[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 68 (Thursday, May 8, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H3827-H3829]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    PROVIDING AMOUNTS FOR THE EXPENSES OF THE COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND 
              SECURITY IN THE ONE HUNDRED EIGHTH CONGRESS

  Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the order of the House of today, I 
call up the resolution (H. Res. 110) providing amounts for the expenses 
of the Committee on Homeland Security in the One Hundred Eighth 
Congress, and ask for its immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the order of the House of today, 
the resolution is considered read for amendment.
  The text of House Resolution 110 is as follows:

                              H. Res. 110

       Resolved, 

     SECTION 1. AMOUNTS FOR COMMITTEE EXPENSES.

       For the expenses of the Committee on Homeland Security 
     (hereafter in this resolution referred to as the 
     ``Committee''), including the expenses of all staff salaries, 
     there shall be paid, out of the applicable accounts of the 
     House of Representatives for committee salaries and expenses, 
     not more than $11,028,787 for the One Hundred Eighth 
     Congress.

     SEC. 2. SESSION LIMITATIONS.

       Of the amount specified in section 1--
       (1) not more than $5,657,656 shall be available for 
     expenses incurred during the period beginning at noon on 
     January 3, 2003, and ending immediately before noon on 
     January 3, 2004; and
       (2) not more than $5,371,131 shall be available for 
     expenses incurred during the period beginning at noon on 
     January 3, 2004, and ending immediately before noon on 
     January 3, 2005.

     SEC. 3. VOUCHERS.

       Payments under this resolution shall be made on vouchers 
     authorized by the Committee, signed by the Chairman of the 
     Committee, and approved in the manner directed by the 
     Committee on House Administration.

     SEC. 4. REGULATIONS.

       Amounts made available under this resolution shall be 
     expended in accordance with regulations prescribed by the 
     Committee on House Administration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The amendment printed in the resolution is 
adopted.
  The text of House Resolution 110, as amended, is as follows:

       Resolved,

     SECTION 1. EXPENSES FOR THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND 
                   SECURITY FOR THE ONE HUNDRED EIGHTH CONGRESS.

       With respect to the One Hundred Eighth Congress, there 
     shall be paid out of the applicable accounts of the House of 
     Representatives, in accordance with this primary expense 
     resolution, not more than $10,952,787 for the expenses 
     (including the expenses of all staff salaries) of the Select 
     Committee on Homeland Security.

     SEC. 2. FIRST SESSION LIMITATION.

       Of the amount provided for in section 1, not more than 
     $5,366,866 shall be available for expenses incurred during 
     the period beginning at noon on January 3, 2003, and ending 
     immediately before noon on January 3, 2004.

     SEC. 3. SECOND SESSION LIMITATION.

       Of the amount provided for in section 1, not more than 
     $5,585,921 shall be available for expenses incurred during 
     the period beginning at noon on January 3, 2004, and ending 
     immediately before noon on January 3, 2005.

     SEC. 4. VOUCHERS.

        Payments under this resolution shall be made on vouchers 
     authorized by the Select Committee on Homeland Security, 
     signed by the chairman of such Committee, and approved in the 
     manner directed by the Committee on House Administration.

     SEC. 5. REGULATIONS.

        Amounts made available under this resolution shall be 
     expended in accordance with regulations prescribed by the 
     Committee on House Administration.

     SEC. 6. ADJUSTMENT AUTHORITY.

        The Committee on House Administration shall have authority 
     to make adjustments in the amount under section 1, if 
     necessary to comply with an order of the President issued 
     under section 254 of the Balanced Budget and Emergency 
     Deficit Control Act of 1985 or to conform to any reduction in 
     appropriations for the purposes of such section 1.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney) and the

[[Page H3828]]

gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson) each will control 30 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney).
  Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, we are here today to consider House Resolution 110, a 
resolution providing for the expenses of the Select Committee on 
Homeland Security.
  House Resolution 110 authorizes a total of $10,952,787 for the 108th 
Congress for the Select Committee on Homeland Security with $5,366,000 
being allocated for 2003 and $5,585,000 being allocated for 2004.
  The select committee was created to oversee the implementation of the 
Homeland Security Act of 2002. Its functions include working with the 
President to ensure the efficient and timely establishment of the 
Department of Homeland Security; coordinating efforts between Congress 
and the Federal agencies responsible for protecting our Nation from 
terrorist attacks; and reviewing and studying laws, programs, and 
government activities affecting homeland security.
  This funding will enable the select committee to provide this 
important oversight function by overseeing the newly created Homeland 
Security Department and ensuring that the combined agencies are doing 
the job we all expect of them with regards to protecting our homeland 
and its security.
  The funding for the Select Committee on Homeland Security is being 
considered in a resolution separate from the resolution that was just 
passed that funds the other standing committees, which was House 
Resolution 148, again due to the fact that the select committee is not 
yet a permanent committee.
  I think we can all agree that after the tragic events of September 
11, 2001 and the subsequent biological attacks that took place here at 
the U.S. Capitol, it was necessary to create a Federal department to 
coordinate security activities on the home front and to follow that up 
by creating an entity that will conduct the appropriate oversight 
activities.
  I believe this resolution represents the product of a carefully 
constructed budget request. Ongoing discussions were held between 
myself, our staff, the gentleman from California (Chairman Cox) and his 
staff to come up with a budget that was not only reasonable, but would 
also allow the select committee to do the job that it was chartered to 
do. I should also mention the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson), 
our ranking member, and his staff greatly assisted in this process by 
communicating with the select committee's ranking member, the gentleman 
from Texas (Mr. Turner) to produce the product that we have before us.
  Like the other committees, the select committee will adhere to the 
two-thirds/one-third ratio of dividing committee resources between the 
majority and the minority. I would like to thank the gentleman from 
California (Chairman Cox) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Turner) for 
their efforts in reaching that goal.
  In conclusion, I believe this resolution provides the Select 
Committee on Homeland Security with the necessary funds to complete its 
mission. I urge my colleagues to support the passage of the resolution. 
I again thank our ranking member and our members from both sides of the 
aisle and the staff on the committee for bringing this before us today.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I strongly support House Resolution 110 which provides 
almost $11 million for the Select Committee on Homeland Security for 
the 108th Congress. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend my leader, the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi) and the Speaker of the House, 
the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hastert), for their outstanding 
choices in Select Committee on Homeland Security leadership. I do not 
believe one could select two finer individuals than the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Cox) or the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Turner). We all 
know that they face a daunting task of building a committee from 
scratch while they simultaneously are engaging in substantive committee 
business. Since September 11, this has created an important urgency 
that the United States Congress must address, and both of these 
gentlemen, we believe, along with the vast experience that the members 
of that committee will bring, will handle this task adroitly.
  Again, I would applaud the efforts of the committee Chair in ensuring 
the one-third/two-thirds split on the committee, and I also want to 
extend an extra thanks to the gentleman from California (Mr. Cox) as 
well who went out of his way to secure extra space on behalf of the 
committee as well.
  Mr. Speaker, I strongly support House Resolution 110, which provides 
almost $11,000,000 to the Select Committee on Homeland Security for the 
108th Congress. The Select Committee on Homeland Security is the newest 
committee in the House of Representatives. Its mission--to oversee and 
set policy for the new Department of Homeland Security--will affect the 
security and safety of every American for years to come.
  No one denies that the Select Committee on Homeland Security must be 
given ample resources to oversee the most significant restructuring of 
the Federal government since 1947 and help secure this nation's 
borders. I am pleased that House Resolution 110 proposes just that.
  As I learned during committee funding hearings in March, the 
gentleman from California, Chairman Cox, and the gentleman from Texas, 
Rep. Turner, face the daunting task of building a committee from 
scratch while simultaneously engaging in substantive committee 
business.
  House Resolution 110 will provide the wherewithal for Mr. Cox and 
Ranking Mr. Turner to hire professional staff with a wide-range of 
expertise, establish secure office space, procure office equipment and 
technology, and conduct field hearings on a wide-range of security 
issues, including port security, First Responders, and continuity in 
communications.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to commend my leader, Nancy Pelosi, and Speaker 
Hastert for their outstanding choices to lead Homeland Security 
Committee. If there are two individuals better qualified to lead the 
committee, I do not know them. I dare say our colleagues do not know 
them, either.
  Rep. Turner and Rep. Cox bring a command of the issues, the respect 
of their colleagues, an ability to put politics aside when 
circumstances demand it, and an incredible appetite for hard work. 
Without question, these qualities will serve the new committee very 
well. In selecting the gentlemen from Texas and California to carry out 
the toughest and most sensitive assignments of the 108th Congress, 
Leader Pelosi and Speaker Hastert have distinguished themselves by 
putting the security and safety of the American people ahead of all 
other considerations. That is what leadership is all about.
  I was especially pleased to learn during the March hearing that 
Chairman Cox intends to honor what is referred to as the ``Two-thirds, 
One-third Principle.'' This common-sense principle, which has worked 
extremely well for the other House committees, will provide Ranking 
Minority Member Turner and the Committee's Minority Staff a minimum of 
one-third of the total funds, one-third of the total staff positions, 
and the control to expend those funds within the Committee's 
administrative guidelines, with no unusual constraints on the gentleman 
from Texas. Practiced faithfully, this principle will help ensure that 
the Select Committee on Homeland Security operates in as non-partisan a 
manner as possible. Given the sensitive nature of the Committee's work, 
the American people deserve nothing less.
  Finally, let me thank Chairman Cox for his efforts to procure 
adequate committee space for Mr. Turner and his staff. As we all know, 
space is a scarce resource in the House. Nevertheless, Mr. Cox has gone 
out of his way to accommodate the space needs of Mr. Turner.
  I thank the distinguished Chairman for bringing House Resolution 110 
to the floor, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
  Pursuant to the order of the House of today, the previous question is 
ordered on the resolution, as amended.
  The resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
  The title of the resolution was amended so as to read: ``Resolution 
providing amounts for the expenses of the Select Committee on Homeland 
Security.''.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

[[Page H3829]]



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