[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 91 (Friday, July 1, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1420]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




TRANSPORTATION, TREASURY, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, THE JUDICIARY, 
THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 
                                  2006

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                               speech of

                         HON. CHRISTOPHER SHAYS

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 29, 2005

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 3058) making 
     appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, 
     Treasury, and Housing and Urban Development, the Judiciary, 
     District of Columbia, and independent agencies for the fiscal 
     year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes:

  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of this amendment, 
which would increase funding for the Privacy and Civil Liberties 
Oversight Board, created by the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism 
Prevention Act (P.L. 108-458), to $1.5 million.
  The bill currently reserves $750,000 of the $53 million budget of the 
Executive Office of the President for the Privacy and Civil Liberties 
Oversight Board. The amendment would reserve $3 million of this $53 
million budget. This level of funding is closer to what was initially 
given to the 9/11 Commission.
  The purpose of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board is to 
ensure the protection of civil liberties by the federal government. The 
appropriate amount of funding is crucial in ensuring that privacy and 
civil liberties concerns are appropriately considered. This will prove 
significant in the implementation of laws, regulations, and executive 
branch policies related to efforts to protect our Nation against 
terrorism.
  In addition, the additional funding will allow the board to develop 
the infrastructure they need to do their job and will demonstrate 
Congress's intentions to fully support this significant board.
  We certainly understand the need to aggressively fight the war on 
terror, but the 9/11 Commission Report reminds us that, ``The choice 
between security and liberty is a false choice, as nothing is more 
likely to endanger America's liberties than the success of a terrorist 
attack at home. Our history has shown that this insecurity threatens 
liberty at home. Yet if our liberties are curtailed, we lose the values 
that we are struggling to defend.''
  The Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board is an important body. 
We must do everything we can to ensure its efficiency and operation.

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