[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17221]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2004

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. CHRISTOPHER SHAYS

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 24, 2003

  The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union 
had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2555) making appropriations for 
the Department of Homeland Security for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2004, and for other purposes:
  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 2555, the FY 2004 
Homeland Security Appropriations Act.
  The National Security Subcommittee, which I chair, has examined port 
security and found the volume of containerized cargo and the openness 
of our massive, complex port areas represent inviting vulnerabilities 
that must be secured.
  Our ports are key commercial entry points, serving as the gateway for 
95 percent of international cargo. Each year, nearly 10,000 vessels 
make 68,000 port calls and unload more than six million containers in 
the United States.
  But, according to a GAO report published in August 2002, ``Ports are 
inherently vulnerable to terrorist attacks because of their size, 
generally open accessibility by water and land, location in 
metropolitan areas, the amount of material being transported through 
ports, and the ready transportation links to many locations within our 
borders.''
  H.R. 2555 includes $100 million for Transportation Safety 
Administration port security grants and $61.7 million for the Container 
Security Initiative, which will help DHS protect what could be one of 
our Nation's most vulnerable access points--our ports. It is imperative 
that we adequately fund efforts by the Department of Homeland Security 
to scale-up port and container security.
  I also support the funding in this legislation for State and local 
first responders. H.R. 2555 will provide $4.4 billion for the Office of 
Domestic Preparedness, which includes $1.9 billion for domestic 
preparedness formula grants and $750 million for firefighter grants.
  Before September 11, the firefighter grant program was funded at $200 
million, but the changes our nation has undergone since that horrific 
day have made clear the need for a dramatic increase in funding. This 
bill provides that increase.
  The bottom line for me is our ports are still vulnerable and our 
first responders need strong financial support to protect our Nation. 
This bill provides significant assistance in both areas and strengthens 
national security.
  Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to vote for this vital funding 
bill.

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