[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 130 (Monday, October 11, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1954-E1955]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                9/11 RECOMMENDATIONS IMPLEMENTATION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 8, 2004

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 10) to 
     provide for reform of the intelligence community, terrorism 
     prevention and prosecution, border security, and 
     international cooperation and co-ordination, and for other 
     purposes:

  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the 
amendment offered by the Gentleman from Indiana designated as #29. This 
amendment directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to ``ensure that 
all appropriate personnel engaged in security screening of individuals 
have access to law enforcement and intelligence information maintained 
by DHS.'' It also calls for the submission of an overview of all the 
agencies, databases, and other capabilities that exist within the 
Department involved in intelligence relating to terrorism, drug 
trafficking, illegal immigration, screening, investigations, and 
inspection of goods or individuals entering the United States. 
Furthermore, this amendment would require the submission of a report to 
Congress within 180 days on actions taken and plans in place to improve 
access and the flow of information.
  Proposals that seek to ensure that DHS is functioning efficiently, 
effectively, and in accordance with the U.S. Constitution with respect 
to individual rights and liberties should be supported fully because 
the function of DHS is a bi-partisan issue. Protecting the American 
people is a bi-partisan issue.

  Similar to this amendment, I would have offered a proposal that would 
make the ``Next Generation Airline Passenger Prescreening'' provision 
(Section 2173) more effective while taking active measures to protect 
individual rights and liberties.
  The existing language in Subsection (i) of Section 2173(a)(C) assigns 
the task of testing the next generation passenger prescreening system 
against automatic selectee and no-fly lists and records in the 
consolidated and integrated terrorist watchlist maintained by the 
Federal Government to the ``Assistant Secretary or designee.'' This is 
a very loose assignment of a very important task. Moreover, the duties 
of the Assistant Secretary would hardly allow for the time and effort 
that is necessary to perform the functions of this provision to address 
the needs of the American public.
  The Jackson Lee Amendment would have assigned this task rather to the 
``Civil Liberties

[[Page E1955]]

Protection Officer'' or designee thereof--in consultation with the 
Assistant Secretary. Therefore, this amendment would have added teeth 
to the existing provision in the area of personnel assignment.
  The Civil Liberties Protection Officer is the most appropriate 
personnel to perform this function.
  Therefore, it is very important that we not only make this 
legislation efficient and thorough but that we craft it to protect 
civil rights and civil liberties. Mr. Chairman, I ask that my 
colleagues support the amendment by the Gentleman.

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