Congressional Record, Volume 155 Issue 21 (Tuesday, February 3, 2009)

[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 21 (Tuesday, February 3, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H901-H906]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

NATIONAL BOMBING PREVENTION ACT OF 2009

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules
and pass the bill (H.R. 549) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002
to establish an appeal and redress process for individuals wrongly
delayed or prohibited from boarding a flight, or denied a right,
benefit, or privilege, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.

[[Page H902]]

The text of the bill is as follows:

H.R. 549

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``National Bombing Prevention
Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. BOMBING PREVENTION.

(a) In General.--Subtitle A of title II of the Homeland
Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 121 et seq.) is amended by
adding at the end the following new section:

``SEC. 210F. OFFICE FOR BOMBING PREVENTION.

``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish within the
Protective Security Coordination Division of the Office of
Infrastructure Protection of the Department an Office for
Bombing Prevention (in this section referred to as `the
Office').
``(b) Responsibilities.--The Office shall have the primary
responsibility for enhancing the ability, and coordinating
the efforts, of the United States to deter, detect, prevent,
protect against, and respond to terrorist explosive attacks
in the United States, including by--
``(1) serving as the lead agency of the Department for
ensuring that programs designed to counter terrorist
explosive attacks in the United States function together
efficiently to meet the evolving threat from explosives and
improvised explosive devices;
``(2) coordinating national and intergovernmental bombing
prevention activities to ensure those activities work toward
achieving common national goals;
``(3) conducting analysis of the capabilities and
requirements necessary for Federal, State, local, and tribal
governments to deter, prevent, detect, protect against, and
assist in any response to terrorist explosive attacks in the
United States by--
``(A) maintaining a national analysis database on the
capabilities of bomb squads, explosive detection canine
teams, tactics teams, and public safety dive teams; and
``(B) applying the analysis derived from the database
described in subparagraph (A) in--
``(i) evaluating progress toward closing identified gaps
relating to national strategic goals and standards; and
``(ii) informing decisions relating to homeland security
policy, assistance, training, research, development efforts,
testing and evaluation, and related requirements;
``(4) promoting secure information sharing of sensitive
material and promoting security awareness, including by--
``(A) operating and maintaining a secure information
sharing system that allows the sharing of critical
information relating to terrorist explosive attack tactics,
techniques, and procedures;
``(B) educating the public and private sectors about
explosive precursor chemicals;
``(C) working with international partners, in coordination
with the Office for International Affairs of the Department,
to develop and share effective practices to deter, prevent,
detect, protect, and respond to terrorist explosive attacks
in the United States; and
``(D) executing national public awareness and vigilance
campaigns relating to terrorist explosive threats, preventing
explosive attacks, and activities and measures underway to
safeguard the United States;
``(5) assisting State, local, and tribal governments in
developing multi-jurisdictional improvised explosive devices
security plans for high-risk jurisdictions;
``(6) helping to ensure, in coordination with the Under
Secretary for Science and Technology and the Administrator of
the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the identification
and availability of effective technology applications through
field pilot testing and acquisition of such technology
applications by Federal, State, local, and tribal governments
to deter, prevent, detect, protect, and respond to terrorist
explosive attacks in the United States;
``(7) coordinating the efforts of the Department relating
to, and assisting departments and agencies of Federal, State,
local, and tribal governments, and private sector business
in, developing and implementing national explosives detection
training, certification, and performance standards;
``(8) ensuring the implementation of any recommendations in
the national strategy required under section 210G, including
developing, maintaining, and tracking progress toward
achieving objectives to reduce the vulnerability of the
United States to terrorist explosive attacks;
``(9) developing, in coordination with the Administrator of
the Federal Emergency Management Agency, programmatic
guidance and permitted uses for bombing prevention activities
funded by homeland security assistance administered by the
Department; and
``(10) establishing and executing a public awareness
campaign to inform the general public and private sector
businesses on ways they can deter, detect, prevent, protect
against, and respond to terrorist explosive attacks in the
United States, that--
``(A) utilizes a broad spectrum of both mainstream and
specialty print, radio, television outlets, and the Internet;
``(B) utilizes small and disadvantaged businesses, as
defined under the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 631 et seq.);
and
``(C) ensures that the public awareness messages under the
campaign reach and are understandable to underserved
populations, including--
``(i) persons with physical and mental disabilities, health
problems, visual impairments, hearing impairments, limited
English proficiency, and literacy barriers;
``(ii) socially and economically disadvantaged households
and communities;
``(iii) the elderly; and
``(iv) children.
``(c) Limitation on Statutory Construction.--Nothing in
this section shall be construed to affect the authority of
the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency,
the Director of the United States Secret Service, or the
Attorney General of the United States.
``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--
``(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated
to carry out this section--
``(A) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2010;
``(B) $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2011 through
2013; and
``(C) such sums as may be necessary for each subsequent
fiscal year.
``(2) Availability.--Amounts made available pursuant to
paragraph (1) are authorized to remain available until
expended.
``(e) Enhancement of Explosives Detection Canine Resources
and Capabilities.--To enhance the Nation's explosives
detection canine resources and capabilities the Secretary of
Homeland Security shall, by partnering with other Federal,
State, local, and tribal agencies, nonprofit organizations,
universities including historically black colleges and
universities and minority serving institutions, and the
private sector--
``(1) within 270 days after the date of the enactment of
this subsection--
``(A) develop a pilot program that includes a domestic
breeding program for purpose-bred explosives detection
canines; and
``(B) increase the current number of capability assessments
of explosives detection canine units to identify common
challenges and gaps in canine explosives detection, to
provide for effective domestic preparedness and collective
response to terrorism, and to inform grant guidance and
priorities, consistent with national capabilities database
efforts;
``(2) continue development of a scientifically based
training curriculum to enhance consensus-based national
training and certification standards to provide for effective
domestic preparedness and collective response to terrorism
through the effective use of explosives detection canines for
explosives detection canines; and
``(3) continue engagement in explosives detection canine
research and development activities through partnerships with
the Science and Technology Directorate and the Technical
Support Working Group.

``SEC. 210G. NATIONAL STRATEGY.

``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall develop and
periodically update a national strategy to prevent and
prepare for terrorist explosive attacks in the United States.
``(b) Development.--Not later than 90 days after the date
of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall develop
the national strategy required under subsection (a).
``(c) Reporting.--Not later than six months after the date
of the submission of the report regarding each quadrennial
homeland security review conducted under section 707, the
Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report
regarding the national strategy required under subsection
(a), which shall include recommendations, if any, for
deterring, preventing, detecting, protecting against, and
responding to terrorist attacks in the United States using
explosives or improvised explosive devices, including any
such recommendations relating to coordinating the efforts of
Federal, State, local, and tribal governments, emergency
response providers, and the private sector.''.
(b) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--The table of
contents in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002
(6 U.S.C. 101 et seq.) is amended by inserting after the item
relating to section 210E the following new items:

``Sec. 210F. Office for Bombing Prevention.
``Sec. 210G. National strategy.''.

SEC. 3. EXPLOSIVES TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSFER.

(a) In General.--Title III of the Homeland Security Act of
2002 (6 U.S.C. 181 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end
the following new sections:

``SEC. 318. EXPLOSIVES RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.

``(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Under
Secretary for Science and Technology, and in coordination
with the Under Secretary for National Protection and
Programs, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Defense, and
the head of any other relevant Federal department or agency,
shall ensure coordination and information sharing regarding
nonmilitary research, development, testing, and evaluation
activities of the Federal Government relating to the
detection and prevention of, protection against, and response
to terrorist attacks in the United States using explosives or
improvised explosive devices, and the development of tools
and technologies necessary to neutralize and disable
explosive devices.
``(b) Leveraging Military Research.--The Secretary, acting
through the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, and
in coordination with the Under Secretary for National
Protection and Programs, shall coordinate with the Secretary
of Defense and

[[Page H903]]

the head of any other relevant Federal department or agency
to ensure that, to the maximum extent possible, military
policies and procedures, and research, development, testing,
and evaluation activities relating to the detection and
prevention of, protection against, and response to terrorist
attacks using explosives or improvised explosive devices, and
the development of tools and technologies necessary to
neutralize and disable explosive devices, are adapted to
nonmilitary uses.

``SEC. 319. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER.

``(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Under
Secretary for Science and Technology, and in coordination
with the Under Secretary for National Protection and
Programs, shall establish a technology transfer program to
facilitate the identification, modification, and
commercialization of technology and equipment for use by
Federal, State, and local governmental agencies, emergency
response providers, and the private sector to deter, prevent,
detect, protect, and respond to terrorist attacks in the
United States using explosives or improvised explosive
devices.
``(b) Program.--The activities under the program
established under subsection (a) shall include--
``(1) applying the analysis conducted under section
210F(b)(3) of the capabilities and requirements of bomb
squad, explosive detection canine teams, tactical teams, and
public safety dive teams of Federal, State, and local
governments, to determine the training and technology
requirements for Federal, State, and local governments,
emergency response providers, and the private sector;
``(2) identifying available technologies designed to deter,
prevent, detect, protect, or respond to terrorist attacks
using explosives or improvised explosive devices that have
been, or are in the process of being, developed, tested,
evaluated, or demonstrated by the Department, other Federal
agencies, the private sector, foreign governments, or
international organizations;
``(3) reviewing whether a technology described in paragraph
(2) may be useful in assisting Federal, State, or local
governments, emergency response providers, or the private
sector in detecting, deterring, preventing, or responding to
terrorist attacks using explosives or improvised explosive
devices; and
``(4) communicating to Federal, State, and local
governments, emergency response providers, and the private
sector the availability of any technology described in
paragraph (2), including providing the specifications of any
such technology, indicating whether any such technology
satisfies appropriate standards, and identifying grants, if
any, available from the Department to purchase any such
technology.
``(c) Working Group.--To facilitate the transfer of
military technologies, the Secretary, acting through the
Under Secretary for Science and Technology, in coordination
with the Secretary of Defense, and in a manner consistent
with protection of sensitive sources and methods, shall
establish a working group to advise and assist in the
identification of military technologies designed to deter,
prevent, detect, protect, or respond to terrorist explosive
attacks that are in the process of being developed, or are
developed, by the Department of Defense or the private
sector.''.
(b) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--The table of
contents in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002
(6 U.S.C. 101 et seq.) is amended by inserting after the item
relating to section 317 the following new items:

``Sec. 318. Explosives research and development.
``Sec. 319. Technology transfer.''.

SEC. 4. GAO STUDY OF EXPLOSIVES DETECTION CANINE TEAMS.

Section 1307(f) of the Implementing Recommendations of the
9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (Public Law 110-53; 121 Stat.
395) is amended by striking ``utilization'' and all that
follows through the end of the sentence and inserting
``utilization of explosives detection canine teams, by the
Transportation Security Administration and all other agencies
of the Department of Homeland Security that utilize
explosives detection canines, to strengthen security and the
capacity of explosive detection canine detection teams of the
Department.''.

SEC. 5. REPORT ON CANINE PROCUREMENT ACTIVITIES.

The Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit a report to
the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate by not later than 180 days
after the date of the enactment of this Act examining the
administration of canine procurement activities by the
Department of Homeland Security to deter, prevent, detect,
and protect against terrorist explosive attacks in the United
States, that includes consideration of the feasibility of
reducing the price paid for the procurement of untrained
canines, including by utilizing an expanded pool of breeds,
procuring canines from domestic breeders, and acquiring
canines from animal shelters, rescue societies, and other
not-for-profit entities.

{time} 1645

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Mississippi (Mr. Thompson) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Olson)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Mississippi.

General Leave

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent
that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and
extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on the bill under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Mississippi?
There was no objection.
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to
include in the Record an exchange of letters between the distinguished
chairman of the Committee on Science and Technology and myself.

Committee on Science

and Technology,

Washington, DC, January 15, 2009.
Hon. Bennie G. Thompson,
Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, Ford House Office
Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman, I am writing to you concerning the
jurisdictional interest of the Committee on Science and
Technology in H.R. 549, the National Bombing Prevention Act
of 2009. H.R. 549 was introduced by Congressman Peter T. King
on January 15, 2009. H.R. 549 is identical to the reported
version of H.R. 4749 from the 110th Congress.
H.R. 549 implicates the Committee on Science and
Technology's jurisdiction over Homeland Security research and
development under Rule X(1)(o)(14) of the House Rules. The
Committee on Science and Technology acknowledges the
importance of H.R. 549 and the need for the legislation to
move expeditiously. Therefore, while we have a valid claim to
jurisdiction over this bill, I agree not to request a
sequential referral. This, of course, is conditional on our
mutual understanding that nothing in this legislation or my
decision to forgo a sequential referral waives, reduces, or
otherwise affects the jurisdiction of the Committee on
Science and Technology, and that a copy of this letter and of
your response will be included in the Congressional Record
when the bill is considered on the House Floor.
The Committee on Science and Technology also expects that
you will support our request to be conferees during any
House-Senate conference on H.R. 549 or similar legislation.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Bart Gordon,
Chairman.
____

Committee on Homeland Security,

Washington, DC, January 15, 2009.
Hon. Bart Gordon,
Chairman, Committee on Science and Technology, Rayburn Bldg.,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter regarding H.R.
549, the ``National Bombing Prevention Act of 2009,''
introduced by Congressman Peter T. King on January 15, 2009.
I appreciate your willingness to work cooperatively on this
legislation. I acknowledge that H.R. 549 contains provisions
that fall under the jurisdictional interests of the Committee
on Science and Technology. I appreciate your agreement to not
seek a sequential referral of this legislation and I
acknowledge that your decision to forgo a sequential referral
does not waive, alter, or otherwise affect the jurisdiction
of the Committee on Science and Technology.
Further, I recognize that your Committee reserves the right
to seek appointment of conferees on the bill for the portions
of the bill that are within your jurisdiction and I agree to
support such a request.
I will ensure that this exchange of letters is included in
the Congressional Record during floor consideration of H.R.
549, the ``National Bombing Prevention Act of 2009.'' I look
forward to working with you on this legislation and other
matters of great importance to this nation.
Sincerely,
Bennie G. Thompson,
Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill and yield myself such
time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, explosives remain the preferred weapon of choice by
terrorists around the world. Yet, in the immediate aftermath of the
September 11 attacks, the Bush administration placed a disproportionate
level of attention on unconventional emerging threats such as chemical,
biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons of mass destruction.
Despite the issuance 2 years ago of HSPD 19, which is entitled
``Combating Terrorist Use of Explosives in the United States,'' the
focus needed to address the conventional explosives has been sorely
lacking.
Time and again, we have seen terrorists use explosives against the
United States and our overseas interests. We have also seen them used
to deadly effect against some of our closest allies,

[[Page H904]]

including Britain, Spain and, most recently, India.
Because explosives, be they homemade or military grade, are
relatively easy to obtain and use in an improvised explosives device, a
focused and coordinated approach is needed.
Passage of H.R. 549, the National Bombing Prevention Act of 2009, is
a critical step to putting us on a path to developing such an approach.
Specifically, this bill, a reintroduced version of H.R. 4749 from
last Congress, which passed the House overwhelmingly on June 18 of last
year, establishes the Office of Bomb Prevention at the Department of
Homeland Security.
I wish to thank the gentleman from Long Island, the ranking member of
the Committee on Homeland Security, Mr. King, for authoring this
legislation, and I am proud to once again be an original cosponsor.
This is a straightforward, bipartisan bill that authorizes the Office
of Bombing Prevention in law and sets forth its responsibilities for
coordinating Federal efforts to deter, detect, prevent, protect
against, and respond to terrorist explosive attacks in the United
States.
To do so, the office is required to conduct analysis of the Federal,
State, local, and tribal government capabilities; and maintain a
national database of the capabilities of bomb squads, explosive
detection canine teams, tactics teams, and public safety dive teams
around the Nation.
Additionally, the bill requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to
develop a national strategy to prevent and prepare for terrorist
explosive attacks in the United States.
The bill authorizes $10 million for fiscal year 2010 and $25 million
annually for the following 3 years.
I strongly urge passage of this important homeland security
legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
This bill authorizes the Office of Bombing Prevention within the
Department of Homeland Security. In previous Congresses, it passed on
suspension with bipartisan support.
This office will provide the necessary analysis and coordination of
our Nation's bomb prevention capability to best protect our citizens
from the threat posed by explosive materials.
We only need to look at terrorist activities overseas to understand
that conventional and improvised explosive devices are a terrorist's
weapon of choice to target military and civilians.
Within the United States, we have been subject to our own share of
explosive attacks, including the 1993 World Trade Center bombings, the
1995 Oklahoma City bombing, the Centennial Olympic Park bombing, and
others.
State and local authorities have developed the capabilities to
respond to potential explosive threats and to neutralize them. Yet
without the office established in this bill, there would be no analysis
of our nationwide capability to respond to explosive threats, or where
gaps exist in training, equipment, and personnel against a national
baseline. This analysis will assist State and local officials in
applying for homeland security grants to fill these gaps.
Further, this legislation will authorize the office to continue to
promote information sharing and IED security awareness through advanced
bomb prevention techniques and usable information.
The office uses a secure Web site, known as ``TRIPwire,'' to provide
to bomb prevention officials across the country access to current
terrorist IED tactics, techniques and procedures, along with expert
analysis and reports, making it a one-stop shop for actionable
information.
I previously mentioned our troops' experience with IEDs in Iraq and
Afghanistan. This legislation instructs the Secretary of Homeland
Security to work closely with the Department of Defense to take
advantage of what our troops have learned on the battlefield, both in
tactics and technology, to improve the capability of our first
responders here at home.
Preventing a bomb from going off should involve more than just those
first responders attempting to neutralize the threat once the bomb has
been placed. Education and awareness programs regarding the threat of
IEDs are also a piece of this legislation, providing information on
explosive precursors to merchants who can recognize suspicious
purchases.
The continued need for the Office of Bombing Prevention is clear. It
is important to note that this office is not designed to replace
existing elements of counter-explosive expertise already found in the
Federal Government, but to assist and coordinate State, local, and
tribal capability. In fact, the National Tactical Officers Association
supports this legislation.
By supporting H.R. 549, we take another step in upholding our
responsibility to protect the lives and livelihood of American
citizens.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I don't have any additional
speakers for the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf).
Mr. WOLF. I thank the gentleman for yielding the time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 549, the National Bombing
Prevention Act of 2009. However, I have some concerns about language
included in this bill regarding the enhancement of explosives detection
canine resources and capabilities. I'm concerned and worried that this
provision could unintentionally harm established Federal canine
training facilities and even weaken existing training standards.
Currently, the Customs and Border Protection agency runs two world-
class canine training facilities under its Canine Enforcement Program,
in addition to a USDA facility in Florida. One of these facilities is
located in my congressional district in Front Royal, Virginia, in what
is viewed as the Shenandoah Valley. I strongly encourage Members to
visit this exceptional program, staffed by dedicated Federal employees,
before making any comprehensive reforms to this model program.
The Canine Enhancement Program already serves the needs of the
Department of Homeland Security and other Federal agencies. It is so
highly regarded that many of our closest international allies--and I
was out there. Egypt had their people out there training and many
others--send their canine program officials to the Front Royal facility
for training.
Mr. Speaker, rather than reinventing a program that already
demonstrates exceptional results, I hope that we can work with the
Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection to
address these issues as this legislation moves forward.
Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from Iowa (Mr. King).
Mr. KING of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and
am privileged to address you, Mr. Speaker, and to rise in support of
H.R. 549, the National Bombing Prevention Act.
This is something that certainly arises out of 9/11, when we watched
in horror as the twin towers burned, the Pentagon was attacked, and the
plane was crashed in Pennsylvania. It's changed the focus of this
Nation. It's changed the priorities that we have.
One would think that government would simply look at this and make
sure that all the gaps are filled, that we were able to analyze
capabilities and maintain a database, identify those gaps. The list of
the things in this bill goes on.
I'm looking at the risk to America and the energy that brings this
bill to the floor, Mr. Speaker, and I think about this country in the
broad terms. What do we need to do to take America to the next level of
our destiny? How do we nurture the things that protect us? And how do
we enhance the components that improve us?
And I can't help but reflect, Mr. Speaker, as I stand here that we
are unanimous in our support in protecting the American people. We
disagree sometimes on the tactics--and I don't think we much disagree
on these tactics--but I think that there are greater risks out there to
America that cry out for an urgent approach rather than H.R. 549, the
National Bombing Prevention Act.
Some of those greater risks come from overseas. They come on our
American military that are today in harm's way in Iraq and Afghanistan,
the whole backdrop of that. We have

[[Page H905]]

poured a significant amount of resources in, and we've seen great
success in Iraq in particular. We have a tough battle to fight in
Afghanistan. That's the habitat that breeds the people that would like
to penetrate through our shield.
That's something we cannot always see but it's a tangible enemy
because we have seen the results of that tangible enemy.
Mr. Speaker, I can't watch this bill move through debate without
raising the issue of the intangible enemy that we have, the enemy that
we have from within, the enemy that creeps up on us and sneaks up on
us, and the one that causes us to revert to security and trying to find
a safer future. Whenever we see a bump along in our economy, when we
see the stock market take a dip, when we see some unemployment numbers
that go up, the first thing that happens is those who have been lying
in wait for an economic disaster pounce upon that as an argument that
the free markets are not the solution, that a managed economy is the
solution.
And we're in the middle of a pivotal debate in America today, Mr.
Speaker, and that pivotal debate rests not so much on the physical
security of the American people, as it does the economic opportunity of
the American people.
And in the name of economic security, we are watching trillions of
dollars being invested in programs that have not shown any pattern of
being successful. There was a $150 billion stimulus plan not quite a
year ago and then a $700 billion stimulus plan that came out before the
election, the bailout plan as it's commonly known, and now we're
looking at perhaps a $900 billion stimulus that has with it at least
$347 billion in interest attached to it over the next 10 years which
takes us to $1.3 trillion.
Just add the $700 billion on from the bailout from last fall, and
we're at $2 trillion, $2 trillion in debt and burden which is just one
leg of a multi-legged stool as we know from President Obama that has to
be constructed by that approach.
And I will submit that as much as we'd like to provide for the safety
and the security of the American people--and I will continue to support
and work together hand-in-hand across the aisle on those issues--I do
oppose the idea that government can spend money better than people can,
and I oppose the idea that creating new government programs and
spending trillions of dollars. And this one-leg of a multi-legged stool
is a $2 trillion leg, Mr. Speaker.
How many more trillion dollars before we get all the legs built on
this stool that may look like a centipede and our debt may look like
it's insurmountable into the future?
We've got to revert to the things that made this Nation great, the
foundations of the American exceptionalism. And those foundations have
been--and if we're to have a future will be--the free markets, the
markets, the free enterprise system, and our faith in those markets.
And at some point, we have to look back at history and understand that
no matter how deep we can dig into the old ``New Deal'' of the 1930s,
that the best that can be said for it was it may have slowed and
diminished the depths to which we sunk during the Great Depression, but
the tradeoff was that it delayed the recovery.

{time} 1700

And now we are looking at a new, uber, new, new deal that's coming,
that is multitrillions of dollars, that may or may not diminish the
depths, but it will certainly delay the recovery.
So that is my greatest fear for America, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate
your attention.
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I urge members to
support this bill.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as
I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly support H.R. 549, and believe that
authorizing the Office of Bombing Prevention will greatly enhance our
Nation's preparedness and response to arguably the most likely method
of terrorist attack.
In addition to authorizing the Office to develop a strategic vision
and establish the capabilities level around the Nation, the bill
provides support for efforts to research explosives detection and
mitigation.
It is important to note, Mr. Speaker, that an informed public is a
prepared public. In this spirit, the bill also directs the Office to
develop and implement a public awareness campaign that can reach the
private sector, as well as ordinary citizens.
Again, I'd like to commend Ranking Member King for bringing forth
this important bipartisan legislation, and I urge immediate passage of
H.R. 549.
Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 549, the
National Bombing Prevention Act of 2009, and am pleased that the House
has moved quickly early in the 111th Congress to act on this important
legislation. On January 15, 2009, I introduced H.R. 549, which
authorizes the Office of Bombing Prevention within the Department of
Homeland Security. In the previous Congress, the full House passed
similar legislation by bipartisan voice vote on June 18, 2008.
The Office of Bombing Prevention will provide much needed analysis
and coordination of our Nation's bomb-prevention capacity. This will
inform State and local governments on how to best protect our citizens
from the threat posed by improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The
terrorist attacks in Iraq and Afghanistan; the attacks in London in
2007 and 2005; the Madrid bombings in 2004; and the countless other
bombing attacks around the world serve as reminders that terrorist
organizations utilize IEDs to target civilians and military personnel.
Within the United States, we have been subject to our own share of
explosive attacks, including the 1993 World Trade Center bombings; the
1995 Oklahoma City bombing; the Centennial Olympic Park bombing; and
others. State and local bomb squads across the country have formed and
trained to respond to these types of threats. But at the national
level, there is no analysis of our nationwide capability to respond to
explosive threats, or to identify where gaps exist in training,
equipment, and personnel against a national baseline. The Office
authorized by this bill gives us that ability.
This analysis will also assist State and local officials in applying
for homeland security grants to fill these gaps. Further, the bill
requires the Office to continue to share information with State and
local officials and promote IED security awareness. This information is
distributed through a secure website, known as ``TRIPwire,'' which
provides to appropriate law enforcement officials access to current IED
tactics, techniques and procedures--updated in light of new events and
as terrorists change their methods. ``TRIPwire'' includes analysis and
reports by experts making it a ``one-stop shop'' for actionable
information.
Information sharing with law enforcement is only one part of
preventing an IED attack within the United States. Another key
component of the Office of Bombing Prevention authorized in this bill
is the establishment of an awareness program for the public regarding
the threat of IEDs. This program will educate merchants, for example,
on types of materials that are explosive pre-cursors, so that sellers
can watch for, and recognize, suspicious purchases.
Recognizing that our military has developed invaluable expertise in
recognizing and countering IEDs, this legislation instructs the
Secretary of Homeland Security to work closely with the Department of
Defense to leverage lessons learned by our troops in combat. Adapting
appropriate tactics and technology from overseas will improve the
capability of our first responders here at home.
The Office of Bombing Prevention has been in existence at the
Department of Homeland Security since 2005, but has not yet been
authorized by statute. The continued need for the Office of Bombing
Prevention is clear. While there are many Federal agencies that bring
expertise and roles to countering an explosive threat, this Office
provides a unique role to assist and assess State, local, and tribal
capability.
By supporting H.R. 549, we take another step in upholding our
responsibility to protect the lives and livelihood of American
citizens. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this bill.
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of
my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 549, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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