[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 86 (Monday, June 21, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1191]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2005

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                               speech of

                             HON. JOE BACA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 18, 2004

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4567) making 
     appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for 
     the fiscal year ending September 30, 2005, and for other 
     purposes:

  Mr. BACA. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Roybal-Allard 
amendment to the Homeland Security Appropriations bill. This amendment 
stops the privatization of nearly 1,500 employees that are critical to 
our Nation's security.
  The American people depend on these federal employees to process, 
investigate, and adjudicate applications for immigration rights and 
benefits in a timely and thorough manner. They also weed out frivolous 
and fraudulent applications and identify criminals and terrorists 
attempting to abuse the process. These federal employees perform 
background checks and search classified databases to investigate people 
that want to enter our country.
  Why do we want an unaccountable and low-bid contractor to have the 
power to allow another 9-11 by cutting corners or not reading all the 
background? We cannot allow the profit margin to exist in our 
commitment to homeland security! Why did we federalize airport security 
if we are going to fire the federal employees that prevent terrorists 
from getting into our country?
  Another important reason why we need to stop privatization of these 
employees is because immigrants and their families depend on them to 
navigate through the complex maze of immigration laws and regulations. 
Immigration Information Officers, for instance, are the last remaining 
federal employees that help immigrants with legal advice. The toll free 
phone line, since it was privatized, has simply become a phone line 
that reads out internet based information. It would be hypocritical to 
punish immigrants for minor mistakes in their immigration, but deny 
them the legal advice necessary to comply with the law.
  For the security of our Nation and to ensure immigrants get sound 
legal assistance, we must prevent the privatization of Immigration 
Information Officers, Contract Representatives, and Investigative 
Analysts.
  I urge my colleagues to support the Roybal-Allard amendment.

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