[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 86 (Friday, June 8, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1029-E1030]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2013

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. LAURA RICHARDSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 6, 2012

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union 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:

  Ms. RICHARDSON. Mr. Chair, I rise today in reluctant opposition to 
H.R. 5855, Homeland Security Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2013. 
H.R. 5855 provides $39.1 billion in discretionary funding for 
Department of Homeland Security (DHS), a decrease of $484 million below 
last year's level and a decrease of $393 million below the President's 
request.
  The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations bill 
includes funding for all components and functions of DHS, including 
Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Immigration and Customs 
Enforcement (ICE), the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), 
Coast Guard (USCG); Secret Service (USSS), the National Protection and 
Programs Directorate (NPPD), which includes Infrastructure Protection 
and Information Security (IPIS) and the Federal Protective Service 
(FPS), the Office of Health Affairs (OHA); the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency (FEMA), United States Citizenship and Immigration 
Services (USCIS), the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), 
the Science and Technology directorate (S&T), the Domestic Nuclear 
Detection Office (DNDO), departmental management, Analysis and 
Operations (A&O), and the Office of the Inspector General (OIG).
  Mr. Chair, I would like to thank my friends Chairman Robert B. 
Aderholt and Ranking Member David E. Price on their hard work on the 
Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act. Although this bill 
provides adequate funding for some programs that I support, they are 
far outweighed by some unexplainable provisions in the bill.
  This bill underfunds the Federal Air Marshals program by $50 million 
which will reduce coverage on high-risk flights. The Administration has 
echoed my sentiment in a recent statement on administration policy. I 
also have reservations about extending a civilian pay freeze through 
fiscal year 2013. This is neither sustainable nor desirable.
  As a Member of the House Homeland Security Committee, I cannot 
support this bill. We as Members of Congress have a responsibility to 
protect our communities from any possible danger. For this reason, 
there is no higher priority than to adequately fund our homeland 
security, particularly our first responders such as firefighters.

[[Page E1030]]

  Firefighters are often the first responders to any and every 
emergency. As we saw on 9/11 firefighters are dedicated to saving lives 
and we must provide them with the resources to maintain their morale 
and readiness. Stringent budget cuts on the local level have left fire 
departments understaffed, unprepared, and unequipped to perform their 
duties to highest level.
  Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) and Staffing for Adequate Fire and 
Emergency Response (SAFER) grant programs attempt to ameliorate this 
deficiency. In this bill both grant programs are once again 
underfunded. This legislation only funds up to 25 percent of the 
necessary funds required to effectively support local fire departments 
with hiring fire-fighters, providing modern safety gear, modern fire 
trucks, and other vital tools to our first responders.
  It makes no sense to weaken our Homeland Security program by cutting 
their resources in a time when terrorist threats continue to put our 
Nation at risk. We as Members of Congress must unite and assist our 
brave first responders in their efforts to help contain any threats by 
providing them with all necessary resources, rather than turn our backs 
and leave them without sufficient funding.
  Mr. Chair, DHS is charged with safeguarding America against diverse 
and relentless adversaries. Charged with this difficult but important 
task, providing DHS with the necessary provisions is a no brainer. But 
this bill has come short of providing those provisions. I urge my 
colleagues to oppose H.R. 5855 so we have that opportunity to provide 
our first responders with those provisions.

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