[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 84 (Wednesday, June 6, 2012)]
[House]
[Pages H3499-H3505]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                              {time}  1410
        DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2013


                             General Leave

  Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on H.R. 5855, and that I may include 
tabular material on the same.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Alabama?
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 667 and rule 
XVIII, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of the Whole House 
on the state of the Union for the consideration of the bill, H.R. 5855.
  The Chair appoints the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) to 
preside over the Committee of the Whole.

                              {time}  1411


                     In the Committee of the Whole

  Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the 
Whole House on the state of the Union for the consideration of the bill 
(H.R. 5855) making appropriations for the Department of Homeland 
Security for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2013, and for other 
purposes, with Ms. Ros-Lehtinen in the chair.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The CHAIR. Pursuant to the rule, the bill is considered read the 
first time.
  The gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt) and the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Price) each will control 30 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alabama.
  Mr. ADERHOLT. Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Chair, it was 68 years ago today that more than 9,000 Allied 
soldiers were killed and wounded during the D-day invasion in Normandy, 
France. That courageous operation, as well as the sacrifice of so many 
brave individuals, serves as a sobering reminder that freedom and 
security are not free. It is with this solemn commitment to both 
freedom and security that I respectfully present to the people's House 
the FY 2013 appropriations bill for the Department of Homeland 
Security.

[[Page H3500]]

  Similar to our committee's work over the past 2 fiscal years, this 
bill demonstrates how we can sufficiently fund vital security programs 
while also at the same time reducing discretionary spending overall. 
This bill does not represent a false choice between fiscal 
responsibility and our Nation's security. Both are national security 
priorities and both are vigorously addressed in this bill by focusing 
upon four key priorities:
  First, fiscal discipline. This bill reduces spending below the FY12-
enacted level;
  Second, oversight. This bill continues and strengthens the 
subcommittee's long bipartisan tradition of strict accountability;
  Third, support for frontline operations. This bill sustains and it 
actually even increases operational programs, including border and 
maritime security, immigration enforcement, investigations, targeted 
aviation security activities, disaster relief, and also cybersecurity;
  Fourth, preparedness and innovation. Despite the bill's overall 
reduction in spending, investments and preparedness grants and science 
and technology are substantially increased above FY12 levels.
  In sum, I believe this to be a very strong bill that incorporates 
considerable input from nearly 200 Members, including members of the 
authorizing committees, and also along with the Appropriations 
Committee, which meets our Nation's pressing needs for both security 
and fiscal restraint.
  I would like to go into a few details on fiscal discipline and 
spending that are included in this legislation.
  The bill before us today provides $39.1 billion in base discretionary 
funding, which is nearly a half billion dollars below the FY12-enacted 
level, and it is almost $400 million below the President's own request. 
There are no earmarks in this bill or the accompanying report.
  The bill cuts the Department's bureaucratic overhead and headquarters 
functions by nearly 18 percent below the request and 7 percent below 
last year's level. Also, the bill substantially reduces the 
administrative overhead of the Department of Homeland Security 
component agencies, including a $61 million reduction to TSA's 
administrative functions and a reallocation of TSA's resources to 
increase privatized screening and canine enforcement teams. In fact, 
TSA is cut overall by some $422 million below last year's level.
  As I noted, this bill puts priority funding on frontline personnel, 
such as the Border Patrol, CBP officers, Coast Guard military 
personnel, and law enforcement agents. It supports the largest 
immigration detention capacity in the history of ICE, and it sustains 
high-risk aviation security. It fully funds the known requirement for 
disaster relief; supports long overdue initiatives in cybersecurity; 
and robustly supports intelligence, watch-listing, threat-targeting 
systems, preparedness grants, and science and technology programs, 
including the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility.

  In addition, this bill reforms the way the Coast Guard acquires its 
costly operational assets and responsibly funds much-needed cutters and 
aviation assets, those essential tools that will keep our coastlines 
safe and secure our maritime approaches against the plague of illegal 
drugs.
  This bill also provides funding where the administration utterly 
failed. This bill makes up for the $115 million shortfall that was 
handed to us by the Department through phony, unauthorized fee 
collections, as well as the $110 million shortfall resulting from OMB's 
failure to properly access CBP's fee collections. The administration 
may be able to rely on some of these fee gimmicks in the President's 
budget, but here in the House and in the subcommittee we do not have 
that luxury.
  With respect to oversight, our subcommittee has a bipartisan 
tradition of insisting upon results for each and every taxpayer dollar 
that it appropriates. Therefore, the bill includes robust oversight by 
way of intensified spend plan requirements, reporting requirements, a 
full accounting of disaster relief costs, and operational requirements 
to include Border Patrol staffing levels and ICE's detention capacity.
  However, I must note that the Department of Homeland Security did an 
unacceptably poor job at complying with the statutory requirements that 
were enacted in FY12. Those failures are assertively addressed in this 
bill and the report, and we address this through sizable cuts and 
withholdings to the Department.
  Furthermore, this bill holds the administration's feet to the fire 
when it comes to enforcing our Nation's immigration laws. In response 
to the administration's repeated attempts to water down enforcement, 
this bill directs ICE to maintain 34,000 detention beds and continue 
funding 287(g) and worksite enforcement at the FY 2012 levels. It is 
the prerogative of Congress to set such priorities, and I stand by this 
direction in the bill.
  Our subcommittee is serious about compelling the Department to not 
only enforce the law, but to comply with the law as well, and we cannot 
tolerate further failures in this regard.
  Finally, on preparedness and innovation. The bill increases 
preparedness grants by nearly 17 percent and science and technology 
programs by nearly 24 percent above last year's levels. Committee 
members and our authorizing members have provided considerable input on 
these programs, and I'm committed to leveraging technology and well-
justified investments to sustain our Nation's preparedness as well as 
spur innovation and foster an environment for job growth.
  In closing my comments this afternoon, I would like to thank Ranking 
Member David Price. He has been a statesman and a real partner during 
this process as we have moved this bill forward over the last several 
months. I do want to thank him for his dedicated professionalism and 
also his dedicated staff that have acted in a tremendously professional 
manner, for their input and contributions that they have made to this 
bill.
  Let me recognize and thank the members of the Appropriations 
Committee and also many of the members of the authorizing committee, 
for their input and their vital oversight work over the past few months 
as well, as we have moved forward in the producing of this bill.

                              {time}  1420

  I'd like to thank the dedicated staff for the Department of Homeland 
Security that I work with on a day-by-day basis as we move this bill 
forward: the clerk, Ben Nicholson; Jeff Ashford; Kris Mallard; Kathy 
Kraninger; Miles Taylor; Cornell Teague; and Joe Croce, as well as in 
my own office, in my personal office who worked on this bill, Brian 
Rell and Mark Dawson and, of course, on the minority side, Stephanie 
Gupta, who did a tremendous job in a professional manner on the 
minority side.
  Finally, I do want to thank the distinguished chairman and the 
ranking member of the overall Appropriations Committee, Chairman Hal 
Rogers and Ranking Member Norm Dicks. As much as we had to make 
difficult choices and tradeoffs at the subcommittee level, I know they 
had to make much more difficult choices across all 12 subcommittees.
  So I sincerely believe, Mr. Chairman, that this bill reflects our 
best efforts to address our Nation's most urgent needs for security and 
also to address fiscal discipline. I would urge my colleagues in the 
House to support this measure.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the 
bill and yield myself such time as I may utilize.
  Mr. Chairman, I'm pleased we're considering the fiscal year 2013 
Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill in a timely fashion 
and under an open rule. Chairman Aderholt has been collaborative and 
collegial in the drafting of this bill, and I appreciate his 
willingness to include input from our side all along the way.
  I'm generally supportive of the funding levels provided in the bill. 
The fact remains, however, that our subcommittee was forced to accept a 
reduced allocation for the Department of Homeland Security when 
Republicans unilaterally cast aside the spending agreement we reached 
last August, forcing the Appropriations Committee to absorb $19 billion 
in reductions below the Budget Control Act levels.
  Largely because the majority broke that agreement, DHS is funded at 1 
percent below the requested level, continuing a downward funding trend 
for

[[Page H3501]]

this agency over the past few years. The bill does retain the disaster 
cap adjustment included in the Budget Control Act agreement.
  Mr. Chairman, fortunately, despite these circumstances, the bill 
before us provides adequate funding for DHS front-line employees so 
that they can continue to conduct critical operations along our 
borders, to protect our Nation's airports and seaports, to disrupt the 
latest plots against the United States and our citizens, and to respond 
to the spate of natural disasters our country has experienced.
  I'm also pleased that the bill significantly increases funding for 
critical grant programs, in marked contrast to the current year's 
inadequate levels. The bill also rejects the administration's poorly 
articulated changes to the grant structure, changes that have not been 
authorized.
  Specifically, funding for FEMA's State and local grants is $413 
million above the fiscal year 2012 level, and both fire grants and 
emergency management performance grants are funded at the levels 
requested by the administration.
  Equally important, the bill provides improved funding for research 
and developments efforts. The bill contains sufficient resources for 
the Science and Technology Directorate to fund all high-priority 
research efforts and some new projects as well.
  Unfortunately, while the bill appears to fully fund the 
administration's request for science and technology, in reality it 
includes $75 million for construction of the National Bio and Agro-
defense Facility, NBAF, which the administration did not request, in 
effect reducing funds for research and development efforts.
  Now, I support the eventual construction of this facility, but I must 
question the inclusion of $75 million in limited resources for a 
project that the President did not request, that remains under review 
by two National Academy of Science panels, and that already has 
unobligated prior-year appropriations that it can draw upon.
  The bill also increases funding for critical Coast Guard, as well as 
Air and Marine, acquisitions, to recapitalize aging assets while also 
bringing the latest aviation and vessel technologies online to ensure 
our personnel can operate more effectively.
  And, finally, the bill includes a substantial increase for 
cybersecurity protective efforts to continuously monitor and detect 
intrusions to our Federal networks from foreign espionage and 
cyberattacks.
  Mr. Chairman, the bill does contain some ill-advised immigration 
provisions. Unnecessary and wasteful statutory floors are set for a 
variety of programs, such as an arbitrary minimum of 34,000 detention 
beds, a required level of spending for the seriously flawed 287(g) 
program, and an inflexible amount for work-site enforcement. Including 
these types of spending floors and mandates in bill language limits the 
Department's flexibility to respond decisively to immigration 
challenges and is likely to waste taxpayer dollars for no good reason.
  I also object to the three abortion general provisions that were 
added in full committee. Now, we all know, Mr. Chairman, abortion is a 
politically charged subject. Numerous restrictions in law have already 
conditioned and qualified reproductive freedom in practice. Among those 
are prohibitions on the use of Federal funds for abortion procedures, 
which are specifically applied to Immigration and Customs Enforcement 
and the Department of Homeland Security by the President's Executive 
Order 13535, issued on March 24, 2010.
  Until now, our bill has never touched on the topic of abortion 
because it's not relevant to the Department of Homeland Security, and 
it falls far outside the lines of jurisdiction of this subcommittee. So 
these provisions are redundant. They will accomplish nothing. They make 
no change whatsoever in current law or procedures.
  They seem designed mainly for political effect; but I tell you, 
political effect cuts both ways. These abortion riders, while 
unnecessary, are inflammatory. They're divisive. They should not be 
included in the final bill.
  Finally, I also strongly disagree with provisions that withhold the 
following: 60 percent of all funding provided to the Secretary, Under 
Secretary, Chief Financial Officer; 10 percent of all funding for 
salaries and expenses at Customs and Border Protection personnel; about 
37 percent for Coast Guard Headquarters Directorate until they submit 
numerous reports required by statute.
  Even more egregiously, these withholdings are coupled with a 
provision that prevents the Secretary, the Deputy Secretary, the 
commandant of our Coast Guard, and the vice commandant from using their 
aircraft until certain key reports are received by the committee. These 
constraints are excessive. They will prevent Department and Coast Guard 
leadership from effectively doing their jobs.
  I support efforts to hold the Department accountable; and, in fact, 
we included carefully calibrated and targeted withholdings in this bill 
when I was chairman. But excessive and unrealistic limitations, 
frankly, detract from this subcommittee's credibility, and they're 
likely to be counterproductive.
  Mr. Chairman, I will close by thanking the hardworking professional 
staff which has helped craft this bill and has assisted the 
subcommittee in a bipartisan manner over the course of the year. I want 
to thank, as the chairman did, Ben Nicholson, Kathy Kraninger, Jeff 
Ashford, Kris Mallard, Joe Croce, Miles Taylor, and Cornell Teague on 
the majority side and, of course, Stephanie Gupta on our side of the 
aisle and Justin Wein from my office.
  Again, I want to reiterate my appreciation to the chairman for his 
efforts to work with us on so many issues and to sustain our front-line 
Federal homeland security operations.
  With that, Mr. Chairman I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Chairman, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
Kentucky (Mr. Rogers), the chairman of the full Appropriations 
Committee.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Thank you, Chairman Aderholt, for yielding 
the time.
  Mr. Chairman, this is the 10th anniversary bill for this 
subcommittee. We began work in 2003, and the first three speakers that 
are on the platform today are the three chairmen of that subcommittee 
in its 10 years of history. I have the honor of being the first 
chairman and then was followed by David Price as chairman, and now 
Robert Aderholt. So we have--if there is any accumulated wisdom, we 
posses a portion of it.
  So we want to thank Chairman Aderholt and Ranking Member Price for 
their hard work on this subcommittee. This is truly a bipartisan, 
nonpartisan subcommittee because the Nation's security cannot bow to 
any partisan spirits.

                              {time}  1430

  I think after these 10 years we can all agree that the country is 
indeed safer than it was then. The country has thwarted several 
attempts at terrorist attacks in our skies. We've eliminated the 
world's most heinous terrorist, Osama bin Laden, and more recently the 
number two al Qaeda leader in Afghanistan and Pakistan. But we face 
constant reminders that the war on terror is anything near over. Our 
freedom is not free, and we can't skimp on our national security if we 
want to stay vigilant and, most importantly, safe.
  Discretionary funding in this bill totals just over $39 billion, 
which, indeed, is a cut of $483 million below last year and $393 
million below what the President requested. Chairman Aderholt and his 
subcommittee drafted this bill with four priorities in mind: one, 
putting security first; second, encouraging strong fiscal discipline; 
three, mandating robust oversight efforts; and four, boosting the 
research and grant programs that support American jobs, innovation, and 
preparedness.
  To support and address vital frontline operations, the bill makes 
smart increases or holds constant programs that enhance intelligence, 
threat-targeting, or that act as the first line of defense and 
response. This includes providing funding for the largest immigration 
detention capacity and number of Border Patrol agents in ICE history.
  But at the end of the day, the bill totals less than it did last 
year, and that's because of thoughtful, responsible reductions. Our 
limited government resources must be put toward programs and services 
with proven benefits and tangible results. These cuts

[[Page H3502]]

targeted programs with known inefficiencies, program delays, excessive 
overhead costs, or those that simply had lower budget requirements. The 
bill also rescinds excess or unspent prior-year funds.
  Now, as the Department enters its 10th anniversary, we are reminded 
that the Department in its current form is still ``under 
construction.'' Though we have seen some real progress made, DHS can 
still improve the way it spends taxpayer dollars and administers its 
grant programs.
  This legislation, I think, takes the right steps to direct spending 
accordingly--enacting reforms, requiring tougher oversight, and 
demanding justifications and spending plans from programs that do not 
have a history of wise spending decisions.
  Again, I want to thank Chairman Aderholt, Ranking Member Price, all 
of the members of the subcommittee, and the hardworking staff for all 
the many hours they've spent in drafting this important bill. This 
legislation is proof that we can do more with less. A reduction in 
spending, coupled with reforms to encourage efficiency and 
sustainability, will help us get on a stronger fiscal path.
  I believe this is a good bill, Mr. Chairman. It's as good a bill as 
I've seen in my 10 years on this subcommittee, and I want to, again, 
congratulate those who had a hand in making it possible.
  So I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this bill to help prevent 
future terrorist attacks, to protect air passengers, and to keep our 
border secure.
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Mr. Chairman, I would like to yield 3 
minutes to an outstanding member of our subcommittee, the gentlewoman 
from New York (Mrs. Lowey).
  Mrs. LOWEY. I would like to thank Chairman Aderholt and Ranking 
Member Price for their bipartisan work on this legislation.
  The fiscal year 2013 Homeland Security appropriations bill would make 
smart investments in our national security infrastructure, including 
increasing funds for cybersecurity, focusing homeland security dollars 
at communities most at threat of terrorist attacks, and providing our 
first responders with the resources to protect us.
  With limited resources, we must prioritize assistance to the regions 
most likely to be attacked. That is why I am so pleased that this bill 
takes a step toward restoring the original intent of the Urban Area 
Security Initiative by focusing resources on the 25 most at-risk cities 
while still providing funding for other regions through other programs.
  Ten years after 9/11, the threat of radiological attack and New 
York's status as the number one terror target remain. That is why I am 
so pleased that this bill would maintain $22 million to support 
Securing the Cities, which seeks to prevent the smuggling of illicit 
nuclear material into Manhattan.
  I am also pleased that Assistance to Firefighter and SAFER grants 
would be adequately funded. As local governments have faced difficult 
budget decisions, firefighters have been laid off, leaving our 
neighborhoods with inadequate protection. This legislation would fund 
firefighter hiring grants and would extend the SAFER waiver to allow 
communities to retain or rehire laid-off firefighters.
  I am extremely disappointed, however, that Republicans needlessly 
injected divisive social issues into the bill. I've served on this 
subcommittee or on the authorizing committee for nearly a decade. In 
that time, I've met with the first responders, ICE agents, Border 
Patrol, and many other security personnel. Not once have they said that 
women's reproductive health makes our country less secure--not once. 
Weighing down this bill with ideological riders is a disservice to all 
first responders.
  In closing, again, I would like to thank the committee for its 
investments in homeland security and first responders, and I hope that 
this legislation will not be used as a vehicle for ideological policy 
riders on the floor.
  Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Chairman, I would like to yield 3 minutes to the 
chairman of the Homeland Security authorizing committee, the gentleman 
from New York, Mr. Peter King.
  Mr. KING of New York. I thank the chairman of the Appropriations 
subcommittee for yielding.
  Let me at the very outset thank him for his leadership and 
cooperation in working through such a difficult bill at such a 
difficult time in our history. We are faced with a severe terrorist 
threat. We are also faced with severe fiscal restraints. Last year, I 
very reluctantly voted against the Homeland Security appropriations 
bill.
  I want to commend Chairman Rogers and Chairman Aderholt for working 
to resolve the good faith differences we had. For instance, in areas 
such as State and local grants, we increased them by $350 million to 
increase by 50 percent the amount allocated to the highest-risk areas 
in our country. The Urban Area Security Initiative, the State Homeland 
Security Grant Program, port security, transportation security--all of 
those programs were addressed in this bill. Nothing is ever as much as 
we want, but considering the realities we face as a Nation, Chairman 
Rogers and Chairman Aderholt have done an outstanding job.
  Coming from a district which lost so many people on September 11 and 
which still faces threats, and where we every day, quite frankly, 
analyze terror threat reports, this funding is extremely important, 
especially to the NYPD, which does such an outstanding job in spite of 
the gratuitous, mindless, shameless attacks made upon it by those in 
the media and by others in elected office as well. So this funding is 
extremely, extremely vital, especially for the STC, the Secure the 
Cities program, which will protect not just New York but will provide a 
template to protect urban areas against dirty bomb attacks throughout 
the country.
  Let me also focus on the issue of the TWIC program. I know the 
ranking member from the Homeland Security Committee is here and that 
he'll be addressing this later, but this is an issue of bipartisan 
concern to our committee: the fact that we still have not been able to 
protect the TWIC system and that there have been burdens imposed on our 
workers as far as time constraints being imposed on them and as far as 
the funding they have to spend. This is a real burden that has been put 
on them.

                              {time}  1440

  So in the Homeland Security Committee, we passed by voice vote the 
SMART Port bill, which attempts to alleviate this burden on the port 
worker. Primarily what it does is extends the validity of the TWIC 
cards currently set to begin expiring later this year until the 
Department of Homeland Security finally releases the TWIC reader rule.
  Port workers, drivers, and others who have to obtain a TWIC should 
not have to bear the burden of the government's inability to get the 
job done. I believe the provision we included in this SMART Port bill 
provides sufficient motivation for the Coast Guard and TSA. I can 
assure you on behalf of myself--I know he can speak for himself--and 
the ranking member of the committee as well, we will work together, our 
committee will work with the Appropriations Committee and with the 
Department as we try to resolve this issue.
  Again, I thank Chairman Aderholt for his leadership and for the job 
that he has done.
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Mr. Chairman, I would like to yield 3 
minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), a leading member of 
our full Appropriations Committee.
  Ms. KAPTUR. I would like to thank Ranking Member Price for yielding 
us this time, as well as Chairman Aderholt and full committee Chairman 
Rogers, for their work on this legislation and for accepting and 
including the buy American language that we had worked so very hard and 
requested.
  The Department of Homeland Security needs to raise its consciousness 
about the importance of buying American and its relationship to jobs in 
America. Our language further clarifies what has long been the intent 
of Congress, that the Department of Homeland Security must comply with 
the Berry amendment and buy U.S.-made products. This is an essential 
provision for the American economy and our manufacturers.
  Congress has already voted to explicitly direct the Department of 
Homeland Security to comply with the Berry amendment. The Department of 
Homeland Security is either musclebound or

[[Page H3503]]

has been dragging its feet, but somehow they're not hearing us for some 
odd reason. Also, the Department of Homeland Security's authorizing 
committee unanimously adopted an amendment that would ensure permanent 
compliance.
  The Department of Homeland Security, one of the largest departments 
in our government, should be the leader in Homeland Security, starting 
with strengthening American procurement. Can you imagine what they 
procure in a year? I know they buy a lot of U.S.-made flags--or at 
least they should--but also vessels, our Coast Guard's full array of 
equipment, security systems, weapons, uniforms, etc. The list goes on 
and on. So why wouldn't they make an effort to do what Congress 
directed?
  I would like to also acknowledge the fine work of the gentleman from 
North Carolina, Congressman Larry Kissell, for his consistent 
leadership on this issue of buying American. I would also like to 
acknowledge Representative Kathy Hochul, who, in her first term, has 
been a steadfast leader for buying American as essential for U.S. job 
creation.
  I want to thank the full committee for their commitment to this 
issue. We would like to invite the Department of Homeland Security to 
the American table. Let's follow suit with the Department of Defense 
and the other major departments of our government. Let's buy American 
and help to contribute to procurement of goods and services made right 
here in the USA. It's the best investment that we can make in the 
future.
  Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank the ranking member so very much, 
along with Mr. Aderholt, for including this language in the bill. Let 
us hope that the Department of Homeland Security is listening, pays 
attention to the law, and buys American in the national interest.
  Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Chairman, at this time, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from New Jersey, the hardworking chairman of the Energy and 
Water Subcommittee, who has also been on the floor this week with his 
legislation, Mr. Frelinghuysen.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank the chairman 
for yielding, and I rise in support of the Homeland Security 
appropriations bill.
  Our Nation lives with the memory of September 11, 2001, each and 
every day. We can never take back the events of that day or the 
thousands of lives, including 700 from New Jersey, that were lost.
  Like Mr. King, I would like to highlight that this legislation 
includes critical funding for investments in first responder grants. 
The bill includes $1.7 billion for the Department's State and local 
grant program, which include the Homeland Security Grant program, or 
what we call UASI, Urban Area Security Initiative, both of which have 
been greatly benefiting New Jersey and the New York metropolitan area 
for the last 10 years. The bill also includes $650 million in 
firefighter grants and $350 million for emergency management 
performance grants.
  It's important to note that this bill again includes, due to the 
leadership of the chairman, language to improve accountability and 
transparency to ensure the taxpayers' dollars are well spent.
  Lastly, I think all of us would like to recognize how much we depend 
on the hard work and dedication and tireless work of so many homeland 
security professionals, emergency squads, fire and police that do the 
job and some of whom have paid the ultimate sacrifice.
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Mr. Chairman, I am privileged to yield 2 
minutes to the gentleman from Mississippi, the outstanding ranking 
member of the authorizing committee, Mr. Thompson.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from 
North Carolina for allowing me the time.
  I have a number of thoughts on the underlying bill before us today, 
but I'd like to take the opportunity to discuss the Transportation 
Worker Identification Credential program, the TWIC program.
  Earlier today, the authorizing committee, on a bipartisan basis, 
approved language modeled after a bill I introduced, H.R. 1105, to 
prevent current TWIC holders, the men and women who work in our ports, 
from being forced by TSA to pay for new identification cards beginning 
in October of this year, given the program is not fully implemented and 
the Department has not even issued a rule for biometric readers.
  The TWIC program is focused on protecting the Nation's maritime 
transportation facilities and vessels by requiring maritime workers and 
other workers who need unescorted access to secure port facilities to 
obtain a biometric identification card. After initial delays, all 
maritime workers were required to obtain biometric TWIC cards by April 
2009. The cost to workers for these cards is $132.50 per credential. To 
date, over 2.1 million longshoremen, truckers, merchant mariners, and 
rail and vessel crew members have undergone extensive homeland security 
and criminal background checks to secure TWICs. Even as workers raced 
in the spring of 2009 to obtain TWICs to continue working in our 
Nation's ports, TSA has been more than 2 years late in starting the 
reader pilots.
  Our committee has been told that even under the best circumstances, 
final regulations are not likely to be issued until late 2014, more 
than 5 years beyond the date required in statute. Yet, unless Congress 
or the administration acts, starting October 2012, workers will have to 
renew the cards they were issued.
  The Acting CHAIR (Mr. Fortenberry). The time of the gentleman has 
expired.
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Mr. Chairman, I yield an additional 
minute to the gentleman from Mississippi.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Thank you very much, Mr. Ranking Member.
  The point I would like to make, Mr. Chairman, is that 2.1 million 
workers have TWIC cards. Through no fault of their own, they will be 
required to renew those cards unless we act.
  I appreciate this legislation, acknowledging that we have to do 
something for those workers or, through no fault of their own, they'll 
have to renew a card, which is at this point, at best, a flash card. 
It's not really a worker identification card.
  Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Chairman, at this time I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Latham), who is the chairman of the 
Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Subcommittee.

                              {time}  1450

  Mr. LATHAM. Chairman Aderholt, thank you very much.
  I rise in strong support of H.R. 5855, the Department of Homeland 
Security Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2013, and I commend the 
chairman and the ranking member and the staff for doing a really 
excellent job of crafting a bill that both strengthens our security and 
reduces government spending.
  I'm pleased the committee adopted an important amendment, which I 
cosponsored, which would waive Federal grant requirements to allow the 
retention of firefighters hired in our local communities. This is a 
critically important provision for maintaining response capabilities 
throughout the Nation.
  I also want to highlight the fact that despite spending reductions 
elsewhere in the bill, we were fully funding FEMA's stated requirements 
for disaster relief, including flood-related grants. Congress has long 
recognized the Federal role in disaster relief and prevention efforts, 
since the first disaster relief bill was passed in 1803. The funding 
contained in the bill today is important because it continues the move 
away from ad hoc disaster legislation, and toward including relief in 
mitigation funding in our regular appropriations.
  This assistance is vitally important for the safety net for 
communities at risk for natural disasters. Throughout the summer of 
2011, I saw firsthand the flood damage along the Missouri River in 
western and southwestern Iowa and spoke with Iowans whose lives were 
disrupted by that disaster. The flood dealt serious damage to 
properties along the river and took a breathtaking toll of nearby 
communities. Hazard mitigation and other disaster assistance funding is 
absolutely necessary to help them rebound from this tragic flooding.
  With that, Mr. Chairman, I urge all Members of the House to support 
final passage of H.R. 5855.

[[Page H3504]]

  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. ADERHOLT. I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. 
LoBiondo), who is the chairman of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and 
Maritime Transportation.
  Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in very strong support of 
H.R. 5855.
  Earlier this year, the President requested to cut funding for the 
Coast Guard more than 4 percent below the current level. This was the 
first time in over a decade that a President has proposed to reduce 
funding for the Coast Guard. In his budget, the President proposed to 
slash the number of servicemembers by more than 1,000, which would 
shutter recruiting stations, take recently upgraded helicopters out of 
service and exacerbate the growing patrol boat mission-hour gap by 
retiring vessels before their replacements arrive.
  For acquisitions, the President proposed to slash the budget by more 
than $270 million, or 19 percent below the FY2012 enacted level. The 
request proposed to terminate or delay the acquisition of several 
critically needed replacement assets and eliminate funding to renovate 
derelict housing for servicemembers and their dependents.
  The cuts put forth by the Obama administration were simply 
unacceptable and I myself and, I think, a large number of Members were 
gravely concerned. As chairman of the Coast Guard's authorizing 
committee, I know how critical it is for us not to repeat the mistakes 
of the 1990s when misguided cuts to the service's operating and 
acquisitions budget left it entirely unprepared to meet the post-9/11 
mission demand.
  The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. ADERHOLT. I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.
  Mr. LoBIONDO. Fortunately, the bill before us today rejects the 
draconian cuts proposed by the President and ensures the Coast Guard is 
provided with the resources needed to carry out its critical missions. 
I want to especially thank Chairman Aderholt, Ranking Member Price, and 
their entire staff for recognizing the critical mission needs of the 
Coast Guard and accommodating those needs for the protection of 
America.
  I urge all Members to support the legislation.
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the vice-chairman of 
our Subcommittee on Homeland Security, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. 
Carter).
  Mr. CARTER. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5855, the 
FY2013 Homeland Security Appropriations measure.
  As a member of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, I 
believe that under the leadership of Chairman Aderholt we have 
exercised the much-needed oversight of the Department through the 
course of this year's hearings. This bill, along with the accompanying 
report, continued to ensure Congress is kept informed of how valuable 
taxpayer dollars will be spent by requiring numerous reports and 
briefings from DHS.
  This bill funds frontline security operations at their highest level 
in history, ensuring that our Border Patrol agents and ICE officers 
have the resources they need to secure our borders. I'm also pleased 
that this bill includes language that will improve awareness and 
cooperation between Federal Agencies and nongovernmental organizations 
to help them combat the heinous crime of human trafficking, also known 
as modern-day slavery.
  I urge my colleagues to support this critical measure.
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania, a hardworking member of our Subcommittee on Homeland 
Security, Mr. Dent.
  Mr. DENT. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Department of 
Homeland Security Act of 2013, and I want to thank Chairman Aderholt 
and Ranking Member Price for their leadership of this subcommittee.
  H.R. 5855 is a fiscally responsible measure, and it totals $39 
billion in discretionary funding for DHS, a decrease of about $484 
million below current levels. The bill takes a scalpel to Agencies, 
ensuring adequate funding is available to meet program objectives while 
weeding out unnecessary spending.
  I want to take a moment to highlight a few of the critical aspects of 
this bill. First, our first responders, we provide $2.8 billion for 
FEMA first responder grants. Additionally, the Assistance to 
Firefighter Grants and Emergency Management Performance Grants will 
receive $670 million, equal to the President's request.
  Furthermore, I am pleased to note an amendment offered by Mr. Price, 
Mrs. Lowey, Mr. Latham and me during the full committee markup to 
foster further flexibility for local departments in utilizing fire 
grant funds that were adopted in this measure.
  As for border protection, the bill contains $10.2 billion for U.S. 
Customs and Border Protection, supporting the largest totals of CBP 
border agents and officers in history. Similarly, the U.S. Immigration 
and Customs Enforcement received $5.5 billion in supporting initiatives 
like the Visa Security Program, as well as 34,000 ICE detention bed 
spaces, our highest capacity to date.
  These are just a few provisions in the bill I wanted to touch on this 
afternoon. H.R. 5855 has been crafted as a smart and fiscally 
responsible funding bill from the Department of Homeland Security. I 
encourage my colleagues to support passage.
  Also, I just want to commend the leadership of Chairman Rogers and 
Ranking Member Dicks for their leadership on this measure as well.
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman 
from Alabama (Mr. Rogers), who is the subcommittee chairman on the 
authorizing Homeland Security Subcommittee and chairing the 
Transportation Security Subcommittee.
  Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this 
bill and urge all of my colleagues to vote for it.
  I also want to congratulate my friend and colleague from Alabama, 
Chairman Aderholt, for all his hard work on this bill.
  He has shown the American people how to craft a bill that is strong 
on homeland security, helps protect us from terrorist attacks, funds 
vital programs and grants, and does so in a fiscally responsible manner 
by spending almost $500 million less than last year.
  The bill helps protect our borders and prioritizes funding for 
immigration enforcement. It provides critical grants funding for our 
first responders, our heroes on the frontline of attack or disaster.
  For transportation security, the bill takes on TSA's bureaucratic 
mess. It cuts $61 million from TSA managerial overhead. It caps full-
time screening personnel at 46,000, and it emphasizes the private 
sector's role in airport security screening operations.

                              {time}  1500

  Importantly, it does not increase any fees that would fall on the 
traveling public, which would threaten jobs in the aviation industry.
  I know firsthand of Chairman Aderholt's dedication and leadership on 
these issues. I also know of his commitment to reducing wasteful 
spending and restoring fiscal sanity in Washington. Again, I commend my 
friend and colleague from Alabama and his fine staff for their hard 
work and dedication and urge all my colleagues to vote for the bill.
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Mr. Chairman, does the majority have any 
further requests for time?
  Mr. ADERHOLT. We have no further requests for time.
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Mr. Chairman, I will conclude by again 
commending the chairman and our whole subcommittee. We have a good 
active group of members, and virtually all had positive input into this 
legislation. I appreciate the spirit in which the chairman has made an 
honest effort to accommodate constructive input from all sources.
  There's much to commend about this bill, starting with the support of 
frontline operations, but also some improvements from the funding 
situation we're

[[Page H3505]]

dealing with this year with respect to State and local FEMA grants, for 
example, and with respect to science and technology investments. There 
are funding shortfalls in this bill with respect to the headquarters' 
needs at St. Elizabeth's, with respect to certain administrative needs 
of the Department, and others that we could name. But under the 
constraints of the budget allocation there is a good balance in this 
bill, I think, and one that has required a great deal of accommodation 
and a great deal of hard work.
  I have already said that I think there are some extraneous elements 
of this bill that are not so constructive: the immigration provisions, 
the abortion provisions, and some excessive withholding provisions. I 
sincerely hope that in the debate to come we will not compound that 
problem.
  We know we're going to be dealing with dozens of amendments. We're 
going to be dealing with additional proposed riders, ill-advised for 
the most part. We're going to be dealing with some tempting spending 
provisions that will cannibalize those front office expenses or the 
science and technology expenses or other accounts in this bill for the 
sake of amendments that may sound good but really could upset some of 
the delicate balances that this bill has struck.
  So we're going to have, I hope and believe, a probably lengthy and 
also constructive process of discussion and amendment under the open 
rule, and I very much hope that the end result of that process will be 
a bill that can claim broad support. We're going to have a few hours 
until that process begins, but I look forward to getting on with this 
and at the end of the week producing a Homeland Security appropriations 
bill.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ADERHOLT. As I had mentioned earlier in my opening comments, I do 
believe this bill is a good bill. It reflects our best efforts to try 
to address our Nation's most urgent needs: of course, first of all, 
security, and second of all, fiscal discipline. Both of those are very 
important in this age in which we live.
  So I would urge my colleagues to support this measure as it moves to 
the floor.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of H.R. 5855, the 
Fiscal Year 2013 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act. I 
want to commend Chairman Aderholt and Ranking Member Price for their 
work on this bill, which provides vital security funding while also 
being fiscally responsible.
  As the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, 
Response, and Communications, I am particularly pleased that the 
Appropriations Committee rejected the Administration's proposal to 
create a new National Preparedness Grant Program. The proposal in the 
President's budget request lacked detail and was developed without any 
input from emergency response providers. I appreciate Chairman 
Aderholt's recognition that this proposal requires consideration by the 
Committee on Homeland Security. That consideration is underway. The 
Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness has been working with FEMA and 
stakeholders to consider this and other proposals for grant reform. 
Until that review is complete, it is this body's direction that FEMA 
should continue to administer the grant programs in accordance with the 
statutory authorities in the 9/11 Act and the SAFE Port Act.
  With that, I urge all Members to support this bill.
  The Acting CHAIR. All time for general debate has expired.
  Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise.
  The motion was agreed to.
  Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr. 
Carter) having assumed the chair, Mr. Fortenberry, Acting Chair of the 
Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, reported that 
that Committee, having had under consideration the bill (H.R. 5855) 
making appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for the 
fiscal year ending September 30, 2013, and for other purposes, had come 
to no resolution thereon.

                          ____________________