[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 98 (Friday, June 26, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1606]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS ACT 2010

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. BOB ETHERIDGE

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 24, 2009

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration of the bill (H.R. 2892) 
     making appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security 
     for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010, and for other 
     purposes:

  Mr. ETHERIDGE. Madam Chair, I rise today in support of H.R. 2892, the 
Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 
2010.
  This legislation provides $44 billion for the Department of Homeland 
Security to continue its work to keep Americans safe, keep our borders 
secure, and ensure our communities are prepared for any disaster--
whether natural or man-made.
  At a time when our state and local governments are strained in the 
current economic downturn, this legislation continues our federal 
commitment to support local efforts that keep our communities safe. It 
provides $3.55 billion for first responder grant initiatives, including 
$810 million for Fire Grants, $950 million for State Emergency 
Preparedness Grants, $330 million for Emergency Management Performance 
Grants, and a total of $90 million for interoperable communications and 
emergency response centers.
  H.R. 2892 will help secure our border and improve the enforcement of 
our nation's immigration laws. The measure would fully fund 20,019 
border patrol agents with $3.5 billion and provide $732 million for 
border fencing, infrastructure and technology. It would provide $5.7 
billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to enhance our 
ability to identify and remove immigrants who have illegally entered 
the country, and $248 million for the United States Citizenship and 
Immigration Services to improve the processing of visas for those 
eligible to enter the country. This funding includes $112 million to 
operate and improve E-Verify, the DHS initiative that empowers 
businesses to screen potential employees' immigration status.
  As North Carolina is a prime hurricane state, I am pleased that this 
bill makes important investments in all-hazards disaster preparedness. 
It provides $2 billion for Disaster Relief, $220 million to continue 
flood map modernization and to maintain modernized maps, and $200 
million to address the increasing needs for emergency food and shelter, 
recognizing that the current economic downturn is a disaster in its own 
right.
  Madam Chair, this is a strong bill that enhances our ability to keep 
our nation secure and our citizens safe. I urge my colleagues to join 
me in supporting this legislation.

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