[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 115 (Wednesday, July 30, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S10258]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS BILL

  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I rise in support of the Fiscal Year 2004 
Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill. As chairman of the 
Senate Judiciary Committee, I want to congratulate the members of the 
new Appropriations Subcommittee on successfully completing the first 
annual appropriations bill providing funding for the new Department of 
Homeland Security.
  Just as the Department of Homeland Security has made momentous 
progress in protecting our citizens while simultaneously creating a new 
government agency, the members of the Homeland Security Subcommittee 
have moved expeditiously to recommend funding in a responsible manner. 
There is no bill more important to the citizens of Utah, and we 
recognize the committee's important efforts.
  The bill's appropriation of $28.5 billion accomplishes many things. 
One of the most important is continued support of the Office for 
Domestic Preparedness. This office, which awards grants to State and 
local agencies to assist them in preparing our first responders, has 
had a 1,500 percent increase in funding since September 11, 2001. 
Today's recommendation of $3.6 billion will bring the total amount 
spent on first responder preparedness to $8.8 billion since that 
fateful day.
  Our Nation's airports are infinitely more protected than they were 
just one year ago. The bill continues this important work by providing 
$4.5 billion for passenger and baggage screening and airport security. 
It also provides $4.9 billion for securing our borders. The bill funds 
the US VISIT system development with $380 million. This new system will 
allow our Nation to collect, maintain and share appropriate information 
in order to determine the eligibility of foreign citizens wishing to 
visit the United States.
  I appreciate that the committee has decided not to earmark funding 
for specific Congressional requests and to leave these decisions to the 
appropriate agencies. The defense of our Nation and in particular the 
protection of our citizens will never be achieved by purely political 
decisions, but through diligent hard work and strategic planning.
  However, I would like to bring to the Senate's attention a program 
that has already proven its effectiveness in protecting our citizens 
and was initiated by the Office for Domestic Preparedness. Last year, 
the Office for Domestic Preparedness asked Dugway Proving Ground to 
develop and teach a Ph.D driven chemical and biological emergency 
responder course. Dugway Proving Ground is our Nation's chemical and 
biological defense proving ground. The result of these classes has been 
an unparalleled success and the student responses were overwhelmingly 
positive. Participants in the class were unanimous in their praise and 
the Chief of the Chicago HAZMAT Unit categorized the program as ``one 
that all first responders should attend.'' A student commented further 
that ``This was the best use of time in my 25 year career.'' The 
courses focused on agent characteristics, sampling, protection, 
detection, decontamination and chem/bio production recognition, such as 
the difference between clandestine drug laboratories, industrial 
accidents or chemical/biological production capabilities. Students also 
learned to assess a situation in order to determine the proper course 
of action. Clearly, these first responder training courses at Dugway 
are a national resource and though the Committee did not recommend 
funding for individual programs, I hope that the Office for Domestic 
Preparedness will continue to sponsor this important program.
  I congratulate the committee on its fine work and urge the Senate's 
approval of the bill.

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