Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I would like to commemorate the $15 million expansion of the Masterfoods USA Mississippi Delta facility located in Greenville, Mississippi.

For nearly 30 years, the Greenville facility has produced America's favorite branded rice, Uncle Ben's', in its many variations. This facility currently produces more than 100,000 tons of rice per year. As part of the expansion, Masterfoods USA will install state-of- the-art processing equipment which will improve capacity to produce the line of Uncle Ben's' 90-second microwaveable Ready Rice'.

The facility is a significant contributor to the state and local economy, employing approximately 200 associates and contributing millions of dollars in salaries and taxes. Moreover, each year, Masterfoods USA purchases and processes more than 156,000 tons, or $18 million, of Delta-grown rough rice through this facility.

Of equal importance is the commitment of Masterfoods USA and the Greenville facility to local community and charitable endeavors. For many years the company has been actively involved with the Greater Greenville Chamber of Commerce and many local charities including, the United Way, the American Heart Walk, the March of Dimes, the Salvation Army, the Boys and Girls Club, and America's Second Harvest. Through its long-standing partnership with the Mississippi Area Food Network, Masterfoods USA donates a large number of Uncle Ben's' products to regional food banks. For example, following Hurricane Katrina, Uncle Ben's' donated 150 tons of food to support relief efforts in the Gulf Region.

Through its partnership with America's Second Harvest, the company recently agreed to co-sponsor the construction of a Kids Cafe at the local Boys and Girls Club. Kids Cafe, the most expansive child feeding program in the United States, provides free meals and snacks to low- income children through a variety of existing community locations. In addition to providing hot meals to hungry kids, some Kids Cafe programs also offer a safe place, where under the supervision of trustworthy staff, a child can get involved in educational, recreational and social activities that draw on existing community programs and often include family members.

I am honored that the Masterfoods USA Greenville facility is located within my district. I ask you, Madam Speaker, and my colleagues to join me in commending Masterfoods USA, and in particular, its Greenville facility and its officials, for their many years of service and commitment to the Mississippi Delta region. I look forward to applauding their continued growth and success for many years to come.

Madam Speaker, I would like to recognize Weyerhaeuser Corporation and its wonderful community service in assisting in the relief efforts and the rebuilding of the gulf coast that was devastated by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. This outstanding company has gone well beyond the call of duty, truly exemplifying what community service is.

The Weyerhaeuser Company was incorporated in 1900, and is one the world's largest integrated forest product companies, headquartered in Federal Way, Washington, employing over 49,000 people in 18 countries. In 2005, they recorded sales of $22.6 billion, and the company manages more than 6.5 million acres of timberlands in nine States. I am pleased to note that 14 locations of the Weyerhaeuser Corporation are in Mississippi including several around the Second District.

In recognition of their outstanding community service and dedication to helping those who need it most, Weyerhaeuser Corporation has been recognized with the Ron Brown Award. This is the only Presidential award to honor companies ``for their exemplary quality of their relationships with employees and communities.'' This award is presented to companies that have set forth strong initiatives to strengthen their employees and the community that surrounds them, as well as promote pioneering business initiatives. The Ron Brown Award was originally established by President Bill Clinton after the late Secretary of Commerce, Ron Brown, who believed that ``businesses do well by doing good.'' In my opinion, there is no better choice for this award than the Weyerhaeuser Company for its outstanding work and dedication to our country.

On November 29, 2006, chairman, president and CEO of Weyerhaeuser, Steve Rogel, accepted the Ron Brown Award from U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez at a ceremony at the White House. Mr. Rogel accepted the award and dedicated it to Weyerhaeuser's disaster relief coordinator, Katy Taylor, along with the partners and volunteers who attended the ceremony.

Also recognized in the White House ceremony was the North Carolina Baptist Builders, with whom Weyerhaeuser teamed up in the gulf coast relief efforts. The North Carolina Baptist Builders is a faith-based organization that set forth a large mission to rebuild 600 homes along the coast. To the credit of the Baptist Builders, the Weyerhaeuser Company recognized their ``smoothly run rebuilding operation to keep projects moving.'' It is this kind of forward thinking and teamwork that makes the Weyerhaeuser Company so deserving of the Ron Brown Award.

I am honored to have such a wonderful and dedicated company that operates in Mississippi in places such as Magnolia, Philadelphia, and Richland. Weyerhaeuser Company has been operating in Mississippi since 1956 with approximately 1,700 employees and 776,000 acres of timberland.

The dedication of Weyerhaeuser to the community is astounding and sets a shining example to other businesses about the importance of community service and helping the less fortunate. To date, over 300 employees and retirees from across the United States and Canada have volunteered more than 42,000 hours of their time and helped rebuild 50 plus homes. Weyerhaeuser has a truly generous policy of allowing employees 2 to 4 weeks' paid leave to help volunteer in the rebuilding efforts of the gulf coast. Not only does it pay its employees while they are volunteering their time, but it also pays their way and their spouses' way for the rebuilding efforts. Now, over a year later, Weyerhaeuser employees are still participating in reconstruction efforts and have contributed a combined disaster relief to date totaling more than $2.8 million. This is nothing short of extraordinary.

While I can only mention some of the accomplishments of Weyerhaeuser Company's contribution, it is the people of Weyerhaeuser have that truly made the difference to individuals, families and the community as a whole. As one family wrote in response to the help from Weyerhaeuser volunteers, ``Because of all your efforts, we are home! Words cannot truly express the outpouring of love we have received. We are eternally grateful to our Weyerhaeuser family.'' This shows how the assistance of strangers can surely touch one's life and make their life better and give true meaning for caring in the community.

A sign of the high caliber of individuals Weyerhaeuser employs is some of the comments that went to the gulf coast to help. One man noted, ``The days were long and hot, the work was intense, but the rewards were immeasurable. This has been an experience I won't soon forget.'' Another volunteer employee commented, ``This experience was such a blessing. I got so much more from it than I felt I gave.'' Even Weyerhaeuser's retirees participated and one reflected of the occasion to assist those in need saying, ``Having once more the opportunity to work side by side with other Weyerhaeuser employees and retirees made me realize anew why I enjoyed working for Weyerhaeuser so much. It's all about the people and the values the company ascribes to. Thanks again.''

Testimonies such as these speak volumes of Weyerhaeuser Company and its dedication to its employees and others. It goes beyond helping those who are under its employment, but it extends a helping hand to strangers to make the world a better place to live.

I am pleased that Weyerhaeuser has had a long standing tradition in Mississippi and especially in the Second District. It is without question an admirable and outstanding company that lives up to the highest meaning of community service.

Weyerhaeuser's dedication to helping others is immeasurable and I cannot thank the company enough for the work they have done and continue to do. It is truly deserving of such a prestigious award, and I am delighted to see Weyerhaeuser's efforts have been recognized by the administration. The work of their employees and retirees shows that there is no one more deserving.

Mr. Chairman, I applaud Chairman Waxman, Ranking Member Davis, and others for their work on this badly needed bill.

This bill extends whistleblower protections to Federal employees who work on national security, mainly in the intelligence area, workers in the Transportation Security Administration, especially screeners, and Federal contractors, amongst others.

As Chairman Waxman correctly identified, there is a tremendous need to protect Federal workers and contractors who are our best sources of identifying waste fraud, abuse or security problems.

This bill treats Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) the same as all other Department employees by giving them full whistleblower protections, which TSOs currently do not have.

Mr. Chairman, others will tell you that TSOs have adequate whistleblower rights. While this is debatably true on paper, it is not true in practice.

The truth is TSOs do not enjoy full whistleblower protections. They have extremely limited whistleblower protections granted by a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that was entered into when TSA was part of the Department of Transportation.

In fact, while reviewing a TSO whistleblower claim in 2004, the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) ruled that the Homeland Security Act does not provide TSO whistleblowers with a right to MSPB review.

Compared to other Department employees who do enjoy the right to MSPB review, TSOs are treated differently.

Under the MOU, TSOs can only bring a claim to the Office of Special Counsel, but TSOs have no right of outside appeal to either the MSPB or any other independent agency or court, like all other the Department employees can.

This bill remedies this situation by giving the TSOs full whistleblower rights, including the right to independent outside review.

Besides independent outside review, this bill also allows a whistleblower to go to court if their claim has not been acted on within 6 months of filing.

This bill permits the whistleblower to bring an appeal on their case to any federal court of appeals having proper jurisdiction over the case.

I am also pleased that this bill provides the same rights to the Department's Office of Intelligence and Analysis employees as it does to intelligence employees in other agencies.

As we know, whistleblowers in the intelligence community must be careful when they disclose certain information.

This bill helps govern how these people can bring their claims, but it also adequately protects any sensitive or classified information that may be involved.

Mr. Chairman, I want to note that H.R. 1, which passed the House in January, has some similar effects as H.R. 985, mainly that it provides whistleblower protections to TSOs.

H.R. 1 also fixes the poor morale problems by allowing collective bargaining rights for TSOs, similar to other law enforcement officers and others within the Department, such as the Border Patrol and Customs and Border Protection Officers.

Nonetheless, I am happy to vote for H.R. 985 today as it not only makes America safer and more secure, but it also allows for all employees to report waste, fraud, or abuse of vital and limited government resources.

I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

Madam Speaker, like all Americans, I am alarmed at the lack of security for rail and public transportation systems around the country. Each weekday, 11.3 million passengers in 22 States use commuter, heavy, or light rail. History has shown that terrorists view rail and public transportation systems as potential targets. March 11 will be the 3-year anniversary of the terrorist bombings of Madrid's rail system, which killed and maimed hundreds of innocent civilians. This July marks the second anniversary of the terrorist bombings throughout London's public transportation system. Last summer, a number of bombs tore through Mumbai's rail system. Just last month, a passenger train outside New Delhi caught fire when suitcases filled with flammable liquids were exploded as the train headed for Pakistan.

Despite all of these attacks, rail and public transportation security remains a secondary issue to aviation security. In the fiscal year 2008 budget, the President only requested an additional $4 million for TSA's surface transportation budget. TSA's entire surface transportation budget is less than 1 percent of the amount the President requested for aviation security. I am alarmed by the lack of training for frontline rail and public transportation workers. I am also worried about security issues surrounding the transportation of hazardous materials through high-threat urban areas.

This Committee has taken action to close the gaps on rail and mass transit security. We have been working on a bipartisan basis to develop the ``Rail and Public Transportation Security Act of 2007.'' This bill requires rail and public transportation systems to complete security plans and vulnerability assessments. The bill also mandates training for frontline rail and public transportation system employees. It also gives them whistleblower protections to encourage reporting of security risks, and provides a redress process for employees who are terminated as a result of a background check. This legislation makes security grants available to rail, transit, and bus systems. Finally, it makes substantial investments in the research and development we need to find new ways to secure these systems.

My hope is that through these provisions, this comprehensive legislation will address most of the glaring gaps that currently exist in surface transportation security.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 399, the bill naming the soon-to-be-constructed courthouse in Jackson, Mississippi, after attorney R. Jess Brown.

For most of those individuals here, I represent Jackson, Mississippi. I knew R. Jess Brown. Most of the African American attorneys in the State of Mississippi would not be there had it not been for R. Jess Brown's tenacity and perseverance to encourage other people to participate.

Both speakers have talked about his ability as a lawyer; but the one thing that I would like to share is, while he did not graduate from law school, when he was practicing, you could practice law if you could pass the bar. He taught himself law and ultimately became one of the great lawyers in our State. He represented James Meredith. He represented Medgar Evers. He represented teachers who were trying to get equity in pay. He represented other students trying to go to the University of Southern Mississippi, a number of schools.

But the good thing about R. Jess Brown, Mr. Speaker, he also was a teacher. He always had time for young people. He taught at Alcorn State University as well as Lanier High School at a time where practicing law was not as beneficial as it is perhaps now.

I am happy to join the support of H.R. 399, this bill nominating the soon-to-be-constructed courthouse after R. Jess Brown.

The Brown family in Jackson, Mississippi, is well known. The widow of attorney Brown will be quite pleased with this. Oftentimes we don't give flowers to people while they are living, but perhaps this legacy in naming this Federal courthouse after attorney R. Jess Brown is fitting and proper.

So R. Jess Brown, Mr. Speaker, will be remembered more than as a brilliant attorney and civil rights leader. He will be remembered as a great American. As such, it is very appropriate that the United States courthouse soon be built in Jackson, Mississippi, is designated the R. Jess Brown United States Courthouse.

Mr. Chairman, I stand here today as chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security in support of H.R. 556, the National Security Foreign Investment Reform and Strengthened Transparency Act of 2007. This bill provides needed reform by formalizing and streamlining the structure and duties of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). Indeed, this bill addresses many of the concerns raised about CFIUS during the past twelve months, especially its current lack of transparency and oversight. This bill rectifies these concerns by formally establishing CFIUS and its membership, while also streamlining how and when a CFIUS review will be conducted.

Mr. Chairman, the bill formalizes the CFIUS membership and requires the following to serve: (1) Secretaries of Treasury, Homeland Security, Commerce, Defense, State, and Energy; (2) Attorney General; Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors; the U.S. Trade Representative; Director of Office of Management and Budget; Director of National Economic Council; and (3) The Director of Office of Science and Technology Policy; the President's assistant for national security affairs; and any other designee of the President from the Executive Office.

Under this bill, the Treasury Department will be the Chair with the Secretaries of Commerce and Homeland serving as the Vice Chairs. CFIUS will conduct a review of any national security related business transaction in which the outcome could result in foreign control of any business engaged in interstate commerce in the U.S. After reviewing the proposed business transaction, CFIUS will make a determination, the outcome of which could require conducting a full investigation if one of four circumstances exists: (1) Transaction involves a foreign government-controlled entity; (2) Transaction threatens to impair national security and the review cannot mitigate those concerns; (3) National Intelligence Director

identifies intelligence concerns and CFIUS could not agree upon methods to mitigate the concerns; or, (4) Any one (1) CFIUS Member votes against approving the transaction.

Incidents such as the Dubai Ports World (DPW) and the China National Offshore Oil Corporation's attempted bid for control of oil company Unocal raised and increased awareness around transactions that should receive CFIUS review. These incidents highlighted the need for meaningful CFIUS reform.

The bill balances the need for continued foreign investment in the United States, but reviewing that investment to determine if it would impair or threaten national security or critical infrastructure.

This bill establishes accountability to key Cabinet level agencies and, much like other corporate reform, requires personal action by the Secretaries of Treasury, Commerce, and Homeland Security. Congressional Research Service's independent report found that for all merger and acquisition activity in 2005, 13 percent of it was from foreign firms acquiring U.S. firms. This is up from 9 percent almost 10 years before. This statistic shows that foreign investment in the U.S. is vital to the economy. Only through this legislation, will CFIUS have a formal budget, membership and clear mission--protecting American security while maintaining a free and growing economy.

In closing, let me thank my colleagues on the Financial Services Committee for their leadership on this legislation, especially my Democratic colleagues Representative Carolyn Maloney and Joseph Crowley of New York for their efforts.

Mr. Speaker, we have a bill, but in our traditional, bipartisan way, I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. King).

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 884, Promoting Antiterrorism Cooperation through Technology and Science Act, a bill considered in one form or another since the 108th Congress.

There is an old saying we tell school children: if at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

Although these words of encouragement may have originally applied to the grade school study of algebra or Latin, they are equally motivational to those of us serving in the 110th Congress.

I first raised the idea of this bill in January of 2005, soon after I became the ranking member. I know my Democratic colleagues had pushed for it in the 108th Congress at well.

Well, after years of trying, this Congress will succeed in sending this legislation to the President's desk. I know the other body will be taking up a similar provision attached to their bill seeking to fulfill the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. I am very pleased that they will soon join the House in passing this legislation.

Why is this bill so important? The answer lies in the nature of the terrorist threat. Terrorism is an international threat to the democratic way of life. Though we have experienced terrible tragedies of our own, terrorist attacks occur all over the world.

Terrorists have attacked buses in London; hotels in Israel; trains in Mumbai; embassies in Indonesia; resorts in Bali; and schools in Russia. As the global threat of terrorism is evident, so too is the solution to limiting those attacks. By promoting international cooperation, we will defeat the efforts of our enemies. Cooperation in developing antiterrorism technologies should be a top priority. The different challenges faced by our friends around the world have resulted in new approaches that the United

States should leverage to protect our citizens.

International cooperation is nothing new for our country. In fact, the United States has a history of productive scientific and technical collaborations with Israel, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and others.

The Department of Homeland Security has participated in some of these partnerships with foreign governments and other entities.

This legislation will encourage and strengthen those efforts and direct the Department to look for new partners beyond those we already have. This includes working with folks in the small business community who can bring exciting technologies to the table.

I am especially heartened that the bill will strengthen the means for protecting our Nation from exotic diseases. Active collaborations with scientists in Africa, where many of these diseases originate, should be promoted. This bill encourages that collaboration.

Too often, the United States presents a posture of unilateralism to the world. I hope that through programs like the ones authorized in this legislation, we encourage a more cooperative approach to fighting terrorism.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly support H.R. 884. I urge my colleagues to do the same.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I would like to basically thank the gentleman from New York for working with me on the bill, and I encourage all Members to vote ``aye'' for its passage.

I also submit the following exchange of letters for the Record.

Committee on Science and

Technology,

Washington, DC, February 26, 2007.

Hon. Bennie G. Thompson,

Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. Chairman, I am writing to you concerning the

jurisdictional interest of the Committee on Science and

Technology in H.R. 884, the Promoting Antiterrorism

Cooperation through Technology and Science Act. The Committee

on Science and Technology has jurisdictional interest in this

bill based on the Committee's jurisdiction over the

Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology

Directorate (``DHS S&T'') and other DHS research and

development. [See Rule X(o)(14) which grants the Committee on

Science and Technology jurisdiction over ``Scientific

research, development, and demonstration, and projects

therefor.'']

This bill would amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to

establish a ``Science and Technology Homeland Security

International Cooperative Programs Office.'' All of the

international cooperative activities authorized by the bill

relate to homeland security research (e.g., ``coordinated

research projects, joint research projects, or joint

ventures;'' ``joint studies or technical demonstrations;''

``coordinated field exercises, scientific seminars,

conferences, symposia, and workshops;'' ``training of

scientists and engineers;'' ``visits and exchanges of

scientists, engineers, or other appropriate personnel;''

``exchanges or sharing of scientific and technological

information;'' and ``joint use of laboratory facilities and

equipment''). In addition, the funding for such activities is

to be derived from amounts otherwise authorized to DHS S&T.

The Committee on Science and Technology acknowledges the

importance of H.R. 884 and the need for the legislation to

move expeditiously. Therefore, while we have a valid claim to

jurisdiction over this bill, I agree not to request a

sequential referral. This, of course, is conditional on our

mutual understanding that nothing in this legislation or my

decision to forgo a sequential referral waives, reduces, or

otherwise affects the jurisdiction of the Committee on

Science and Technology, and that a copy of this letter and of

your response will be included in the Congressional Record

when the bill is considered on the House Floor.

The Committee on Science and Technology also expects that

you will support our request to be conferees during any

House-Senate conference on this legislation.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Bart Gordon,

Chairman.

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

Madam Speaker, 3 months ago the American people sent a resounding message for change. They voted for a new direction in Congress and new direction for the war in Iraq.

In solemn tribute to the sacrifices of the men and women of the Armed Forces in Mississippi's Second Congressional District who have served in Iraq and who have paid the ultimate sacrifice, I would like to recognize some of Mississippi's Second District heroes:

Staff Sergeant Kenneth Bradley. Hometown: Utica, Mississippi; 39 years old; died May 28, 2003, in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Larry K. Brown. Hometown: Jackson, Mississippi; 22 years old; died April 5, 2003, in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Rapheal S. Davis. Hometown: Tutwiler, Mississippi; 24 years of age; died December 2, 2003, in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Captain Kermit O. Evans. Hollandale, Mississippi; 31 years old; died December 3, 2006, in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Joshua S. Ladd. Port Gibson, Mississippi; 20 years old; died May 1, 2004, in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Master Sergeant Brian McAnulty. Hometown: Vicksburg, Mississippi; 39 years of age; died December 11, 2006, in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Staff Sergeant John McGee. Cary, Mississippi; age 36 years; died May 2, 2005, in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Staff Sergeant Joe Wilson. Crystal Springs, Mississippi; 30 years of age; November 2, 2003, in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Madam Speaker, the Department of Defense reports that as of February 15, 2007, 3,126 U.S. military servicemembers have died as a result of their service in Iraq. More than 25,000 have been wounded.

This bipartisan resolution before us today asks Members a straightforward question: Do you approve of the President's announced proposal on January 10, 2007, to deploy more than 20,000 additional United States combat troops to Iraq?

There is no question that the way forward in Iraq is one of our greatest challenges. The open debate offered here today allows us all an opportunity to express our sentiments on the administration's proposal. The sacrifices, dedication, and patriotism of our elite military and their families deserve no less.

I oppose the President's proposal. Until the President is willing to sit down with Congress and provide accurate data on what is really going on in this war, I cannot in good conscience support putting more men in harm's way.

This administration used bad intelligence to justify the rationale for war, and I fear that they are using bad judgment here today in their call for sending 25,000 more troops into harm's way.

The administration keeps calling this proposal a troop surge. Let us call it what it is. The proposal is a troop increase. Rather than a troop surge, what we need from this administration is a truth surge. The incompetence and misinformation that has gotten us into this mess is not the competence it will take to get us out.

The President and this administration must remain faithful and truthful to Congress and the American people by openly discussing appropriate measures to resolve the situation in Iraq that is worsening daily. The President must allow Congress to do what it was formed to do under the Constitution. His decision to continue in this direction is not democratic and, therefore, does not demonstrate the best example of what we are fighting for in Iraq. We must not allow the President to escalate the Iraq War without specific congressional approval.

Madam Speaker, we must send the President a message he cannot ignore. We must pass the Skelton-Lantos-Jones resolution.

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.

Madam Speaker, I would like to recognize an African American pioneer, athlete Willye White.

Willye B. White was born on December 31, 1939, in Money, Mississippi. She was raised by her grandparents in Greenville, Mississippi. White used athletics as her escape from working in the cotton fields for her grandparents. In high school, she spent summers training with famed track and field coach Ed Temple at Tennessee State University.

By age 16, Willye White was on the 1956 U.S. Olympic Team competing in Melbourne, Australia, where she won a silver medal in the long jump. She was the first American woman to win a medal in that event. She won a second silver medal in 1964 as a member of the 4x100 meter relay team in Tokyo. Willye White competed on five U.S. Olympic teams consecutively from 1956-1972.

White, a longtime Chicago-area resident, credited her experience as an athlete with allowing her to see beyond the racism and hatred that surrounded her as a child. She grew up before the civil rights movement, so before the Olympics, she thought that the whole world consisted of cross burnings and lynching. She reported to Sports illustrated magazine that, ``The Olympic movement taught me not to judge a person by the color of their skin but by the contents of their hearts,'' and that ``I am who I am because of my participation in sports.''

She was a member of more than 30 international track and field teams and won a dozen Amateur Athletic Union long jump titles in her career, according to USA Track & Field, which inducted her into its Hall of Fame in 1981. White was inducted into 11 sports halls of fame, including the Black Sports Hall of Fame, the National Sports Track and Field Hall of Fame, and the Women's Sports Foundation International Hall of Fame. In 1999, Sports Illustrated for Women named her one of the 100 greatest women athletes in the 20th century.

After retiring from competitions, she dedicated her life to helping the underprivileged and less fortunate. She became a nurse and earned a degree in public health administration from Chicago State University. White coached, lectured and served as president of the Midwest chapter of the U.S. Olympians for 12 years. In 1991, she established the Willye White Foundation to help youth develop self-esteem and become productive citizens within the community. She also received her honorary Doctor of Humanity Degree from Springfield College in 1999.

Willye White died on February 6, 2007, of pancreatic cancer at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.

Willye White was a pioneer for African Americans and women, by becoming the first American woman to win a gold medal in the long jump. She was a Philanthropist, who used her life experiences to help improve other's lives.

Madam Speaker, in accordance with clause 2(a) of Rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives, I respectfully submit the rules of the Committee on Homeland Security for printing in the Congressional Record. The Committee on Homeland Security adopted these rules by voice vote, a quorum being present, at our organizational meeting on January 23, 2007.

Committee on Homeland Security, Committee Rules, Adopted January 23,

2007

Rule L.--GENERAL PROVISIONS.

(A) Applicability of the Rules of the U.S. House of

Representatives.--The Rules of the U.S. House of

Representatives (the ``House'') are the rules of the

Committee on Homeland Security (the ``Committee'') and its

subcommittees insofar as applicable.

(B) Applicability to Subcommittees.--Except where the terms

``Full Committee'' and ``subcommittee'' are specifically

mentioned, the following rules shall apply to the Committee's

subcommittees and their respective Chairmen and Ranking

Minority Members to the same extent as they apply to the Full

Committee and its Chairman and Ranking Minority Member.

(C) Appointments by the Chairman.--The Chairman shall

designate a Member of the Majority party to serve as Vice

Chairman of the Full Committee. The Vice Chairman of the Full

Committee shall preside at any meeting or hearing of the Full

Committee during the temporary absence of the Chairman. In

the absence of both the Chairman and Vice Chairman, the

Chairman's designee shall preside.

(D) Recommendation of Conferees.--Whenever the Speaker of

the House is to appoint a conference committee on a matter

within the jurisdiction of the Full Committee, the Chairman

shall recommend to the Speaker of the House conferees from

the Full Committee. In making recommendations of Minority

Members as conferees, the Chairman shall do so with the

concurrence of the Ranking Minority Member of the Committee.

(E) Motions To Disagree.--The Chairman is directed to offer

a motion under clause 1 of Rule XXII of the Rules of the

House whenever the Chairman considers it appropriate.

(F) Committee Website.--The Chairman shai1 maintain an

official Committee web site for the purposes of furthering

the Committee's legislative and oversight responsibilities,

including communicating information about the Committee's

activities to Committee Members, other Members and the public

at large. The Ranking Minority Member may maintain a similar

website for the same purposes.

Rule II.--TIME OF MEETINGS

(A) Regular Meeting Date.--The regular meeting date and

time for the transaction of business of the Full Committee

shall be on the first Wednesday that the House is in Session

each month, unless otherwise directed by the Chairman.

(B) Additional Meetings.--At the discretion of the

Chairman, additional meetings of the Committee may be

scheduled for the consideration of any bill or other matters

pending before the Committee or to conduct other Committee

business. The Committee shall meet for such purposes pursuant

to the call of the Chairman.

(C) Consideration.--Except in the case of a special meeting

held under clause 2(c)(2) of House Rule XI, the determination

of the business to be considered at each meeting of the

Committee shall be made by the Chairman.

Rule III.--NOTICE AND PUBLICATION

(A) Notice.--

(1) Hearings.--The date, time, place and subject matter of

any hearing of the Committee shall, except as provided in the

Committee rules, be announced by notice at least one week in

advance of the commencement of such hearing. The names of all

witnesses scheduled to appear at such hearing shall be

provided to Members no later than 48 hours prior to the

commencement of such hearing. These notice requirements may

be waived by the Chairman with the concurrence of the Ranking

Minority Member.

(2) Meetings.--The date, time, place and subject matter of

any meeting, other than a hearing or a regularly scheduled

meeting, shall be announced at least 36 hours in advance of a

meeting to take place on a day the House is in session, and

72 hours in advance of a meeting to take place on a day the

House is not in session, except in the case of a special

meeting called under clause 2(c)(2) of House Rule XI. These

notice requirements may be waived by the Chairman with the

Concurrence of the Ranking Minority Member.

(a) Copies of any measure to be considered for approval by

the Committee at any meeting, including any mark, print or

amendment in the of a substitute shall be provided to the

Members at least 24 hours in advance.

(b) The requirement in subsection (a) may be waived or

abridged by the Chairman, with advance notice to the Ranking

Minority Member.

(3) Publication.--The meeting or hearing announcement shall

be promptly published in the Daily Digest portion of the

Congressional Record. To the greatest extent practicable,

meeting announcements shall be entered into the Committee

scheduling service of the House Information Resources.

Rule IV.--OPEN MEETINGS AND HEARINGS; BROADCASTING

(A) Open Meetings.--All meetings and hearings of the

Committee shall be open to the public including to radio,

television and still photography coverage, except as provided

by Rule XI of the Rules of the House or when the Committee,

in open session and with a Majority present, determines by

recorded vote that all or part of the remainder of that

hearing on that day shall be closed to the public because

disclosure of testimony, evidence, or other matters to be

considered would endanger the national security, compromise

sensitive law enforcement information, tend to defame,

degrade or incriminate a witness, or violate any law or role

of the House of Representatives.

(B) Broadcasting.--Whenever any hearing or meeting

conducted by the Committee is open to the public, the

Committee shall permit that hearing or meeting to be covered

by television broadcast, internet broadcast, print media, and

still photography, or by any of such methods of coverage. in

accordance with the provisions of clause 4 of Rule XI of the

Rules of the House. Operation and use of any Committee

operated broadcast system shall be fair and nonpartisan and

in accordance with clause 4(b) of Rule XI and all other

applicable rules of the Committee and the House. Priority

shall be given by the Committee to members of the Press

Galleries.

(C) Transcripts.--A transcript shall be made of the

testimony of each witness appearing before the Committee

during a Committee hearing. All transcripts of meetings or

hearings that are open to the public shall be made available.

Rule V.--PROCEDURES FOR MEETINGS AND HEARINGS

(A) Opening Statements.--At any meeting of the Committee,

the Chairman and Ranking Minority Member shall be entitled to

present oral opening statements of five minutes each. Other

Members may submit written opening statements for the record.

The Chairman presiding over the meeting may permit additional

opening statements by other Members of the Full Committee or

of that subcommittee, with the concurrence of the Ranking

Minority Member.

(B) The Five-Minute Rule.--The time anyone Member may

address the Committee on any bill, motion, or other matter

under consideration by the Committee shall not exceed five

minutes, and then only when the Member bas been recognized by

the Chairman, except that this time limit may be extended

when permitted by unanimous consent.

(C) Postponement of Vote.--The Chairman may postpone

further proceedings when a record vote is ordered on the

question of approving any measure or matter or adopting an

amendment. The Chairman may resume proceedings on a postponed

vote at any time, provided that all reasonable steps have

been taken to notify Members of the resumption of such

proceedings. When proceedings resume on a postponed question,

notwithstanding any intervening order for the previous

question, an underlying proposition shall remain subject to

further debate or amendment to the same extent as when the

question was postponed.

(D) Contempt Procedures.--No recommendation that a person

cited for contempt of Congress shall be forwarded to the

House unless and until the Full Committee has, upon notice to

all its Members, met and considered the alleged contempt. The

person to be cited for contempt shall be afforded, upon

notice of at least 72 hours, an opportunity to state why he

or she should not be held in contempt prior to a vote of the

Full Committee, with a quorum being present, on the question

whether to forward such recommendation to the House. Such

statement shall be, in the discretion of the Chairman, either

in writing or in person before the Full Committee.

Rule VI.--WITNESSES

(A) Questioning of Witnesses.--

(1) Questioning of witnesses by-Members will be conducted

under the five-minute rule unless the Committee adopts a

motion permitted by House Rule XI (2)(j)(2).

(2) In questioning witnesses under the 5-minute rule, the

Chairman and the Ranking Minority Member shall first be

recognized. In a subcommittee meeting or hearing, the

Chairman and Ranking Minority Member of the Full Committee

are then recognized. All other Members that arrive before the

commencement of the meeting or hearing will be recognized in

the order of seniority on the Committee, alternating between

Majority and Minority Members. Committee Members arriving

after the commencement of the hearing shall be recognized in

order of appearance, alternating between Majority and

Minority Members, after all Members present at the beginning

of the hearing have been recognized. Each Member shall be

recognized at least once before any Member is given a second

opportunity to question a witness.

(3) The Chairman, in consultation with the Ranking Minority

Member, or the Committee by motion may permit an extension of

the period of questioning of a witness beyond five minutes

but the time allotted must be equally apportioned to the

Majority party and the Minority and may not exceed one hour

in the aggregate.

(4) The Chairman, in consultation with the Ranking Minority

Member, or the Committee by motion may permit Committee staff

of the Majority and Minority to question a witness for a

specified, total period that is equal for each side and not

longer than 30 minutes for each side.

(B) Minority Witnesses.--Whenever a hearing is conducted by

the Committee upon any measure or matter, the Minority party

Members on the Committee shall be entitled, upon request to

the Chairman by a Majority of those Minority Members before

the completion of such hearing, to call witnesses selected by

the Minority to testify with respect to that measure or

matter during at least one day of hearing thereon.

(C) Oath or Affirmation.--The Chairman of the Committee or

any Member designated by the Chairman, may administer an path

to any witness.

(D) Statements by Witnesses.--

(1) Consistent with the notice given, witnesses shall

submit a prepared or written statement for the record of the

proceedings (including, where practicable, an electronic

copy) with the Clerk of the Committee no less than 48 hours

in advance of the witness's appearance before the Committee.

Unless the 48 hour requirement is waived or otherwise

modified by the Chairman after consultation with the Ranking

Minority Member, the failure to comply with this requirement

may result in the exclusion of the written testimony from the

hearing record and/or the baring of an oral presentation of

the testimony.

(2) To the greatest extent practicable, the written

testimony of each witness appearing in a non-governmental

capacity shall include a curriculum vitae and a disclosure of

the amount and source (by agency and program) of any Federal

grant (or thereof) or contract (or subcontract thereof)

received during the current fiscal year or either of the two

preceding fiscal years by the witness or by an entity

represented by the witness to the extent that such

information is relevant to the subject matter of, and the

witness' representational capacity at, the hearing.

Rule VII.--QUORUM

Quorum Requirements.--Two Members shall constitute a quorum

for purposes of taking testimony and receiving evidence. One-

third of the Members of the Committee shall constitute a

quorum for conducting business, except for (1) reporting a

measure or recommendation; (2) closing Committee meetings to

the public, pursuant to Committee Rule IV; (3) authorizing

the issuance of subpoenas; and (4) any other action for which

actual majority quorum is required by any rule of the House

of Representatives or by law. The Chairman shall make

reasonable efforts, including consultation with the Ranking

Minority Member when scheduling meetings and hearings, to

ensure that a quorum for any purpose will include at least

one minority Member of the Committee.

Rule VIII.--DECORUM

(A) Breaches of Decorum.--The Chairman may punish breaches

of order and decorum, by censure and exclusion from the

hearing; and the Committee may cite the offender to the House

for contempt.

(B) Access to Dais.--Access to the dais before, during and

after a hearing, markup, or other meeting of the Committee

shall be limited to Members and staff of the Committee.

Subject to availability of space on the dais, a Member may

have a personal staff present on the dais during periods when

the Member is seated on the dais at the hearing.

(C) Wireless Communications Use Prohibited.--During a

hearing, markup, or other meeting of the Committee, ringing

or audible sounds or conversational use of cellular

telephones or other electronic devices is prohibited in the

Committee room.

Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Langevin.

Today I rise to support a bill that reaffirms our commitment to ensuring that safe and effective antiterrorism technologies are being deployed by the Department of Homeland Security.

This bill, offered by my colleague Mr. Langevin, will provide much- needed reforms to the SAFETY Act process within the Department.

In conducting oversight over the Department's implementation of the SAFETY Act over the last several years, it was apparent that there was several significant disconnections within the Department.

It became clear that the Office of SAFETY Act Implementation and the private sector were working on separate wavelengths. The right hand simply was not speaking to the left.

The private sector struggled to fulfill the lengthy paperwork requirements of the SAFETY Act, while the SAFETY Act office often seemed nonresponsive to private sector requests.

While the Department's adoption of final regulations this summer implementing the SAFETY Act appears to be an encouraging step forward, still more must be done to ensure that the government is being responsive to developments in the private sector.

This 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. This will ensure that applications are being processed in a timely fashion to bring more technologies to the table earlier than ever.

Perhaps more importantly, this bill will also ensure the proper coordination between the Department's procurement and implementing offices and raise the awareness of SAFETY Act risk management provisions among procurement officers across Federal, State and local government, and throughout the private sector.

In order to generate revolutionary breakthroughs in antiterrorism technologies, the Department must actively promote awareness of SAFETY Act protections not only among private sector, but across government procurement agencies. This legislation will help achieve those goals.

I congratulate Mr. Langevin for offering this legislation and strongly urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill. We must enable the private sector to deliver the revolutionary, breakthrough technologies that will help win the Nation's fight against terrorism.

Mr. Speaker, because her time was accidentally cut off earlier, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney).

Mr. Speaker, I have one speaker, and I will be prepared to close after that.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the remainder of the time.

First of all, I would like to set a couple of things straight for the record. For my ranking member, these 9/11 recommendations are not cheap political tricks; they are very serious and things that we all take very seriously because of that.

With respect to the 100 percent port cargo screening, it says take the lessons learned from the pilots and then implement what you learned from the pilots, not go forward, like you say.

You talk about not bringing bills before the committee. You brought a fence bill straight to the floor without going through a subcommittee or a committee.

So I might say to my colleague, I look forward to working with him over the next 2 years on making sure that we keep America safe from bad people, but also that we are able to respond to natural disasters and other things.

Mr. Speaker, it is fitting and proper that this bill, the first bill voted upon by the new Congress, gets the record straight on the 9/11 Commission's report. We finished the job. Yesterday, former Vice Chair Lee Hamilton of the 9/11 Commission made it very clear why we are here today.

He said in his view, ``The terrorists are plotting today on how best to strike the United States. They will not wait, and it has been a source of very considerable frustration to the members of the 9/11 Commission that so many of our recommendations, which really are commonsense recommendations, like the ability of the first responders to communicate with one another, the allocation of funds on the basis of risk and not politics, and many other recommendations, are simply common sense. It has puzzled us and frustrated us that they have not been enacted into law.''

Let us be very clear, Mr. Speaker, today's bill fixes these problems and fulfills many of the 9/11 Commission's recommendations. In short, as 9/11 Vice Chair Lee Hamilton said yesterday, if this bill is enacted, funded and implemented, the American people will be safer.

I urge support of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take the opportunity to make reference to the fact that H.R. 1 includes provisions in which the Judiciary Committee has a jurisdictional interest. Specifically, I am speaking of provisions that touch on the following aspects of the bill: the Human Smuggling and Trafficking Center, the Fusion and Law Enforcement Education and Teaming Grant Program, the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, the Federal Advisory Committee Act, and the treatment of detainees.

I appreciate the assistance of my colleague from Michigan, Mr. Conyers, in assuring the expedited consideration of this important legislation on the House floor, given his Committee's jurisdictional interest in the legislation. While it is important to note that I do not control the entire process, as there are other House Committees involved and the Senate will likely have its own positions on a variety of these issues, I am glad to work with the gentleman from Michigan and other Members of the Judiciary Committee as this legislation moves forward.

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

Madam Speaker, the 9/11 Commission produced an unprecedented, bipartisan evaluation of how terrorists were able to exploit our nation's security on September 11, 2001. The Commissioners made 41 valuable recommendations on how to prevent such an attack from occurring again. Unfortunately, not all of those recommendations were fulfilled by Congress and the Bush Administration. As a result, the American people remain at-risk, and our nation remains unprepared for a major emergency. When Hurricanes Katrina and Rita slammed into the Gulf Coast, we were reminded again of how unprepared we still are to deal with national disasters--whether caused by nature or a terrorist attack.

The ``Implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act of 2007,'' which I am introducing today, will make the United States more secure by closing many of the security gaps that continue to expose our nation to the risk of a terrorist attack.

Enactment of this legislation will make it more difficult for terrorists to obtain nuclear materials, ensure that first responders finally have the equipment they need to respond to a disaster, airplanes will be more secure, our borders will be harder for terrorists to penetrate, our police and other local law enforcement will finally get the information they need about terrorist threats, and ports and other critical infrastructure will be made more secure. Perhaps most importantly, this bill makes these improvements in security without endangering our American way of life because it puts in place strong new privacy and civil liberties protections.

Specifically, this bill provides much-needed support to the first responders at the State, local, and tribal levels who bear the brunt of the emergency response and preparedness burden. The 9-11 Commission recommended that homeland security funds designed to improve emergency preparedness be allocated based on risk, and that steps be taken to provide first responders with communications systems that are fully interoperable in an emergency. This bill fulfills these recommendations by providing for risk-based evaluation and prioritization of homeland security grants and enhanced accountability for grant distribution and use, so that federal aid will go where it is most needed. Moreover, it creates a stand-alone grant program to help States, local and tribal governments erect the interoperable communications systems that are so vital to effective emergency response. It also encourages the use of a unified command during an emergency, so that Federal officials work more closely with State, local, and tribal governments in preparation and response efforts.

The 9/11 Commission found that many Federal agencies had information that could have led to the arrest and capture of the September 11th hijackers, but that this information did not reach the Federal, State, and local officials who could have acted on it. This bill acts on the 9/11 Commission's recommendation to improve intelligence and information sharing between Federal authorities and their State and local counterparts. First, it establishes the Fusion and Law Enforcement Education and Training (FLEET) Grant Program to strengthen the capabilities of local fusion centers and to foster cooperation among State and local law enforcement officers. It also establishes the Border Intelligence Fusion Center Program, which will put experienced Federal border security personnel to fusion centers in border States to enhance collaboration. Additionally, it provides more State and local law enforcement officers with the opportunity to gain valuable experience working in Washington with Department of Homeland Security officials. Finally, it ensures the Department itself has the technology and organization needed to facilitate intelligence and information sharing.

Our nation's aviation system, which was easily exploited by the September 11th hijackers, will also be made more secure through this bill. The 9/11 Commission found that more steps need to be taken to secure air cargo and checked baggage and to ensure airport checkpoints have the equipment necessary to detect explosives. This bill meets those concerns. First, it requires TSA to develop a system so that 100 percent of air cargo carried on passenger aircraft is inspected by 2009. Second, it provides for an additional billion dollars to be made available over the next four years to put modern baggage screening systems in place. It also creates an innovative new $250 million trust fund to address the risk of suicide bombers at the checkpoint by strengthening explosive detection at the checkpoint. The Department will also have to explain how it plans to undertake efforts to prescreen passenger

names against terrorist watch lists, a task the airlines are still charged with doing over five years after 9/11. At the same time, a new, streamlined system will be put in place for innocent people to establish their identities and prevent them from being misidentified against ``No Fly'' or ``Selectee'' lists.

One of the most frightening aspects of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Flight 93 is that the planes all took off from domestic airports, meaning that each of the hijackers was already in the United States. In response to these disconcerting facts, this bill strengthens accountability for plans to implement biometric verification of foreign nationals entering and exiting the United States, as well as improved integration of the Visa Security and Terrorist Travel Programs. Moreover, this measure authorizes badly needed support and personnel for the Human Smuggling and Trafficking Center, in order to enhance its ability to combat human smuggling, human trafficking, and terrorist travel.

In addition to addressing domestic homeland security gaps, this bill also contains multiple provisions that deal with security concerns outside the United States. Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, we have become increasingly aware of the growing threat posed by terrorists with access to nuclear materials and other weapons of mass destruction. This bill takes up those concerns by providing some of the building blocks needed to mitigate the international aspects of terrorism. This bill complements existing laws and provides resources to encourage international cooperation to stem proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. It also addresses the terrorism implications of the nuclear black market, and mandates that U.S. foreign assistance and arms sales be withdrawn from countries that condone or engage in nuclear proliferation networks.

Another way that this bill protects against the threat posed by weapons of mass destruction is to strengthen security procedures for cargo entering the United States from foreign ports. Building upon the recently enacted SAFE Ports Act, this bill requires all cargo containers to be scanned before they reach U.S. ports within five years, and requires port security personnel to use the best technology available in scanning containers for radiation and density.

While it addresses a number of security concerns, this bill would also strengthen protection of privacy rights and civil liberties. Although it was created in 2004 on the recommendation of the 9/11 Commission, the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board has been little more than a shell that has failed to live up to its promise and protect the basic freedoms of Americans. This bill would take three key steps toward making the Board a legitimate force of accountability and transparency in the federal government. First, it would remove the Board from the Executive Office of the President, making it an independent and autonomous body. Second, this bill would require all Board members to be confirmed by the Senate, which will minimize political influence by the President and other executive officials whose actions it oversees. Finally, this bill would empower the Board as the Chief Privacy Officer with the authority to subpoena witnesses and evidence, a key investigative tool that would greatly strengthen the Board's ability to uncover questionable or unlawful action.

The best way to honor those who lost their lives because of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 is to make sure that kind of attack never happens again. Similarly, there must be a stronger commitment to giving first responders and communities the resources they need to respond quickly and vigorously to terrorist attacks and significant natural disasters. The 9/11 Commission did an exemplary job of locating weaknesses and making recommendations for strengthening homeland security. Now it falls to us, the U.S. Congress, to follow through on those recommendations. The 9/11 Commission Recommendations Act of 2007 is a critical step in fulfilling that mission, and I urge my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in supporting it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5782--the Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2006.

I want to thank Chairman Young and Ranking Member Oberstar and my other colleagues, who brought this vital and important bill to the floor today.

Pipeline security has gone under the radar in recent years--but there are critical issues which must be addressed. This bill addresses many of these problems.

This bill strengthens the ``one-call notification system'' which allows private citizens and the constructIon industry to quickly and easily notify utilities and pipeline owners of excavation.

The one-call notification system is vital to protecting these key resources and critical infrastructure from third-party damage.

Unfortunately, third parties are the number one cause of pipeline damage--disrupting the economy and putting many in harms way. These occurrences can easily be prevented and this bill helps do just that. This bill subjects anyone who does not comply with this system to stiff action and penalties.

This bill establishes a State Damage Prevention Program--which is a program which aims to prevent damage to underground infrastructure. This program will be based at the state level and this bill provides for a state grant program managed by the Department of Transportation.

This bill improves the management of pipeline infrastructure by mandating the recommendations set forth by the NTSB--the National Transportation Safety Board.

The bill will also improve pipeline security by assessing risk associated with human error and reducing damage from these issues by specifically providing for training and simulation exercises.

On the technology side, this bill will improve on leak detection technology and monitoring alarms which will improve safety around hazardous materials and the pipelines which carry them.

This bill also takes into account environmentally sensitive areas. It mandates new standards for pipelines in these areas which will aim to limit or prevent accidents in these susceptible and crucial areas.

This bill also aims to assess and prevent possible gasoline shortages and price spikes by assessing how future pipeline capacity shortages might impact the price of gas at the pump.

And finally and most importantly, this bill provides for proper communications between the Department of Transportation and the Department of Homeland Security to ensure reliability for these important and critical assets.