[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 117 (Friday, September 24, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S9669]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         HOMELAND SECURITY NEEDS A GREEN LIGHT, NOT A BLUE SLIP

  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, last week, the Senate approved 
overwhelmingly the fiscal year 2005 Homeland Security Appropriations 
bill. This bill makes critical investments in our protections here at 
home. And in light of the constant threat warnings from law enforcement 
and homeland security officials, those investments cannot be made 
quickly enough. Yet it has been 10 days since the Senate passed the 
measure and the House has not even appointed conferees.
  Why has any progress toward protecting the people hit a brick wall? 
The legislation is in jeopardy because of the judgment of the chairman 
of the House Ways and Means Committee. I do not intend to talk about 
the chairman in a negative light. But I must point out to Senators that 
the chairman's actions could jeopardize the entire Homeland Security 
Appropriations bill.
  During Senate debate, Democrat and Republican Senators worked to 
invest additional dollars in homeland security. We must work to close 
the gaps in our protections here at home. Too many exist, and you can 
be sure that, if we know where those gaps are, so do the terrorists.
  That is why it was welcomed on both sides of the aisle when the 
Senator from Montana, Mr. Baucus, suggested a way to include $784 
million in homeland security protections without violating arbitrary 
congressional spending limits. The Senator from Montana suggested that 
we help to protect Americans from terrorist attack by extending 
existing customs user fees that are set to expire in March 2005. It was 
a commonsense approach, one that I applaud Senator Cochran, the 
chairman of the Senate Appropriations Homeland Security panel, and the 
majority leader, Senator Frist, for embracing. It was common sense 
because many of the agreement provided funding to key programs within 
the Department of Homeland Security, most of which are customs related, 
and did so without violating the budget caps or adding to the deficit.
  The Senate adopted that funding, approved the bill, and asked the 
House for a conference. We were making progress. We were helping to 
save lives.
  But then came the disappointment. The Senate was informed that the 
chairman of the Ways and Means Committee has recommended that the House 
of Representatives ``blue-slip'' this legislation, returning the 
measure to the Senate. But the funding will help to protect this 
country from attack, and we should not allow congressional turf battles 
to stop it.
  Congressman Martin Olav Sabo, the ranking member of the House 
Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee, and I have written to 
the Speaker of the House and urge that the Speaker help to move this 
legislation forward. We ought to send it to conference, complete our 
work, and help to protect our country. Delay is unacceptable.
  The additional funding provides needed investments to protect our 
borders, equip first responders, enhance air and rail security, and 
ensure that security measures are provided to harden potential 
terrorism targets.
  Specifically, the additional funding will allow Customs and Border 
Protection to purchase additional radiation detectors to respond to the 
threat of a nuclear or radiological weapon being smuggled into this 
country. CBP is far behind on its plan for deploying 2,037 radiation 
portal monitors at our ports. The additional $50 million provided by 
this amendment will allow CBP to deploy radiation portal monitors to 
screen 100 percent of inbound containerized cargo at 30 additional 
seaport terminals.
  This investment will provide Immigration and Customs Enforcement with 
an additional $50 million to address a manpower shortage within the 
Federal Air Marshal program and be more aggressive in placing air 
marshals on high-interest flights.
  The funding being stymied in the House would increase resources to 
equip and train our nation's firemen by providing an additional $50 
million through the fire grants program, which is one of the best run 
programs in the Federal Government.
  The money would address the shortage of border employees by providing 
$150 million for more border inspectors and agents, and immigration and 
customs criminal investigators. The Department of Homeland Security has 
not yet met the northern border staffing goals set in the U.S. PATRIOT 
Act. An additional $50 million is also included for the detention and 
removal of illegal aliens.
  This amendment strengthens the northern border by providing an 
additional $200 million to speed up the development of five air wings 
along the northern border which will track, identify, and intercept 
aircraft that are unauthorized to enter U.S. airspace.
  The funds advance efforts to protect the millions of Americans who 
use public transportation over 32 million times per work day. The 
additional $128 million was approved by the Senate so that the 
Department can pursue investments to harden the security of transit 
systems by investing in additional law enforcement, canine teams, and 
training.
  The legislation invests an additional $56 million to the Emergency 
Management Performance Grants program to help emergency managers at the 
state and community level to prepare, respond, and recover from all 
hazards.
  Finally, the bill ensures that $50 million goes to high-risk non-
profit organizations to develop security plans and make necessary 
improvements to prevent a terrorist attack.
  The Department of Homeland Security is working day and night to stop 
potential terrorist attacks. But the Department cannot operate if it 
does not have any money. We cannot wait to address gaps in our nation's 
defenses while this new department is crafted. Terrorists will not wait 
to attack anew.
  We cannot afford delay. The Senate has passed this critical 
legislation; now it requires the approval of the entire Congress. This 
bipartisan legislation must move quickly to bolster our weaknesses, 
address our shortfalls, and protect American lives.
  I urge the Speaker, and the chairman of the House Ways and Means 
Committee to drop this threat of delay. The President, the Vice 
President, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Attorney General, 
the CIA Director, and the FBI Director have each stated quite clearly 
that the country is at risk of attack. It serves no one's best 
interests to bicker over turf battles when lives are at stake. For the 
sake of the people, for the sake of the nation, I urge the House to 
strengthen the homeland security protections and make life more 
difficult for the terrorists. Don't blue-slip this funding. Green light 
it instead.




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