Honoring the contributions of Catholic schools.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 599) to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to streamline the SAFETY Act and anti-terrorism technology procurement processes.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks, and to insert extraneous materials relating to the bill under consideration into the Congressional Record.

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

Today, Madam Speaker, I rise in support of legislation I introduced, the SAFETY Reform Act of 2007, which will help ensure that safe and effective antiterrorism technologies are being deployed by the Department of Homeland Security to bolster our security throughout the country.

The Support for Anti-Terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies Act of 2002, or SAFETY Act as it is known, was designed to provide incentives for development and deployment of antiterrorism technologies.

The SAFETY Act was intended to address the liability concerns of businesses and to pave the way for innovative development of key antiterrorism technologies. Unfortunately, a lack of personnel within the Office of SAFETY Act Implementation, an excessively burdensome application process, and a lack of communication between the Department's procurement and management divisions made for difficult implementation of the SAFETY Act.

This legislation which I have introduced, along with Chairman Thompson, Subcommittee Ranking Member Rogers and many other members of the Homeland Security Committee, should fix many of those shortcomings.

Last year the Homeland Security Committee held a subcommittee hearing highlighting some of the problems that arose from the SAFETY Act's implementation. We heard from a variety of industry leaders and experts that the application process was overly burdensome, and that it took far too long for the Department of Homeland Security to properly evaluate and approve many of the applications that businesses submitted.

While I am pleased to see that many companies with new and innovative technologies have already applied for the SAFETY Act program, the program can be effective only when the applications are properly approved.

My legislation, therefore, takes three important steps to improve the effectiveness of the application process. First, this bill will help facilitate communication between the Department of Homeland Security's procurement sector and the Department's Office of SAFETY Act Implementation, which is the entity tasked with reviewing the applications. This approach will allow officials at DHS to thoroughly review applications while also maintaining quick turnaround times.

Second, the bill would require that the Secretary employ a sufficient number of analysts in the Office of SAFETY Act Implementation who can deal with the ever-growing number of applications. Appropriate staffing will help ensure that the applications are being processed in a timely manner, thereby allowing us to deploy the newest and best technologies as quickly as possible.

Finally, this legislation will help raise awareness of SAFETY Act risk management provisions among procurement officers across Federal, State, and local levels, and throughout the private sector.

Contributions made by private enterprises are an extremely important component of our Nation's security, and our governmental policies should continue to encourage innovation, not stifle it.

By passing the SAFETY Reform Act, I am optimistic that we will be able to effectively streamline the application process and encourage participation in this program across all levels of government and the private sector.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the SAFETY Reform Act of 2007.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson), the chairman of the Homeland Security Committee.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Meek).

Madam Speaker, in closing, I want to thank the speakers who have come forward. I want to thank Members on the other side of the aisle for working with us in a bipartisan fashion to bring this bill to the floor. I want to particularly recognize the leadership of Chairman Thompson and his due diligence in seeing that this act was put together in such a timely fashion and brought to the floor so quickly.

It is the responsibility of every level of government, whether it is the local, State or Federal level, first and foremost to protect our citizens. Our Nation is at war, and homeland security must be our top priority. The quicker that we can get these new and vital technologies in place that will better protect the American people, the better off we will all be.

So it is my intent that this act will clarify some of the problems with the original SAFETY Act and with the implementation that has been witnessed by the Department of Homeland Security, and I am pleased that we have brought this act to the floor today.

Madam Speaker, I move its passage.

Madam Speaker, I request that the following letters be made part of the Congressional Record.

Professional Services Council,

Arlington, VA, January 22, 2007.

Hon. James Langevin,

Chairman, Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity,

Science and Technology.

Hon. Mike Rogers,

Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Management, Investigations

and Oversight.

Homeland Security Committee,

House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Langevin and Congressman Rogers: On behalf of

the Professional Services Council (PSC), the leading national

trade association representing the professional and technical

services industry selling to the Federal Government, I am

writing to endorse the legislation introduced by you and

others (H.R. 599) to streamline the SAFETY Act and anti-

terrorism technology procurement processes.

We appreciated the bipartisan leadership of Chairman

Thompson and Ranking Member King during the 109th Congress to

provide strong oversight of SAFETY Act implementation,

including the execution of the responsibilities of the

Secretary of Homeland Security and the Under Secretary for

Science and Technology in administering the Act. We are

confident that the Committee's support for the full

implementation of the law and for extending the coverage of

the Act to appropriate anti-terrorism technologies will

remain strong through your Subcommittees' leadership. '

PSC has been a strong and active supporter of the SAFETY

Act since its development in Congress in 2002. We have

commented extensively on the Act, on the implementing

regulations, application kits, and operating principles. We

have met repeatedly with key leaders within the Department

and other offices in the Executive Branch. We testified

before your Committee last year on the Act. We are pleased

with the recent progress made in providing the regulatory and

administrative framework for implementation, and with DHS's

renewed commitment to moving

that implementation forward. However, more can and should be

done.

While the Department is fully committed to robust

implementation of the Act, we see your bill as an important

step in helping the Department achieve that goal--whether

through the allocation of additional full-time DHS employees

to carry out the functions assigned under the Act or ensuring

that the Department's internal procurement and policy

organizations are aligned with and use the authorities

provided under the Act. In addition, the Department plays an

important role in providing guidance and information to other

federal agencies and to other stakeholders about the Act.

Each of these important items is addressed in H.R. 599.

We appreciated the opportunity to comment on the draft bill

and are pleased to offer PSC's support for the legislation as

introduced. We strongly support passage by the House early in

the legislative cycle and look forward to further legislative

and administrative action to fully implement the goals and

objectives of the SAFETY Act. We also look forward to working

with your Subcommittees and others on this important homeland

security initiative.

In the interim, if you or your staffs have any questions or

need any additional information, please do not hesitate to

let me know.

Sincerely,

Alan Chvotkin, Esq.,

Senior Vice President and Counsel.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 51 honoring National Catholic Schools Week and the tremendous contributions that Catholic schools make to our country. Since 1974, Catholic Schools Week has celebrated the important role that these institutions play in America and their excellent reputation for providing a strong academic and moral education, as well as teaching community responsibility and outreach.

I am proud to sponsor this resolution as my first resolution of this new Congress, and I would also like to thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Fossella) for his work on this resolution. Unfortunately Mr. Fossella today has been unable to make it. He is stuck in New York today. But he would like to be here also to speak of his support for this resolution on Catholic Schools Week.

This year's theme of Catholic Schools Week is ``Catholic Schools: The Good News in Education.'' This theme has multiple meanings for Catholic schools. At the center of Catholic education is the ``Good News'' or Gospel of Jesus and salvation. Jesus taught love and service. And the history of Catholic schools reveals an ongoing emphasis on the Gospel values of reaching out and serving others.

But the ``good news'' in Catholic education is also the news of success in shaping the lives of so many young men and women. Nationally about 2.4 million young people are enrolled in nearly 8,000 Catholic schools. These schools have more than 160,000 full-time professional staff, boasting a student/teacher ratio of 15:1. On average, Catholic school students surpass other students in math, science and reading in the three grade levels of the NAPT test. The graduation rate for all Catholic high school students is 95 percent, and 83 percent of Catholic high school graduates go on to college. These are amazing statistics in America today.

Catholic schools are also highly effective in educating minority students and disadvantaged youth. The percentage of minority students in Catholic schools has more than doubled in the

past 30 years, today representing more than one-quarter of all those enrolled. And almost one in seven students in Catholic schools is not Catholic. The success of Catholic schools does not just come from selectivity. On average, Catholic schools accept about nine out of every 10 students who apply.

One of the reasons for the ``good news'' of Catholic schools is that in addition to learning reading, writing and arithmetic, students also learn responsibility and how to become persons of character and integrity.

Community service is a priority in Catholic schools; 94 percent of schools have a service program, with the average student completing 79 hours of service.

I was born, raised and lived in the Chicago Archdiocese, which has one of the most successful school systems in the country. Today more than 106,000 students attend 276 schools. In my district alone there are five Catholic high schools and 34 grammar schools, including one of the best in my home parish of St. John of the Cross.

The success of students in archdiocesan schools is phenomenal, with the high schools having an amazing graduation rate of over 99 percent, and 95 percent of graduates from Catholic schools go on to college. This is certainly a record to be proud of.

My wife and I are each products of 12 years of Catholic education. My wife in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, at St. Patrick's Grade School and Bishop McCourt High School; myself in Chicago at St. Symphorosa Grammar School and St. Ignatius College Prep. Like so many others, I understand how important Catholic schools are in providing a spiritual, moral and intellectual foundation. My 12 years of Catholic education provide me with the knowledge, discipline, desire to serve, and a love of learning that enabled me to go on to earn my Ph.D. and become a teacher before I was elected to Congress.

As we recognize Catholic Schools Week, we must pay special tribute to the dedicated teachers and administrators who sacrifice so much, usually getting paid much less than they could to dedicate their lives to teaching at Catholic schools. I have fond memories of my teachers, who taught me not only the value of a good education, but also the values of faith and service. Although it was 35 years ago that I started school, I can still fondly remember all my teachers, from first grade, Sister Mildred; second grade, Miss Ivers; and on and on. And I will never forget Sister Diane, my coach on the Student Congress in high school. And to this day, when I speak to a crowd, I always remember her sitting there nodding her approval as I gave my speeches, as I was a nervous young kid in high school. Millions of other Americans have similar memories of teachers who gave their heart and soul and made such a big difference in the lives of their students.

Mr. Speaker, as an important complement to public schools and other private institutions, Catholic schools contribute a great deal to America. They have made a big difference in my life and in the lives of countless others. As Father William Davis, Interim Secretary for the Conference of U.S. Catholic Bishops, said, ``High achievement rates, high retention rates, high moral values, and high student and parent satisfaction are the distinctive marks of a Catholic school. That's the good news and we want to share it.''

For this good news, America's Catholic schools deserve our praise and our support, and to share our praise and support, I urge my colleagues to pass this resolution.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 51, a resolution to honor the contributions of Catholic schools. This timely resolution comes before us during the annual commemoration of Catholic Schools Week, and just days before the National Appreciation Day for Catholic Schools on Wednesday, January 24, 2007. This year's theme, ``Catholic Schools: The Good News in Education'' accurately describes the positive contribution Catholic schools have made to providing children with quality education within the United States and throughout the world.

The work of the National Catholic Educational Association and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops toward coordinating Catholic Schools Week and toward raising general awareness of the contributions Catholic schools have made to our communities is commendable. Together, their efforts have ensured that Catholic Schools Week has remained a success since its inception in 1974.

Catholic schools have fulfilled an important role in this country. The advent of Catholic schools in this country can be traced back as far as 1606, when the priests from the Franciscan order opened a school in Florida. Today, Catholic schools offer comprehensive programs and educational, spiritual, and moral guidance to approximately 2,400,000 students at nearly 8,000 schools across the United States.

The number of racial and ethnic minority students enrolled in Catholic schools in the United States has more than doubled in the past 30 years. Racial and ethnic minority students now comprise 27 percent of the student population at Catholic schools. These statistics are evidence of the commitment to diversity fostered by Catholic schools in the United States. Catholic schools are also known for their academic excellence. Catholic secondary schools in the United States graduate 99 percent of their students, 97 percent of which go on to attend college.

I represent Guam. The Roman Catholic Church has long been an intrinsic part of Guam's culture. In fact, Padre Diego Luis de San Vitores, a Spanish Jesuit missionary, established a mission in the village of Agania in 1665. Guam's population is approximately 85 percent Roman Catholic. The positive influence of the Roman Catholic Church on Guam is evidenced as a result its service to the needy, its dedication to the community, and its education of our youth.

In 1946, Bishop Appollinaris Baumgartner, recognizing the need for quality education on Guam, invited the Sisters of Mercy from North Carolina to Guam. The Sisters of Mercy established The Academy of Our Lady. The Academy of Our Lady became the first all girls' Catholic high school on Guam and continues to educate young women today. Three years later, Bishop Baumgartner invited the School Sisters of Notre Dame to Guam. The School Sisters of Notre Dame founded Notre Dame High School, which continues today to provide high-quality Catholic education to young men and women on Guam. Father Duenas Memorial High School is named in honor of the courageous Father Jesus Baza Duenas, who was executed by the Imperial Japanese forces occupying Guam during the Second World War for refusing to betray the location of an American sailor hiding on our island. Father Duenas Memorial High School continues his legacy of courage and integrity. All three of these Catholic high schools offer rigorous curricula to prepare students for college while instilling strong moral values and an understanding of the Catholic faith.

Archbishop Felixberto Camacho Flores, Guam's first Chamorro Bishop, continued Bishop Baumgartner's legacy of shaping the character of Guam's faithful by promoting Catholic education opportunities on our island. Under Archbishop Flores's leadership, the number of Catholic schools serving the people of Guam increased, education programs expanded, and school facilities were modernized. In addition to these three Catholic high schools, Guam is home to four nursery schools, six elementary schools, and six middle schools that teach the Catholic faith in addition to other academic curriculum. Our community knows well the contributions that Catholic schools make toward providing a quality educating to our children.

Catholic schools on Guam and around the country excel in their mission of providing quality and character education to children. Their influence has helped form socially responsible and morally upright graduates who possess the skills, character traits and compassion that help produce good citizens and effective community leaders. On this occasion of the 33rd annual Catholic Schools Week, I recognize and commend the Catholic schools on Guam and throughout the country for their commitment to instilling the principles of academic excellence, strong moral values, and a dedication to and fulfillment of Catholic ideals in our children's daily lives. In particular I recognize in a very special way all of the administrators, the faculty, the staff, the students, the parents, and their families of the greater Catholic School community on Guam. Their work is a testament to the strength of Catholic education on Guam. I also recognize the unfailing leadership of Archbishop Anthony Sablan Apuron, OFM Cap., D.D., the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Agana, and Ms. Cynthia S. Agbulos, the Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Archdiocese of Agana.

Madam Speaker, let me just say that this piece of legislation is an outstanding bipartisan piece of work. I know that it has bipartisan support, something that is going to help the private sector and be able to help us move forward in securing America.

I would like to thank my good friend Mr. Rogers for his outstanding work and also on the Republican side. We have had a great discussion. As you know, in the last Congress I was the ranking member on the oversight committee, and all of us that are involved in this bill have heard hours and hours of testimony on why this is important. Even going as far back as the 108th Congress in the select committee, we were hearing from members of the private sector, saying that we want to participate in protecting America, need it be bio or what have you, but we also do not want to end up losing our shirts in the process or giving away secrets.

So I think this legislation is going to help us move forward. I hope it has a speedy process in the Senate. I look forward to coming to the floor later on to vote on this very good piece of legislation.

I just wanted to come by and say, once again, this is another example on how we have and we are now working in a bipartisan way on behalf of securing America for future generations and this generation so that we can continue to move forward hand in hand.

I want to thank the bill's sponsor from Rhode Island for bringing this

legislation to the floor quickly, and also Mr. Thompson, the chairman of the committee, and ranking member of the committee on the Republican side for bringing this to the floor for speedy consideration.

I rise today in strong support of this legislation. H.R. 599, the Support for Antiterrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies or ``SAFETY'' Act would provide greater incentive to US companies that develop and produce domestic, antiterrorism technologies and would better ensure the integrity of our national security.

Congress enacted the SAFETY Act in 2002 to limit the liability of manufacturers of qualified, antiterrorism technologies. This was seen as an essential step to promote innovation in technology, and to ensure that our first responders received the very latest and best equipment.

However, the methods used by the Department of Homeland Security to implement the original legislation were markedly slow and burdensome to applicants. This created disincentive to companies to participate in the program, and negated the original intent of the legislation.

I raised this issue and others during a September 2006 joint hearing before the Homeland Security Subcommittees on Management, Integration, and Oversight and Emergency Preparedness, Science and Technology. In that hearing, questions were raised addressing these issues; however, little was done in the closing days of the 109th to enact sufficient change. The Department did take positive steps to alleviate some of these issues, by issuing improved application ``kits'' and approving the final rule.

Still more is needed, and H.R. 599 would be a significant step in that direction. Because procuring these vital technologies as they become available is imperative to national security, SAFETY Act certification must happen at the same time as production.

To ensure that both our companies and our first responders are protected, this bill would require the Department to formalize the coordination between its procurement office and the Office of SAFETY Act Implementation. This would stand to greatly improve the efficiency of the program and the application process. Moreover, this bill would also ensure that sufficient staff be made available for reviewing applications. Delays in certification can dissuade companies from bringing life saving technology to market for long periods of time.

The SAFETY Act, as it is named, is about the security of the American people. Improving this process will ensure that our Federal, State, and local authorities have the tools they need to protect the American people.

I urge my colleagues, to support this bipartisan measure and to further strengthen our defense from terror.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 599, to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to streamline the SAFETY Act and anti-terrorism technology procurement processes.

I would like to thank my friend from Rhode Island, Mr. Langevin, for introducing H.R. 599 which is essential to the exercise of our oversight responsibility over the Department of Homeland Security and critical in ensuring our great Nation's preparation for future terrorist threats and attacks.

This bill serves largely to rearrange and streamline the Support for Anti-terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies (SAFETY) Act of 2002. The SAFETY Act was implemented to protect the American people from terrorism by providing incentives for the development and deployment of anti-terrorism technologies for homeland security by limiting the liability of providers of qualified anti-terrorism technologies from claims arising out of acts of terrorism.

Despite our legislative intent that the SAFETY Act would pave the way for innovative development of key anti-terrorism technologies by addressing businesses' liability concerns, unfortunately industry was skeptical about the burdens imposed by the SAFETY Act's application process as implemented by the Department of Homeland Security. Regrettably, our high expectations for the SAFETY Act were not met and issues were raised about the excessively burdensome and slow evaluation and approval of applications by the Department's Office of SAFETY Act Implementation, OSAI, during the September 2006 joint hearing before the Homeland Security Subcommittees on Management, Integration, and Oversight and Emergency Preparedness, Science and Technology.

Significant improvements have been made to make this process more user-friendly, less time-consuming, and less costly for business with the SAFETY Act Application Kit, Kit, and final rule. However positive these improvements implemented may have been, additional improvements are of paramount importance to ensure that Congress' legislative intent of the SAFETY Act is met.

H.R. 599 will better address our legislative intent of the SAFETY Act and facilitate the following improvements: Make the application process more user-friendly, less time-consuming, and less costly for businesses; make the review process more swift, efficient and effective; result in a significant increase in the volume of SAFETY Act applications; more closely integrate the application and review process with the procurement of such technologies and services; and bolster awareness of and confidence in the efficacy of the SAFETY Act program among producers of anti-terrorism technologies as well as Federal, state, and local government purchases of these technologies.

While implementing the SAFETY Act, DHS has faced substantial criticisms about delays and insufficient personnel. It is critical that the Department continue to address these persistent issues and increase the number of highly trained, full-time personnel dedicated to reviewing and approving SAFETY Act applications. It is imperative that quick turnaround times are maintained when responding to operational needs. The link between the SAFETY Act office and the procurement office must be improved. If a product meets a test for procurement officials, there is no reason why the SAFETY Act office should have to run through a new process to test the effectiveness of the product.

I commend Congressman Langevin for sponsoring this legislation that requires the issuance of a Department directive to formalize the coordination between the Department's procurement office and OSAI.

Thus, I strongly urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 599, to direct the Secretary of Homeland security to streamline the SAFETY Act and anti-terrorism technology procurement processes. It is my hope and expectation that the passage of H.R. 599 will ensure the proper and timely implementation of the SAFETY Act of 2002.