[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 36 (Tuesday, March 4, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1546-S1547]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    COMMENDING THE EMPLOYEES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

  Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed 
to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 472 submitted earlier today 
by Senator Lieberman.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 472) commending the employees of the 
     Department of Homeland Security, their partners at all levels 
     of government, and the millions of law enforcement, fire 
     service, and emergency medical services personnel, emergency 
     managers, and other emergency response providers nationwide 
     for their dedicated service in protecting the people of the 
     United States and the Nation from acts of terrorism, natural 
     disasters, and other large-scale emergencies.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I am pleased to join Senator Lieberman in 
support of S. Res. 472, commending the employees of the Department of 
Homeland Security on the Department's fifth anniversary, and honoring 
their partners at all levels of Government, the private sector, and the 
millions of men and women in law enforcement, the fire service, 
emergency-medical services, and other emergency-response professions 
who risk their lives to protect us.
  Five years ago, on March 1, 2003, the Department of Homeland Security 
commenced operations as a new organizational umbrella over 22 federal 
agencies and with new responsibilities for developing and coordinating 
an integrated, all-hazards approach to planning for, mitigating 
against, responding to, and recovering from major disasters.
  Creating DHS was a critical part of our national response to the 
terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. We are safer today because of 
the work of the Department's dedicated employees and because of their 
support and coordination with State, local, tribal, and non-profit 
agencies with emergency-management, prevention, and response 
responsibilities.
  The Department was severely tested in the Hurricane Katrina 
catastrophe of 2005, and extensive investigation by the Committee on 
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs identified serious flaws in 
the Department's response. But, spurred by legislation that Senator 
Lieberman and I authored in 2006, the Department has taken significant 
strides in improving its response and recovery capabilities. The 
Department's responses to recent disasters, such as the wildfires in 
California, the Patriots' Day storm in Maine, and the

[[Page S1547]]

recent tornadoes in the South, visibly demonstrate these improvements.
  The task of integrating the 22 agencies and more than 200,000 
employees that compose the Department has not always gone smoothly. As 
the Government Accountability Office justly observed in a progress 
report on DHS last summer, however, ``successful transformations of 
large organizations, even those faced with less strenuous 
reorganizations than DHS, can take 5 to 7 years to achieve.'' The 
Department has made significant progress. Congress must help it make 
more.
  On this noteworthy anniversary, I salute the men and women of DHS and 
all of their partners who protect our borders, transportation hubs, 
critical infrastructure, seaports, and--above all--our people. This 
Senate resolution is a small but heartfelt expression of our gratitude, 
our respect, and our commitment to the future of this Department.
  Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution 
be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be 
laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate, and any 
statements be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 472) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 472

       Whereas it has been almost 7 years since the horrific 
     terrorist attacks against the United States and its people on 
     September 11, 2001;
       Whereas al-Qaeda and affiliated or inspired terrorist 
     groups remain committed to plotting attacks against the 
     United States, its interests, and its foreign allies, as 
     evidenced by recent terrorist attacks in Great Britain, 
     Algeria, and Pakistan, and disrupted plots in Germany, 
     Denmark, Canada, and the United States;
       Whereas the Nation remains vulnerable to catastrophic 
     natural disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina, which 
     devastated the Gulf Coast in August 2005;
       Whereas the President has declared more than 400 major 
     disasters and emergencies under the Robert T. Stafford 
     Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act since 2000, in 
     response to a host of natural disasters, including tornadoes, 
     floods, winter storms, and wildfires that have overwhelmed 
     the capabilities of State and local governments;
       Whereas acts of terrorism, natural disasters, and other 
     large-scale emergencies can exact a tragic human toll, 
     resulting in significant numbers of casualties and disrupting 
     hundreds of thousands of lives, causing serious damage to the 
     Nation's critical infrastructure, and inflicting billions of 
     dollars of costs on both the public and private sectors;
       Whereas in response to the attacks of September 11, 2001, 
     and the continuing risk to the Nation from a full range of 
     potential catastrophic incidents, Congress established the 
     Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003, bringing 
     together 22 disparate Federal entities, enhancing their 
     capabilities with major new divisions emphasizing information 
     analysis, infrastructure protection, and science and 
     technology, and focusing its more than 200,000 employees on 
     the critical mission of defending the Nation against acts of 
     terrorism, natural disasters, and other large-scale 
     emergencies;
       Whereas since its creation, the employees of the Department 
     of Homeland Security have endeavored to carry out this 
     mission with commendable dedication, working with other 
     Federal departments and agencies and partners at all levels 
     of government to help secure the Nation's borders, airports, 
     sea and inland ports, critical infrastructure, and people 
     against acts of terrorism, natural disasters, and other 
     large-scale emergencies;
       Whereas the Nation's firefighters, law enforcement 
     officers, emergency medical services personnel, and other 
     emergency response providers selflessly and repeatedly risk 
     their lives to fulfill their mission to help prevent, protect 
     against, prepare for, and respond to acts of terrorism, 
     natural disasters, and other large-scale emergencies;
       Whereas State, local, territorial, and tribal government 
     officials, the private sector, and ordinary individuals 
     across the country have been working in cooperation with the 
     Department of Homeland Security and other Federal departments 
     and agencies to enhance the Nation's ability to prevent, 
     protect against, prepare for, and respond to natural 
     disasters, acts of terrorism, and other large-scale 
     emergencies; and
       Whereas the people of the United States can assist in 
     promoting the Nation's overall preparedness by remaining 
     vigilant, reporting suspicious activity to proper 
     authorities, and preparing themselves and their families for 
     all emergencies, regardless of their cause: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the 
     establishment of the Department of Homeland Security, 
     commends the public servants of the Department for their 
     outstanding contributions to the Nation's security and 
     safety;
       (2) salutes the dedication of State, local, territorial, 
     and tribal government officials, the private sector, and 
     individuals across the country for their efforts to enhance 
     the Nation's ability to prevent, protect against, prepare 
     for, and respond to acts of terrorism, natural disasters, and 
     other large-scale emergencies;
       (3) expresses the Nation's appreciation for the sacrifices 
     and commitment of law enforcement, fire service, and 
     emergency medical services personnel, emergency managers, and 
     other emergency response providers in preventing, protecting 
     against, preparing for, and responding to acts of terrorism, 
     natural disasters, and other large-scale emergencies;
       (4) urges the Federal Government, States, local 
     governments, Indian tribes, schools, nonprofit organizations, 
     businesses, other entities, and the people of the United 
     States to take steps that promote individual and community 
     preparedness for any emergency, regardless of its cause; and
       (5) encourages continued efforts by every individual in the 
     United States to enhance the ability of the Nation to address 
     the full range of potential catastrophic incidents at all 
     levels of government.

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