[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 124 (Wednesday, September 15, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1623]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




FINDINGS OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY RELATING 
           TO EFFICIENCY AND REFORM PURSUANT TO H. RES. 1493

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 15, 2010

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Madam Speaker, in accordance with the 
Budget Enforcement Resolution, I submit those changes in law resulting 
from legislation approved or filed by the Committee on Homeland 
Security that will help achieve deficit reduction by enhancing 
efficiency, accountability and oversight, while eliminating waste, 
abuse, mismanagement, and fraud in Government programs within the 
jurisdiction of the Committee on Homeland Security.
  Below are measures within the Committee's jurisdiction that have, to 
date, been approved by the House during this Congress and reflect the 
Committee's efforts to promote efficiency, government reform and result 
in budgetary savings:
  H.R. 553, the Reducing Over-Classification Act, which creates a 
standard for formatting finished intelligence and eliminates redundant 
classification efforts.
  H.R. 2200, the Transportation Security Administration Authorization 
Act, which streamlines management at TSA, requires risk-based 
allocation of resources, and promotes operational efficiency.
  H.R. 4842, the Homeland Security Science and Technology Authorization 
Act of 2010, which establishes new internal controls, more robust 
standards, and reforms for all of the research and development 
conducted by both the Department of Homeland Security's Science and 
Technology Directorate and the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office.
  H.R. 3978, the First Responder Anti-Terrorism Training Resources Act, 
which allows the Department of Homeland Security to accept gifts for 
its first responder training centers, thereby alleviating need for the 
Department to purchase certain equipment or material.
  H.R. 3980, the Redundancy Elimination and Enhanced Performance for 
Preparedness Grants Act, which requires the identification of redundant 
rules and regulations and a plan to eliminate redundant reports and 
regulations.
  H.R. 1148, a bill to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to 
conduct a program in the maritime environment for the mobile biometric 
identification of suspected individuals, including terrorists, to 
enhance border security, which promotes government efficiency by 
streamlining processing, prosecution, and deportation of suspected 
individuals.
  H.R. 2868, the Chemical and Water Security Act of 2009, which 
controls spending by requiring that grants be awarded on a merit and 
risk based basis, streamlines the regulatory requirements for securing 
chemical and water treatment facilities and, by enhancing the security 
of such facilities, mitigates against the potentially astronomical 
costs associated with the response to and recovery from a successful 
terrorist attack on such a facility.
  H.R. 1617, the Department of Homeland Security Component Privacy 
Officer Act of 2009, which establishes a privacy officer in each 
Department of Homeland Security component, thus enhancing efficiency by 
reducing the potential for the production of regulations or guidelines 
that are subject to challenge under privacy laws.
  H.R. 4748, the Northern Border Counternarcotics Strategy Act of 2010, 
which enhances the efficiency of governmental efforts to prevent the 
illegal trafficking of drugs across the northern border by requiring a 
strategy stating the specific roles and responsibilities of relevant 
agencies.
  H.R. 1178, a bill to direct the Comptroller General of the United 
States to conduct a study on the use of Civil Air Patrol personnel and 
resources to support homeland security missions, and for other 
purposes, which requires a report to Congress focusing on the 
feasibility and cost effectiveness of using the Civil Air Patrol to 
supplement Departmental air resources involved in border enforcement 
and other homeland security missions.
  H.R. 1665, the Coast Guard Acquisition Reform Act of 2009, which 
eliminates massive cost overruns and potential future costs overruns 
for Coast Guard acquisitions.
  H.R. 3619, the Coast Guard Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 2010 
and 2011, which creates an acquisition directorate to provide guidance 
and oversight for Coast Guard acquisitions, the result of which will be 
cost savings.
  Madam Speaker, the measures I have listed display the Committee on 
Homeland Security's commitment to advancing legislation that seeks to 
reduce the national deficit by promoting government efficiency while 
focusing on our primary mission of pursuing legislation that enhances 
the security of our nation.

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