[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 148 (Wednesday, September 13, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1211]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
                        APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2018

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. MICHAEL T. McCAUL

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 6, 2017

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 3354) making 
     appropriations for the Department of the Interior, 
     environment, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
     September 30, 2018, and for other purposes:

  Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Chair, I include in the Record the following exchange 
of letters regarding H.R. 3354.

                                         House of Representatives,


                               Committee on Homeland Security,

                                Washington, DC, September 8, 2017.
     Hon. John Carter,
     Chairman, House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on 
         Homeland Security, Washington, DC.
     Hon. Lucille Roybal-Allard,
     Ranking Member, House Committee on Appropriations, 
         Subcommittee on Homeland Security, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Carter, and Ranking Member Roybal-Allard: I 
     write to convey our mutual understanding regarding Section 
     503(a)(5) of Title E of the Rules Committee Print for H.R. 
     3354, the Make America Secure and Prosperous Appropriations 
     Act. Specifically, this section does not authorize the 
     Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to utilize section 872 
     of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to use appropriated 
     funds to reorganize DHS organizational units.
       As Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, I 
     strongly believe that any significant reorganization of 
     components within the Department should be subject to 
     specific statutory authorization. Toward that end, last 
     month, the House passed H.R. 2825, the Department of Homeland 
     Security Authorization Act of 2017, which strikes section 
     872. As the Department has matured, it is no longer necessary 
     for DHS to have unilateral authority to reorganize its 
     organizational units. I appreciate your commitment to making 
     DHS a more efficient and effective organization.
           Respectfully,
     Michael T. McCaul,
       Chairman.
     Bennie G. Thompson,
       Ranking Member.
                                  ____
                                  
                                         House of Representatives,


                                  Committee on Appropriations,

                               Washington, DC, September 12, 2017.
     Hon. Michael T. McCaul,
     Chairman, House Committee on Homeland Security, Washington, 
         DC.
     Hon. Bennie Thompson,
     Ranking Member, House Committee on Homeland Security, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman McCaul: We write to confirm our mutual 
     understanding regarding Section 503(a)(5) of Title E of the 
     Rules Committee Print for H.R. 3354, the Make America Secure 
     and Prosperous Appropriations Act. Specifically, this section 
     does not provide any new authority for the Department of 
     Homeland Security (DHS) to reorganize DHS organizational 
     units. Any such reorganization authority is limited to 
     existing authority under section 872 of the Homeland Security 
     Act of 2002.
       We appreciate your efforts to authorize DHS and look 
     forward to working with you to further the Department's vital 
     homeland security mission.
           Respectfully,
     John R. Carter,
       Chairman, Subcommittee on Homeland Security.
     Lucille Roybal-Allard,
       Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Homeland Security.

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