[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 52 (Monday, March 26, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E649-E651]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  ON THE INTRODUCTION OF THE DHS SAFE ACT TO ENHANCE THE SECURITY OF 
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY BADGES, IDENTIFICATION CARDS, UNIFORMS, 
                        AND PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BOB ETHERIDGE

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 26, 2007

  Mr. ETHERIDGE. Madam Speaker, today I have introduced, together with 
my colleagues from the Committee on Homeland Security, Chairman 
Thompson of Mississippi and Mr. Rogers of Alabama, legislation that 
will prevent terrorists or others with bad intent from posing as 
Homeland Security officials or officers. This common sense bill will 
require the Department of Homeland Security to make sure that sensitive 
material--badges, identification cards, uniforms, and protective gear--
is made in the United States. As these items would be vulnerable to 
theft in transit, it just makes sense to make sure they start and stay 
in America.
  When the Department of Homeland Security buys identification cards 
overseas, there is no system in place to ensure that they are not 
stolen and misappropriated by terrorists, who could then pass into 
restricted areas with fraudulent credentials. In countries with less 
robust ethical and management standards for business, manufacturers 
might even be willing to sell uniforms or badges to the highest bidder. 
The men and women who serve in positions that protect our security are 
put at risk by a policy that does not secure these materials, and the 
practice of purchasing them overseas without appropriate safeguards 
must end.
  It is certainly not uncommon for cargo to be hijacked or lost, 
particularly in the staging areas at our Nation's ports of entry. The 
potential theft of uniforms, badges, or ID cards by the truckload pose 
a clear threat. These items are meant to serve as validation that those 
charged with securing our country are who they say they are; 
misappropriation is unacceptable.
  This legislation will not slow down the Department at all with regard 
to purchases; it merely ensures that sensitive materials are kept 
securely inside the United States when appropriate. The bill contains a 
waiver for small purchases and for material that will be used outside 
of the United States. It gives the Department the flexibility to 
procure materials outside of the United States if necessary and as long 
as steps are taken to prevent misappropriation.
  This legislation is focused and targeted at the area of greatest risk 
in procurement. I urge my colleagues in the House of Representatives to 
support it.

[[Page E650]]

                       SENATE COMMITTEE MEETINGS

  Title IV of Senate Resolution 4, agreed to by the Senate on February 
4, 1977, calls for establishment of a system for a computerized 
schedule of all meetings and hearings of Senate committees, 
subcommittees, joint committees, and committees of conference. This 
title requires all such committees to notify the Office of the Senate 
Daily Digest--designated by the Rules Committee--of the time, place, 
and purpose of the meetings, when scheduled, and any cancellations or 
changes in the meetings as they occur.
  As an additional procedure along with the computerization of this 
information, the Office of the Senate Daily Digest will prepare this 
information for printing in the Extensions of Remarks section of the 
Congressional Record on Monday and Wednesday of each week.
  Meetings scheduled for Tuesday, March 27, 2007 may be found in the 
Daily Digest of today's Record.

                           MEETINGS SCHEDULED

                                MARCH 28
     9:30 a.m.
       Armed Services
       Strategic Forces Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine the Strategic Forces Program 
           in review of the Defense Authorization Request for 
           fiscal year 2008 and the future years Defense Program, 
           with the possibility of a closed session in SR-222 
           following the open session.
                                                           SR-232A
       Joint Economic Committee
         To hold hearings to examine the current economic outlook.
                                                            SH-216
     9:45 a.m.
       Appropriations
       Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related 
           Agencies Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine proposed budget estimates for 
           fiscal year 2008 for the Department of Labor.
                                                            SD-124
     10 a.m.
       Environment and Public Works
         To hold hearings to examine reducing government building 
           operational costs through innovation and efficiency, 
           focusing on legislative solutions.
                                                            SD-406
       Finance
         To hold hearings to examine risks and reform, focusing on 
           the role of currency in the U.S.-China relationship.
                                                            SD-215
       Commerce, Science, and Transportation
       Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine the future of the Coast Guard 
           Dive Program.
                                                            SR-253
       Rules and Administration
         Business meeting to consider S. 223, to require Senate 
           candidates to file designations, statements, and 
           reports in electronic form.
                                                            SR-301
       Appropriations
       State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs 
           Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine the proposed budget estimates 
           for fiscal year 2008 for the United States Agency for 
           International Development and foreign assistance 
           programs.
                                                            SD-138
     10:30 a.m.
       Appropriations
       Defense Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine the proposed budget estimates 
           for fiscal year 2008 for the United States Navy.
                                                            SD-192
       Aging
         To hold hearings to examine affordable drug coverage that 
           works for Wisconsin, focusing on preserving senior 
           care.
                                                            SD-562
     11:45 a.m.
       Foreign Relations
         Business meeting to consider S. 193, to increase 
           cooperation on energy issues between the United States 
           Government and foreign governments and entities in 
           order to secure the strategic and economic interests of 
           the United States, S. 613, to enhance the overseas 
           stabilization and reconstruction capabilities of the 
           United States Government, H.R. 1003, to amend the 
           Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 to 
           reauthorize the United States Advisory Commission on 
           Public Diplomacy, S. Res. 30, expressing the sense of 
           the Senate regarding the need for the United States to 
           address global climate change through the negotiation 
           of fair and effective international commitments, S. 
           Res. 65, condemning the murder of Turkish-Armenian 
           journalist and human rights advocate Hrant Dink and 
           urging the people of Turkey to honor his legacy of 
           tolerance, S. Res. 76, calling on the United States 
           Government and the international community to promptly 
           develop, fund, and implement a comprehensive regional 
           strategy in Africa to protect civilians, facilitate 
           humanitarian operations, contain and reduce violence, 
           and contribute to conditions for sustainable peace in 
           eastern Chad, and Central African Republic, and Darfur, 
           Sudan, and the nominations of Paul J. Bonicelli, of 
           Virginia, to be an Assistant Administrator of the 
           United States Agency for International Development, 
           Curtis S. Chin, of New York, to be United States 
           Director of the Asian Development Bank, with the rank 
           of Ambassador, Eli Whitney Debevoise II, of Maryland, 
           to be United States Executive Director of the 
           International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, 
           Sam Fox, of Missouri, to be Ambassador to Belgium, 
           Zalmay Khalilzad, of Maryland, to be the Representative 
           of the United States of America to the United Nations, 
           with the rank and status of Ambassador and the 
           Representative of the United States of America in the 
           Security Council of the United Nations, Margrethe 
           Lundsager, of Virginia, to be United States Executive 
           Director of the International Monetary Fund, Katherine 
           Almquist, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Administrator 
           of the United States Agency for International 
           Development, Douglas Menarchik, of Texas, to be an 
           Assistant Administrator of the United States Agency for 
           International Development. (Reappointment), and Ford M. 
           Fraker, of Massachusetts, to be Ambassador to the 
           Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
                                                            SD-419
     2:30 p.m.
       Appropriations
       Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine proposed budget estimates for 
           fiscal year 2008 for United States Forest Service.
                                                            SD-124
       Commerce, Science, and Transportation
       Space, Aeronautics, and Related Agencies Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine transitioning to a next 
           generation Human Space Flight System.
                                                            SR-253
     3 p.m.
       Appropriations
       Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine the proposed budget estimates 
           for fiscal year 2008 for the Department of the 
           Treasury.
                                                            SD-192
       Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
         To hold hearings to examine No Child Left Behind 
           Reauthorization, focusing on effective strategies for 
           engaging parents and communities in schools.
                                                            SD-430
     3:30 p.m.
       Armed Services
       Personnel Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine active component, reserve 
           component, and civilian personnel programs in review of 
           the Defense Authorization Request for fiscal year 2008 
           and the future years Defense Program.
                                                           SR-232A

                                MARCH 29
     9:15 a.m.
       Indian Affairs
         To hold an oversight hearing to examine Indian trust fund 
           litigation.
                                                            SR-485
     9:30 a.m.
       Armed Services
         To hold hearings to examine the Department of the Navy in 
           review of the Defense Authorization Request for fiscal 
           year 2008 and the future years Defense Program, with 
           the possibility of a closed session in SR-222 following 
           the open session.
                                                            SD-106
       Foreign Relations
         To hold hearings to examine an update on Iran; may be 
           followed by a business meeting to consider pending 
           calendar business.
                                                            SD-419
       Small Business and Entrepreneurship
         Business meeting to markup S. 163, to improve the 
           disaster loan program of the Small Business 
           Administration.
                                                           SR-428A
       Veterans' Affairs
         To hold joint hearings with the House Committee on 
           Veterans' Affairs to examine the legislative 
           presentation of AMVETS, American Ex-Prisoners of War, 
           Military Order of the Purple Heart, Gold Star Wives of 
           America, Fleet Reserve Association, the Retired 
           Enlisted Association, Military Officers Association of 
           America, and the National Association of State 
           Directors of Veterans Affairs.
                                                            SD-226
     10 a.m.
       Commerce, Science, and Transportation
         To hold hearings to examine the nomination of David James 
           Gribbin IV, of Virginia, to be General Counsel of the 
           Department of Transportation.
                                                            SR-253

[[Page E651]]

       Environment and Public Works
         Business meeting to consider S. 801, to designate a 
           United States courthouse located in Fresno, California, 
           as the ``Robert E. Coyle United States Courthouse'', S. 
           521, to designate the Federal building and United 
           States courthouse and customhouse located at 515 West 
           First Street in Duluth, Minnesota, as the ``Gerald W. 
           Heany Federal Building and United States Courthouse and 
           Customhouse'', the Public Buildings Cost Reduction Act, 
           the Water Resources Development Act of 2007, and the 
           nominations of Roger Romulus Martella, Jr., of 
           Virginia, to be Assistant Administrator of the 
           Environmental Protection Agency, and Bradley Udall, of 
           Colorado, to be a Member of the Board of Trustees of 
           the Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence In 
           National Environmental Policy Foundation.
                                                            SD-406
       Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
       Federal Financial Management, Government Information, 
           Federal Services, and International Security 
           Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine eliminating and recovering 
           improper payments, focusing on the Office of Management 
           and Budget report entitled ``Improving the Accuracy and 
           Integrity of Improper Payments''.
                                                            SD-342
       Finance
         To hold hearings to examine clean energy from the margins 
           to the mainstream.
                                                            SD-215
       Judiciary
         To continue hearings to examine Department of Justice 
           hiring and firing of United States Attorneys, focusing 
           on preserving prosecutorial independence.
                                                            SH-216
     2 p.m.
       Judiciary
         Business meeting to consider S. 236, to require reports 
           to Congress on Federal agency use of data mining, S. 
           376, to amend title 18, United States Code, to improve 
           the provisions relating to the carrying of concealed 
           weapons by law enforcement officers, S. 849, to promote 
           accessibility, accountability, and openness in 
           Government by strengthening section 552 of title 5, 
           United States Code (commonly referred to as the Freedom 
           of Information Act), S. 119, to prohibit profiteering 
           and fraud relating to military action, relief, and 
           reconstruction efforts, S. 621, to establish 
           commissions to review the facts and circumstances 
           surrounding injustices suffered by European Americans, 
           European Latin Americans, and Jewish refugees during 
           World War II, and S. Res. 108, designating the first 
           week of April 2007 as ``National Asbestos Awareness 
           Week'' and to discuss the possibility of the issuance 
           of certain subpoenas in connection with investigation 
           into replacement of United States Attorneys.
                                                            SD-226
     2:30 p.m.
       Intelligence
         Closed business meeting and hearing regarding certain 
           intelligence matters.
                                                            SH-219

                                MARCH 30
     10 a.m.
       Appropriations
       Legislative Branch Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine proposed budget estimates for 
           fiscal year 2008 for the Office of the Senate Sergeant 
           at Arms and Doorkeeper, and the United States Capitol 
           police.
                                                            SD-138

                                APRIL 10
     10 a.m.
       Commerce, Science, and Transportation
         To hold an oversight hearing to examine the Federal Trade 
           Commission (FTC).
                                                            SR-253

                                APRIL 11
     9:30 a.m.
       Veterans' Affairs
         To hold hearings to examine issues relative to Filipino 
           veterans.
                                                            SR-418
     10 a.m.
       Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
         To hold hearings to examine the availability and 
           affordability of property and casualty insurance in the 
           Gulf Coast and other coastal regions.
                                                            SD-538
       Rules and Administration
         To hold an oversight hearing to examine the Smithsonian 
           Institution.
                                                            SR-301

                                APRIL 17
     10 a.m.
       Judiciary
         To hold an oversight hearing to examine the Department of 
           Justice.
                                                            SD-106

                                APRIL 25
     2 p.m.
       Veterans' Affairs
         To hold an oversight hearing to examine the Department of 
           Veterans Affairs, focusing on mental health issues.
                                                            SR-418

                                APRIL 26
     10 a.m.
       Commerce, Science, and Transportation
       Science, Technology, and Innovation Subcommittee
         To hold hearings to examine clean coal technology.
                                                            SR-253