[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 117 (Tuesday, September 17, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1583]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH SECURITY ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. CONSTANCE A. MORELLA

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 17, 2002

  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge support for The 
National Institutes of Health (NIH) Security Act.
  The National Institutes of Health, founded in 1887, is one of the 
world's foremost medical research centers, and the Federal focal point 
for medical research in the U.S. Comprised of 27 separate components, 
mainly Institutes and Centers, NIH has in excess of 75 buildings on 
more than 300 acres in Bethesda, Maryland.
  The research centers at NIH study some of the most infectious 
diseases in the world, including anthrax, smallpox and West Nile virus, 
as well as nuclear waste and radioactive material. Unfortunately, 
because of the work NIH does, they present a prime target for 
terrorists that wish to do America harm. Therefore, it must be a 
paramount goal of this Congress to ensure that NIH can protect itself 
against an attack. Presently, NIH does not have the ability to do so.
  After September 11, Congress authorized the 322-acre biomedical 
research facility to bolster its security by doubling its police ranks 
from 64 officers to 108. This decision was made by U.S. intelligence 
experts who determined that the NIH campus is vulnerable and a 
potential target for terrorist attack and/or infiltration and theft of 
protected materials and research. Unfortunately, the force has never 
reached such heights due to its current pay and retirement system.
  NIH police are one of the lowest paid in the Washington-Metropolitan 
area. The minimum salary for NIH police, $26,415, falls thousands short 
of what's offered by some federal agencies, and even by some local 
police departments. Making matters worse, NIH police are not classified 
as federal ``law enforcement officers,'' and are thereby denied the 
superior retirement benefits that distinction affords. The result is in 
low retention of officers and difficulty with recruitment. Without 
retirements included, ther exists a 77 percent attrition rate at NIH 
yearly. Currently, the force has faced such problems with officer 
retention and recruitment that by June, its numbers had dwindled to 
about 50.
  Due to the severity of the situation and the resources that NIH 
protects, I am introducing legislation that would allow NIH to bolster 
its security force. This bill would add no additional costs to the 
federal government, it would simply allow some long overdue flexibility 
to be used by NIH. This would include:
  Making NIH Police ``Federal Law Enforcement Officers,'' which allows 
their officers who are doing the same essential work as other ``law 
enforcement officers'' to receive commensurate salaries and retirement 
pay.
  Allowing NIH police to carry firearms, serve warrants and subpoenas, 
and make arrests without warrant for any offense against the U.S.
  Conducting investigations within the U.S. for offenses committed on 
property occupied by NIH.
  Without these changes, we are undoubtedly allowing a prime target to 
remain vulnerable to terrorists. Protecting the 4-million square foot 
research hospital, the third largest federal building in the world, 
must be a priority of this Congress and I urge support for this 
legislation.

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