[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 57 (Thursday, April 10, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E578]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE HOMELAND 
                                SECURITY

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 9, 2008

  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise to declare my support for the 
employees of the Department of Homeland Security and to thank them for 
their important service to our country. I opposed the formation of the 
Department of Homeland Security in 2002. There was good reason to 
believe that a reorganization that would take at least 10 years and 
possibly more, would cause delay in implementation of real measures 
that could make the country safer.
  I pointed out that the proposed reorganization of 22 different 
agencies into one large entity would not constitute efficient and 
effective government, nor would it help the thousands of Americans who 
die of violent crimes each year in this country.
  When Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005, it soon 
became apparent that my concerns about establishing the Department of 
Homeland Security were valid. Katrina and the subsequent flooding took 
at least 1,835 lives and sent a powerful reminder to the people of the 
United States that the homeland is not secure. I certainly do not 
expect that the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency (FEMA) or any other government agency can prevent a 
natural disaster. But FEMA's own mandate was to coordinate disaster 
relief through preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation. The 
federal response should have been to make things happen and to make 
them happen quickly; to anticipate and respond to the needs of local 
and state officials.
  Instead Hurricane Katrina will long be held in our Nation's 
collective conscience. We will remember the terrified and helpless 
faces of the victims that this disaster claimed, displaced and 
horrified. We will remember the faces of our fellow citizens pleading 
for help, for days as they endured horrible conditions at the 
convention center and Superdome. The unbearably inadequate response to 
these disasters exacerbates the shame, heartache and insecurity that 
has resulted. The images haunt us.
  What was the response from the former FEMA Director Michael Brown in 
testimony before the House? He said, ``[a]nd while my heart goes out to 
people on fixed incomes, it is primarily a state and local 
responsibility. And in my opinion, it's the responsibility of faith-
based organizations, of churches and charities and others to help those 
people.'' Michael Chertoff, Secretary of DHS said, ``I remember on 
Tuesday morning picking up newspapers, and I saw headlines, `New 
Orleans Dodged the Bullet.' '' Is this the way we make the homeland 
safer? By attempting to fabricate leadership instead of demonstrating 
it?
  Furthermore, in 2003 the Administration terminated the collective 
bargaining rights of TSA screeners just as TSA workers were ready to 
vote on joining the union of the American Federation of Government 
Employees (AFGE). DHS does not allow a unionized TSA workforce. 
Transportation security workers deserve collective bargaining rights. 
It is an insult to these dedicated men and women within DHS, including 
FEMA, the Army Corp of Engineers and Border Patrol that their rights to 
organize have been denied.
  I unequivocally appreciate the dedicated service of DHS employees. 
Their hard work and commitment to public service is outstanding and 
valuable. However, I cannot celebrate the creation of DHS.

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