Carney and Bilirakis for managing this important bipartisan legislation and I strongly urge my colleagues to stand together to commend, applaud and commemorate the employees of the DHS. Their important duties extend beyond the ordinary. They protect our homeland and our people.

DHS employees have sacrificed and worked tirelessly to safely protect us not only from terrorist attacks but our borders as well as our airports, seaports, rail lines, and other transit systems. For this, they deserve our gratitude.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to be here today to honor the employees of the Department of Homeland Security. Four years ago the Department came into being with the crucial mission of protecting and securing our homeland.

It has been a tough 4 years, and the importance of this mission has only grown with time. If you watch the news, you hear all the acronyms for the different parts of the Department--DHS, CBP, FEMA, ICE, FPS, TSA, and the list goes on.

I fear that this alphabet soup may hide the faces of the people who make up the many pieces of the Department. But the vital mission of these different components cannot be fulfilled without the people who make them up. For example, the U.S. Secret Service does not protect the President--Secret Service Agents protect the President. United States Customs and Border Protection does not protect our ports of entry, Customs and Border Protection officers do that.

The Border Patrol does not guard our border, Border Patrol Agents guard the border. The Coast Guard does not watch our shores and rescue our citizens, Coast Guard men and women do. I could go on, but the point is the same: It is not the ``Department'' that gives up family time to help secure our Nation. It is not the ``Department'' that works nights, weekends, and holidays. It is not the ``Department'' that puts its life on the line. It is the people of the Department who make these sacrifices.

Let's not forget that these everyday heroes I just mentioned can't do their jobs without the support personnel in their agencies and Directorates--the contracting officers, administrative assistants, technical support teams, financial managers, and many more. While these folks don't always get the best support and guidance from their management, that in no way diminishes their efforts and sacrifices. It pained me to see the recent Office of Personnel Management survey, in which the Department ranks last in terms of job satisfaction. For the sake of its employees--and for the security of our Nation--the Department's management must do better. I have been critical of the Department's management and some of its decisions in the past, and I'm sure I will be in the future. But no one should mistake my occasional criticism of the way this Department has been run with criticism for the fine men and women who are on the front lines, day after day. I pledge to the employees of the Department that the Committee on Homeland Security will not ignore this problem. We will do our part to see that things improve. We will work with the management of the Department when we can--but we will also give them a gentle push in the right direction when we need to. As Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, it is an honor for me to stand here today in support of this resolution. This Nation must never forget the lessons of 9/11 and Katrina. And it must never take for granted the men and women who go out every day with one purpose: to do their best, in ways small and large, to keep us all safe. I urge all the Members of the House to join me in honoring these everyday heroes.

Thank you, Congressman Carney, for bringing this important piece of legislation before the House.

Today, friends, we will honor and we will respect the fourth anniversary of the Department of Homeland Security. In so doing, we understand that it has been a rocky 4 years, but the importance of this mission of Homeland Security has only grown.

We must never forget the crucial mission of the Department of Homeland Security and that it cannot be fulfilled without the people who make up the Department of Homeland Security.

While there have been some difficult times, it is time for us to acknowledge that there are some good people working in the Department of Homeland Security. These people are heroes who work day and night keeping our country safe. They sacrifice their time. They are often away from their families, and they do a thankless job too often. So we are here today to say thank you, not only to those who are in the lofty offices and who hold high positions, but we are also here today to say thank you to those who sweep the floors, those who file the paperwork, those who answer the phones, those who are making a difference in the lives of Americans by making sure that while we are on their watch we are protected.

I want you to know that while the Department came in dead last with reference to job satisfaction for Federal employees, according to a recent OPM survey, and we know that this is unacceptable, they were dead last; but I believe that they can improve. I believe that they will do better. And I want to share my optimism because the Department of Homeland Security is a Department that every one of us is depending on who lives in the homeland. So the leadership in this Department must do better.

Congress today, I believe, stands with the rank and file employees of this Department, and we want everyone to do better, and we are here to support all of those many employees who are working hard for us.

So I ask today that my colleagues join me in supporting and in embracing this resolution for the Department of Homeland Security. They are making a difference in our lives.

The Department recently saw its fourth anniversary. It has been a rocky 4 years, but the importance of its mission has only grown.

We must never forget that the crucial mission of the Department cannot be fulfilled without the people who make it up. .

These heroes work day and night keeping our country safe, sacrificing time with their families, doing often thankless jobs. We are here today to thank them.

The Department came in last in the recent OPM survey of job satisfaction of Federal employees. This is unacceptable. The Department's leadership must do better; it must listen to the people on the front lines.

Congress stands with these rank-and-file employees. We will do our part to see that the Department does better by them.

We have criticized the Department's management and decisions in the past, but no one should mistake this for criticism of the men and women on the front lines, day after day.

Please join me in honoring these everyday heroes.