Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening, along with my colleagues, to honor the life and legacy of Charles Colson, better known as Chuck Colson.

Many people remember Chuck Colson as the hatchet man for President Richard M. Nixon and also the first member of the administration under Richard Nixon to go to prison.

But Chuck Colson is probably known better as a central figure in the Christian community since his conversion to be a follower of Jesus Christ. Some at the time of his conversion may have said it was a jailhouse conversion. However, if you knew and you looked at the life of Chuck Colson and saw the life that he led following his release from Maxwell Federal Prison Camp in Alabama, you would come to a far different conclusion.

Chuck Colson emerged from prison with a new mission, and that mission was to mobilize the Christian Church to minister to prisoners. This would perhaps be his greatest contribution to the church and to the world.

Chuck Colson was someone who rose to high places in the eyes of the world during his time here in Washington and in his political career. But it actually wasn't until Chuck Colson hit rock bottom that really his life was turned around. It wasn't until he realized that he was living in darkness, that he was in need of a savior, and that he was powerless to earn God's favor that his life actually turned around.

If he were here with us tonight, I think Chuck would unashamedly say that placing his trust in Christ, recognizing that Christ had paid the penalty for his sins was the best decision that he ever made in his life. And I can say these things about Chuck Colson because I had the opportunity to get to know Chuck Colson personally over the last several years, and I am honored to call him a friend.

Chuck Colson made many friends over his life and, of course, he will be missed greatly by so many around the world. And of course to Patty and his children, he will be sorely missed.

But, Mr. Speaker, I feel sure that Chuck has heard the words, Well done, my good and faithful servant.

So I thank you again, Mr. Hultgren, for the time you have yielded to me to honor Chuck Colson.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the courage and dedication of the first responders of Hackleburg and Phil Campbell in the wake of the deadly tornadoes of April 27, 2011. Furthermore I want to honor the heroic actions of these volunteer firefighters, law enforcement officers and paramedics for their selfless devotion to their communities.

On Wednesday, April 27, 2011, the State of Alabama experienced the worst tornado outbreak since 1974 and possibly the deadliest the State has ever seen. The small Northwest Alabama towns of Hackleburg and Phil Campbell were completely devastated by the storms. The storms left a path of destruction through the towns at least half a mile wide, destroying numerous houses and businesses as well as both high schools, the fire and police stations in Hackleburg and severely damaging the city hall in Phil Campbell. Worst of all, the tornadoes took the lives of 18 people in the Hackleburg area and 27 people in Phil Campbell.

During the difficult hours and days immediately following the tornadoes of April 27, 2011, the first responders of Hackleburg, Phil Campbell, Marion County and Franklin County acted with the utmost professionalism and bravery when called to duty. Despite the carnage, they performed their duties with valor and perseverance. Many of them were working to assist others while not knowing whether their own families were safe. During the first frantic hours--and even days--of the search and rescue effort, sleep was not an option. They had a mission to do: to coordinate emergency work and retain order even while the debris-littered streets were the same route used to carry out the wounded and deceased and to welcome in relief workers from neighboring communities. But through it all, they never lost sight of the people they had sworn to serve and the spirit that has held their communities together.

On behalf of the citizens of the Fourth Congressional District of Alabama, I commend the brave men and women of the volunteer fire departments, law enforcement agencies and paramedics for their courage, selflessness and commitment to their communities. They, along with the resilient folks they serve, have begun to pick up the pieces of their shattered towns. I have every confidence that the Towns of Hackleburg and Phil Campbell will fully rebuild and be better than ever.

Mr. Speaker, it's my honor and my privilege this afternoon to welcome our guest chaplain, Dennis Culbreth, who gave today's opening prayer.

Dr. Culbreth, as senior pastor, serves a congregation of 2,400 at First Baptist Church in Jasper, Alabama. Prior to his tenure at First Baptist Church in Jasper, he served congregations across Alabama, Virginia, and Georgia.

In addition to his service within his congregation, Dr. Culbreth has also been an active member of the senior executive leadership team for the North American Mission Board and the Virginia Baptist Convention.

Dr. Culbreth earned his bachelor of arts at Samford University, his master's in divinity at the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and his doctorate at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

He is a native of Evergreen, Alabama, and enjoys spending time with his family--his wife, Marybeth, and children

Andrew, Matthew, and Grace--as well as playing an occasional round of golf.

Dr. Culbreth is a devoted and inspired leader in our community, and it's a privilege to have him here today to be with us and to give our opening prayer.

It's my honor to serve him, his family, and his congregation in the Fourth Congressional District of Alabama.

Again, I welcome Dr. Culbreth to the United States House of Representatives this afternoon.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to one of the most important issues of our time and to remind my colleagues and my fellow Americans that ``every life is beautiful.''

This weekend, a film called ``October Baby'' will be in theaters across the country to tell the beautiful, heartfelt story of Hannah, a young woman who learns she was adopted after a failed abortion. While this film captures her journey to discover her hidden past and find hope for her unknown future, it takes a clear stand for life, something we often don't see at the movies.

I believe protecting unborn life is a universal issue and has become one of the most unifying causes in recent decades. I'm grateful to all those that are involved in the making of the movie, especially the Erwin brothers from Alabama for making ``October Baby'' and their willingness to put this important issue in the spotlight.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize Gregory P. Schaffer for his distinguished service to the Government of the United States as the Assistant Secretary for Cybersecurity and Communications, National Protection and Programs Directorate, Department of Homeland Security, from May 2009 until March 2012.

Mr. Schaffer is a national leader in the area of cybersecurity and communications. His unique perspective, dedication, and focus on identifying solutions to complex problems enabled the Department of Homeland Security and the Nation to take critical strides during his tenure.

Mr. Schaffer brought to DHS a blend of technical knowledge, private sector understanding, and Federal prosecution experience that enriched its cybersecurity and communications efforts.

Mr. Schaffer's leadership was essential in leading DHS efforts related to proposals for a Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network. With the passage of recent legislation, Mr. Schaffer's concepts and structures have the potential to result in a paradigm shift in public safety communications.

During his tenure, DHS developed the National Cyber Incident Response Plan, NCIRP, the framework for incident response capabilities and coordination among Federal agencies, state and local governments, the private sector and international partners during significant cyber incidents. With the development of this plan, our Nation is postured to more effectively and comprehensively respond to the full range of cyber incidents.

As Chair of the Unified Coordination Group established by the NCIRP, Mr. Schaffer led the United States Government response to a number of critical cyber incidents impacting the public and private sectors as well as international partners.

Under Mr. Schaffer's leadership and direction, DHS also opened the new National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center--a 24- hour, DHS-led coordinated watch and warning and mitigation center that enhanced capabilities to address threats and incidents affecting the Nation's critical information technology and cyber infrastructure.

This Center leverages the Einstein program, a set of perimeter defenses around the ``.gov'' domain designed to detect, alert, and prevent intrusions into and data loss from Federal agency networks. Because of Mr. Schaffer's leadership, Einstein 2--which provides signature-based intrusion detection technology--is currently deployed and operational at 17 of 19 Federal agencies.

Mr. Schaffer also oversaw effective and diverse incident response activities across his cybersecurity and communications portfolio. In FY 2011 alone, the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team responded to more than 100,000 incident reports and released more than 5,000 actionable cybersecurity alerts and information products. The National Coordinating Center for Telecommunications and the National Communications System also led, in accordance with the National Response Framework's Emergency Support Function #2, communications response activities for the New England floods, Hurricane Irene, the 2011 Japanese Tsunami, the 2010 Haiti Earthquake, and other significant national and international disasters.

Furthermore, Mr. Schaffer led activities to expand information sharing with the private sector through the Cybersecurity Information Sharing and Collaboration Program. He also supported development of tools to help private sector companies assess and improve their own network security, such as the Cyber Security Evaluation Program, CSEP, and the Cyber Security Evaluation Tool, CSET.

We are grateful for his service during a consequential period at the Department, and I look forward to his continuing contributions to the security of our great Nation.

I want to thank my colleague, the gentleman from Pennsylvania, for his work on this in authoring this resolution. I think, as Mr. Pitts mentioned, both sides of the aisle have worked together on this issue. I know many times the American people get frustrated with what goes on here in Washington, but this is a time when Democrats and Republicans have come together, Mr. Speaker, and worked together, and I think this is certainly a crucial thing that we're doing tonight.

Few times, Mr. Speaker, do Members of Congress have the opportunity to work on life-and-death issues. I would tell my colleagues tonight, Mr. Speaker, tonight is one of those issues.

As has already been said by Mr. Pitts, this is an issue where a pastor, Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, is in prison because of his belief.

There are few things in life that a government can provide for its citizens that's more important than religious expression and a simple ability to worship as one chooses. That is why the support of this resolution tonight is so important, House Resolution 556.

We would ask that the people of this country, Mr. Speaker, would remember not only Pastor Youcef but other citizens of Iran and other countries around the world that sit in the same position as Pastor Youcef does.

But tonight, we focus on Pastor Youcef. We ask the leadership in Iran to set aside this ruling and release Pastor Youcef, and also that he can be reunited with his wife and his two young boys who are there in Iran.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity to speak tonight. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to honor Mr. Josh Underwood, one of the twelve interns from the Uni-Capitol Washington Program, UCWIP who is currently interning in my office. The Uni-Capitol Washington Program has paired some of the brightest Australian students with various congressional offices for more than a decade and I am happy to have been a host.

Josh comes from University of Queensland and is studying law and philosophy. Over the past month, I have found him to be outstanding in his duties and going above and beyond our expectations. When complimenting Josh to Mr. Federing, the director agreed saying ``Josh has been a standout among standouts in everything I've organized'' and I agree wholeheartedly. He has attended committee hearings, drafted constituent correspondence, and assisted me as well as my staff with research. His Australian accent has garnered the attention of many of my constituents on tours and over the phone. Josh's commitment, hard work, and presence have been an asset to the office and he will be sorely missed by all.

The program has been in force for 13 years thanks to the vision of Eric Federing, its director and founder. The students who are selected come from a variety of academic disciplines, but all have a common interest: promoting the U.S.-Australia relationship. These student placements are enhanced by the formation of genuine friendships and the exchange of views and ideas between the Australian interns and their respective offices. We are grateful for these friendships and it is our hope that they strengthen the diplomatic ties of our great countries.

I would thank Eric Federing for the opportunity to host Josh over the past several weeks. To date, 130 interns have come through his program representing 8 different universities over the programs lifetime. It enhances opportunities for the individuals who come and enlighten those who they come to. After the internship, many receive jobs on the Hill or go to work with Federal or various State Parliaments in Australia. Other interns have gone onto work in the Australian Embassy or The World Bank. Simply put, this program selects incredibly talented individuals that are a pleasure to host and work with. It was an honor to have Josh in our office and would wish him the very best, but I sincerely doubt he needs it. Josh, thank you again for your hard work and dedication.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

I rise in strong support of the conference report.

I want to thank Chairman Rogers, as well as Ranking Member Norman Dicks, for his leadership and their commitment as we went back to regular order in producing this agreement.

Mr. Speaker, we had challenging negotiations with our colleagues from the other body, but I believe we have forged a disciplined agreement that puts a priority on limited spending and on true priorities like border security, immigration enforcement, and disaster relief while at the same time instilling robust fiscal discipline and oversight.

This conference report provides a total of $39.6 billion in discretionary spending for the Department of Homeland Security. That is $4 billion below the President's request, 9.1 percent. It is $3 billion below the FY 2010, and it is $2 billion below that of last year. These are genuine reductions, not just budget gimmicks.

Within this contracted funding, frontline operations are made a priority as well, including funding and direction to ICE to maintain a daily detention bed capacity of 34,000 beds, which is the highest detention capacity in its history. Also, funding for the highest-ever levels of staffing for Border Patrol agents, CBP officers, and ICE agents.

This conference agreement also terminates two ineffectual offices at the Department of Homeland Security. It installs unprecedented oversight at FEMA, and it includes a statutory requirement for the Secretary of Homeland Security to enforce the immigration laws that are on the books.

Finally, this conference agreement and the disaster supplemental bill that we are also considering today fully funds FEMA's disaster relief requirements for 2012. That means that devastated areas all across the country will get what they need to get back on their feet. And this funding can be offset through reductions that will also be considered later this afternoon, which I support.

Let me close again by thanking all those involved in this process on the Appropriations Committee. I would like to thank Ben Nicholson, with the majority, as well as the majority staff, and Stephanie Gupta, with the minority, and her staff. I would also like to thank Senator Landrieu and Senator Coats, as well as the gentleman from North Carolina, Ranking Member Price, of course, who was my partner in this process, for their hard work and compromise as we worked toward forging this reasonable agreement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this conference aagreement.

We had a long, challenging negotiation with our colleagues from the other body, but I believe we have forged a disciplined and reasonable agreement, that adheres to the requirements, constraints, and principles of the Budget Control Act; requires strict fiscal discipline; instills hard-hitting oversight; and prioritizes limited spending on true priorities like border security, immigration enforcement, and disaster relief.

Mr. Speaker, this conference report provides a total of $39.6 billion dollars in discretionary spending for the Department of Homeland Security. That's $4 billion dollars, or 9.1 percent, below the President's request; $3 billion dollars, or 7.2 percent, below fiscal year 2010's enacted level; and $2 billion dollars, or 5.0 percent, below last year's enacted level.

These are actualized spending reductions, not just some budget gimmicks.

Within this contracted funding, frontline operations are prioritized, including: Funding and statutory direction to ICE to maintain a daily detention bed capacity of 34,000 beds--the highest detention capacity in its history--to strengthen immigration enforcement and achieve increased removals; supporting the highest-ever levels of staffing for Border Patrol agents, CBP officers, and ICE agents; and fully funding major re-capitalization efforts by the Coast Guard and Secret Service protective operations during next year's Presidential campaign.

The fiscal discipline, oversight, and spending reductions in this conference agreement include: Two terminations of ineffectual and redundant offices at DHS; unprecedented reporting requirements for FEMA's grant programs and disaster relief operations; numerous planning, justification, and reporting requirements; and a statutory requirement for the Secretary of Homeland Security to enforce immigration law.

Finally, this conference agreement and the disaster supplemental bill that is also being considered by the House today, fully fund FEMA's disaster relief requirements for fiscal year 2012--that means that devastated areas like Joplin, Missouri; numerous flooded communities along the Mississippi River and East Coast; and tornado-ravaged towns in my home state of Alabama will get the full assistance they need to rebuild and get back on their feet.

And, this funding can be offset through reductions we will also consider later today--reductions I support.

Mr. Speaker, this conference agreement represents some of the very best from this Chamber--a product forged out of intense and open debate; a product that followed regular order; and a product that meets the goals and objectives laid out by Speaker Boehner, Majority Leader Cantor, and Chairman Rogers at the beginning of this Congress.

This is a strong conference agreement and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Let me close by sincerely thanking Senators Landrieu and Coats as well as Ranking Member Price for their hard work and contributions toward forging this reasonable agreement on funding for the Department of Homeland Security for fiscal year 2012.

Let me also thank Chairman Rogers, Chairman Inouye, and the House and Senate Appropriations front office staff for the support of our Subcommittee's efforts--I sincerely appreciate their leadership through this laborious process as well as their fidelity to regular order.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this resolution reaffirming ``In God We Trust'' as the official motto of the United States of America.

The motto is more than just a slogan. It defines the sentiments, I believe, of the Founding Fathers. While they never intended there to be an official state religion, they fully endorsed the idea of the acknowledgement of God.

From the opening of each day in the House and in the Senate with prayer, to the private prayers of the individual Founders, the Founders indeed did put their trust in God. I believe they knew in their hearts that God had a special place for the United States of America and this new Nation.

And while they knew that a Christian and godly Nation could never be achieved by any legislation that Congress could pass, they knew it was the people of the Nation who would individually receive God in their hearts for this to be truly a godly Nation.

So today, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution that's before us reaffirming our motto ``In God We Trust.''

Mr. Speaker, on a farm in Crabapple, Georgia, Charles Reed Rucker was born August 14, 1921. His parents were Jeff Lafayette (Jepp) and Nancy Emily Reed Rucker. He grew up on a farm in Crabapple which is now considered a suburb of Atlanta. Charles graduated from high school in 1938. He sold magazine subscriptions and worked for McQuary Engineering stringing power lines in South Carolina after high school and during the ``Great Depression'' as everyone was doing whatever they could do to sustain life.

On a hot July 3, 1940, as a young man Charles enlisted in the Navy-- riding a train to Norfolk, Virginia, where he received his boot training. He was shipped aboard the U.S.S. Prairie. The Prairie caught fire perhaps from a torpedo, and Charles along with the crew went aboard the U.S.S. Dennabola and was sent to submarine squadron 3 in the Panama Canal Zone where patrol off the coast of Panama and Eastern South America. A palm log pierced the bottom of the patrol plane which was equipped with 4 depth charges set to automatically arm at 25 feet of water. The crew had to abandon the plane and swim to shore but before they reached the shore the U.S. Army Corps from France Field came to their rescue and returned the crew to the station in Panama.

From there Charles went to officer's training school at Mercer University at Macon, Georgia, after which he was assigned to Whiting Field in Pensacola, Florida, then to Cony Field. While serving at Cony Field he was promoted to Leading Chief of his squadron. After 2 years he was sent back to Panama Canal Zone to form another squadron. The second day after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, his squadron was ordered to Pearl Harbor to assist in clean-up.

After this operation Charles returned to the states with the Navy Transport Squadron VR673. Next they were ordered to the European Theater on a diplomatic mission, crossing the North Atlantic into Ireland. From Shannon, Ireland they flew in to France, England and Germany.

From there the crew went to Holland and from Holland to Brussels, Belgium, the back again to England, then back to the U.S. Charles was transferred from the 15th Naval District to the 5th Naval District in Charleston, South Carolina, and ultimately returned to NAS Atlanta as a member of VR673 active reserve as Leading Chief Petty Officer. From NAS Atlanta Charles flew support missions during the Korean Crisis and the Vietnam War. He remained stationed at NAS Atlanta in the reserve until he retired on his birthday, August 14, 1981.

Charles started to work for Delta Airlines in Atlanta in 1954 in the maintenance department, then progressed to the Engineering Department where he edited a technical publication that aided maintenance personnel. He remained in that position until retirement in 1983. After retirement he and his wife, Claudia, moved from their home in Doraville, Georgia, to Lake Lanier. This was a wonderful transition for Charles and Claudia. After Claudia's

retirement they purchased her home place in Winston County, Alabama, and relocated there where they resided until Charles' death on August 10, 2011.

Charles was the father of one daughter, Patricia Rucker Goss, and two sons Gregory Anthony (Tony) and David Christopher (Chris) Rucker and was grandfather to 5 grandchildren: Beth Goss Scarborough, Melissa Goss, Leanne Rucker Waldrep, Noah Rucker and Caleb Rucker.

He will be missed by these and many others but the one that will miss him more is his beloved wife of 42 years, Claudia.

Charles was a wonderful individual who had countless friends. He was a much loved husband, father and grandfather and a great American and patriot.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation, the Protect Life Act. I do want to thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Pitts) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski) for this bipartisan legislation.

As we have heard during this debate, the health care legislation that was signed into law back in 2010 simply did not protect the unborn. It in no way included clear or direct provisions that would prohibit Federal funding of abortion, and the President's Executive order on this issue is totally inadequate. Executive orders can simply be rescinded at any time and cannot be relied upon to clarify such an issue at any time.

There are some people who have said the legislation that's before us today will stop women from buying health insurance coverage that includes abortion, even if they want to from their own money. According to the bill that's before us, the bill sets out and articulates that an individual may purchase plans that cover abortion with their own money. On top of that, the bill also allows a supplemental abortion policy for those who use a government subsidy to buy insurance.

So I wanted to point that out to my colleagues here this evening, and I would ask for support for this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, earlier today during rollcall vote No. 745, the Motion To Concur in the Senate Amendment to H.R. 2608-- Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012, I was inadvertently recorded as a ``nay'' when I intended to vote ``yea.''

I thank the distinguished chair for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this must-pass resolution. This CR not only keeps the government operating, but it provides a substantial infusion of desperately needed funding totaling $3.65 billion for disaster relief and emergency flood control efforts.

That's funding to sustain disaster relief efforts in hard-hit States all across this Nation, including the devastation that hit my home State of Alabama back in April of this year. That's funding to address the record flooding up and down the Mississippi River and along the east coast resulting from Hurricane Irene. That's funding to help tens of thousands of people who have lost virtually everything but the shirts on their backs.

Mr. Speaker, the time for talk and the time for politicking is over. It's time to pass this vital resolution, provide our Nation with necessary disaster relief funding, avert a government shutdown, allow Congress to scrub the administration's full disaster supplemental request, provide the needed oversight, and complete the work on the FY 2012 budget.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this vital resolution and responsibly address our Nation's most pressing needs.

I want to thank the distinguished chairman of the full Appropriations Committee for yielding, and, Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this must-pass resolution.

Not only does this CR provide the necessary funds and authority to keep the government open, it also provides an immediate and a substantial infusion of vital funding to both FEMA's disaster relief efforts and the Corps of Engineers' flood control and coastal emergency account, and it does all of this in a fiscally responsible way. This resolution before us today complies with the recently enacted Budget Control Act and provides the Appropriations Committee of the House and Senate ample time to do our work on the FY 2012 budget.

For the hard-hit communities all across the country, including my home State of Alabama, which was hit hard back in April, and those devastated by fires, floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes over the past 12 months, this CR will sustain FEMA's disaster relief and recovery efforts and help the Corps with additional funding for emergency flood control projects.

As I mentioned, my home State of Alabama was hit hard back on April 27, so if anyone is interested in sustaining FEMA's disaster relief, it would be me. And I do believe this bill does the job, and just that.

The duration of this CR will provide the time to review and scrutinize FEMA's preliminary damage estimates for Hurricane Irene, estimates that are based on historical projections rather than actual data and claims that are still in the process of being collected. This oversight will enable the Appropriations Committee the time to properly and responsibly address the administration's full supplemental request, a request that was submitted to Congress only about 2 weeks ago. And while Congress has an undeniable obligation to thoroughly address our Nation's disaster relief needs, we can no longer afford to simply throw money at calamities and then ask the hard questions later on. We have to get our funding priorities right the first time, and that is exactly what both Chairman Rogers and I have repeatedly said when it comes to appropriations for homeland security.

Madam Speaker, this CR is the right tool for the right time, and I urge my colleagues to support this vital resolution and responsibly address our Nation's most pressing needs.

I yield to the gentleman from Kentucky.

Exactly.

We passed that.

It passed the committee.

And it passed the House and was sent to the Senate.

And that's where it's sitting.

Absolutely.

We did that, as you say, back well before June. It passed the House in June, and it sits over there even today.

Madam Speaker, I want to congratulate the gentleman from Alabama, my colleague in the Fifth Congressional District, for organizing this tonight. We are all here tonight to discuss what America is facing, and that is a self-imposed security crisis.

The main concern is that it appears that the administration is ignoring its responsibility to enforce our Nation's immigration laws. For our security, economic well-being, and safety, immigration enforcement does matter.

Since the beginning of the current administration, we have seen decisions and policies that have denigrated immigration enforcement. It started with the identification of ``priorities'' where the Department of Homeland Security announced it would focus largely on removing only those aliens convicted of serious crimes.

More recently, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, as it is referred to, issued guidance directing broad use of prosecutorial discretion. Let me explain how that works. ICE agents locate a fugitive who has been ordered to be removed. The fugitive is arrested in his apartment where four other people are present. ICE agents ascertain that all these individuals are illegal aliens, though they do not have an actual criminal conviction. Pursuant to ICE priorities, these individuals would not be arrested.

This process on whether to prosecute or not was intended to be exercised on a case-by-case basis, not by front-line officers directed to ignore the law, but by supervisors and attorneys looking at the law and the facts of a particular case and considering humanitarian concerns or national security interests. Now, front-line agents and officers in the middle of an encounter are being asked to essentially conduct an on-the-spot investigation.

Under the administration's policy, front-line officers and agents don't have much of a choice but to ignore the law and leave the illegal alien behind, unless the alien is a fugitive or has an actual criminal conviction.

Not only do we have memos directing front-line officers to ignore illegal aliens under the current administration, but we have committees second-guessing decisions officers, attorneys, and judges make. The Department of Homeland Security set up a task force of outsiders to tell the Secretary whether this policy should include ignoring illegal aliens encountered at traffic stops and those who would have drunk driving violations. The Department is also establishing a committee to review all 400,000 immigration proceedings, including for aliens with final removal orders, to decide whether

these illegal aliens should actually be removed.

This is the problem, and it leads to cases like the one that my colleague from Alabama just talked about, Tad Mattle. The new policy, in effect, refuses to enforce immigration law until, and let me stress that, until a serious, perhaps violent crime, has been committed. If immigration law had been enforced, Tad's life may have been spared.

Today, more than ever, our Nation's fiscal resources are constrained. Despite that fact, this body has made immigration enforcement and homeland security a priority. Congress, under both Republican and Democrat leadership, has consistently provided ICE with funds above those funds they have requested, and that's to ensure strong enforcement and security. Funds the Department of Homeland Security received at the hand of this Chamber should not be used to blatantly ignore the law or for the implementation of flawed and reckless policies that provide backdoor amnesty.

These memos and committees may allow millions of illegal immigrants to remain in the United States in violation of existing law and regulation and compete with unemployed Americans and legal immigrants working for scarce jobs.

While the Federal Government seems to find loopholes to keep illegal aliens who pose public safety threats in this country, States like my home State of Alabama are being prosecuted for attempting to take this problem into their own hands. Alabama and other States burdened with these issues shouldn't have to worry about Federal intervention. Alabama was the fifth State in this country to adopt laws addressing illegal immigration. The legislature of Alabama and the Governor have opted to act. Instead, the administration has filed a judicial action. The administration should take this as a wake-up call, a bold reminder of the Federal Government's duty to protect each and every American from being the victim of crimes that can so easily be prevented. The Federal Government should be working with States to ensure the safety of all Americans.

This is not a time for partisan politics. This is a time for a robust, coordinated effort to guarantee the security of our citizens and to protect our Nation's borders.

I thank the gentleman from Alabama for yielding.