[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 13]
[House]
[Page 19043]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



          INTRODUCTION OF THE OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY ACT

  (Mr. GIBBONS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, yesterday President Bush formally opened 
the Office of Homeland Security and appointed Governor Tom Ridge as its 
Director. I applaud the President's efforts, and I am pleased with his 
vision for the office.
  Yet, concerns have arisen regarding how much control Governor Ridge 
will actually have. As Ash Carter of the Boston Globe noted, ``White 
House czars have historically been toothless, unable to control 
activities of cabinet bureaucracies. To be effective as homeland 
security czar, Ridge will need influence over the budgets.''
  That is why I joined with the gentlewoman from California (Ms. 
Harman) in introducing the Office of Homeland Security Act. Our bill 
will make the office permanent under color of law and provide Governor 
Ridge the budget authority he will need to coordinate the Federal 
agencies and resources necessary to protect America from terrorism.
  Mr. Speaker, passage of this legislation is critical to our efforts 
to combat terrorism here at home. I encourage all of my colleagues to 
support it.

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