[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 85 (Friday, June 18, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1179]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          PORT OF ENTRY NEEDS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. GENE GREEN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 18, 2004

  Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, aviation security is a top national 
security priority. This critical sector of interstate commerce must 
continue for our entire national economy to function.
  As the representative of one of our Nation's largest hub airports, 
Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, I can say that the 
ability of commercial aviation to function properly is at risk due to 
the inconsistent performance of security functions by the federal 
government.
  First, I have been pushing for increased Bureau of Customs and 
Immigration Enforcement personnel coverage for Houston Intercontinental 
for several years now.
  The situation has been improving unevenly, with wait times still 
reaching 90 minutes during peak times of the year. Why is the wait so 
bad? Because we only have 59 out of 86 authorized inspectors for 
Houston, according to the last workforce report.
  That in itself is unacceptable, but with a new international terminal 
set to open in January 2005, we must make sure that the federal 
government is living up to its responsibility to safely and securely 
process incoming passengers.
  This new facility is going to require a doubling of our international 
arrival screening capacity, and we will have to resort to legislation 
if the Bureau cannot do its job properly.
  In addition, with Transportation Security Agency cutbacks forced by 
our budget deficits, Houston Intercontinental is at serious risk of 
losing its ability to properly process passengers boarding commercial 
airline flights.
  This is not a mere matter of inconvenience to air travelers. These 
delays have a serious economic impact on the aviation industry which 
has to extend the times planes sit on the ground, reducing operating 
margins.
  As numerous press and financial reports demonstrate, aviation 
operating margins are already under a tremendous amount of stress from 
$40 per barrel oil, international turmoil, and continuing glut of 
capacity resulting from post-September 11th aviation bankruptcies.
  Put simply, hundreds, perhaps thousands of employees are at risk of 
being laid off, furloughed, or facing salary and benefit freezes and 
cuts if the federal government does not properly perform its 
responsibility to provide security for interstate commerce.
  Mr. Speaker, I look forward to working with you ensure smooth 
operation of the Bureau of Customs and Immigration Enforcement at 
Houston Intercontinental.

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