[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 5529-5533]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    RECOGNIZING THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 
                                SECURITY

  Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 1038) recognizing the fifth anniversary of the 
Department of Homeland Security and honoring the Department's employees 
for their extraordinary efforts and contributions to protect and secure 
our Nation.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1038

       Whereas, in the wake of the attacks of September 11, 2001, 
     the Department of Homeland Security was created in an effort 
     to consolidate our Nation's efforts to prevent, prepare for, 
     respond to, and mitigate against threats

[[Page 5530]]

     to the homeland, including acts of terrorism, natural 
     disasters, or other emergencies;
       Whereas the Department of Homeland Security marked its 
     fifth year of full-scale operations on March 1, 2008;
       Whereas the Department has strived to integrate 22 
     disparate agencies and offices, while at the same time has 
     been successful in helping prevent another terrorist attack 
     over this period;
       Whereas the United States must continue to remain vigilant 
     against all such threats;
       Whereas the employees of the Department of Homeland 
     Security have spent the past 5 years enhancing our Nation's 
     domestic preparedness and collective response to terrorism 
     and standing ready to assist State, local, and tribal 
     governments as they prepare for and prevent acts of terrorism 
     and respond to natural disasters and other emergencies;
       Whereas the Department's employees work diligently to 
     deter, detect, and prevent acts of terrorism and stand 
     willing, ready, and able to respond in the event of a 
     terrorist incident or other major emergency;
       Whereas the Department's employees have cooperated closely 
     with the private sector to enhance emergency preparedness 
     across the Nation;
       Whereas the American people rely on the Department's 
     employees to protect our Nation's borders, airports, 
     seaports, rail lines, and other transit systems;
       Whereas the continuing efforts of the Department's 
     employees will be crucial to the security of our Nation in 
     the years to come;
       Whereas the Department's employees have sacrificed, and 
     will continue to sacrifice, time with their families and 
     working long hours to fulfill the Department's vital mission;
       Whereas because the Nation depends on the Department's 
     employees to keep the American people safe from harm, they 
     deserve the best in training, testing, and equipment;
       Whereas the Department's employees often do not receive the 
     recognition they deserve; and
       Whereas the Nation is indebted to the Department's 
     employees for their sacrifices, efforts, and contributions: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the United States House of Representatives--
       (1) recognizes the fifth anniversary of the Department of 
     Homeland Security; and
       (2) honors the Department's dedicated public servants for 
     their extraordinary service to this Nation in helping 
     preserve the safety and security of the American people.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Carney) and the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. 
Miller) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.


                             General Leave

  Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
on this resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, we are here today to recognize the fifth anniversary of 
the Department of Homeland Security. This is an opportunity for us to 
praise the tireless employees who, day in and day out, are working hard 
to prevent another terrorist attack on our soil, in our skies, and on 
our waters, and to also ensure that we're prepared should a catastrophe 
strike again.
  Congress is often critical of DHS, and we have had some harsh 
hearings in the Homeland Security Committee. But our criticism of the 
management at DHS is only because we hope to ensure the department's 
employees have the resources they need to do their jobs and to keep 
America safe. The department is still in its formative years and still 
experiencing expected growing pains.
  When DHS was established, it was the largest reorganization of the 
Federal Government since the creation of the Department of Defense 60 
years ago, with 180,000 employees and 22 agencies that merged to form 
one new department. That number has grown by nearly 30,000 since then.
  Let's take a moment to honor DHS in its 5-year anniversary but also 
to recognize these employees for their dedicated service.
  To the Customs and Border Patrol officers and the Border Patrol 
agents protecting our borders, at our ports of entry and in between; 
and to our Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents ensuring that 
criminal aliens are accounted for and removed; and to our 
Transportation Security officers, protecting millions of passengers 
daily and quickly adapting to threats to prevent future hijackings or 
worse; and to our Federal Air Marshals, quietly protecting our skies; 
and to our Secret Service, called upon earlier than ever to protect 
presidential candidates; and to the men and women of the Coast Guard, 
protecting 360 ports and over 90,000 miles of coastline, ready to 
respond at a moment's notice; and to the first responders of FEMA, who 
have again proven themselves in their response to the California 
wildfires and the recent Midwest tornadoes.
  Thank you. We know all too well the long hours you've committed to 
our country and the time away from your homes and families. We 
sincerely appreciate all of your work and your service.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  I rise today to fully support this resolution, which speaks to this 
Congress, appropriately recognizing and honoring the brave Americans, 
the great patriots, who work to protect us all through their service at 
the Department of Homeland Security.
  And I believe that the first and foremost responsibility of the 
Federal Government is to provide for the national defense. That is 
actually in the preamble of our Constitution. Additionally, for all of 
us who have the honor to serve in this House, protecting our homeland 
and securing our borders against those who would harm us is something 
that we all take an oath to do.
  Before those horrific attacks on our Nation on 9/11, we thought about 
national defense more in terms of having a strong military, the best 
trained, the best resourced, facing down enemies overseas in conflicts 
where we had a national interest in spots around the world. We didn't 
usually think in terms of actually being attacked or continuing to be 
threatened with attacks on American soil here in our homeland.

                              {time}  1145

  9/11 changed all of our lives, as on that day cowardly terrorists 
murdered nearly 3,000 of our fellow Americans, innocent people who were 
just going about their daily lives. And the terrorists used the tools 
of our own freedoms against us. And why? Because they hate us, and they 
especially hate our freedoms.
  They sought to weaken us, to destroy us, and instead they united us. 
They awoke us, and instead, made us begin to take the necessary steps 
to protect ourselves from future attacks.
  We knew we had to change the way we practiced security measures at 
our airports, on our railways, on our roadways, at our ports, and at 
our border crossings. We knew we had to secure our infrastructure, that 
we had to better prepare our first responders and local emergency 
management agencies, that we had to share intelligence, that we had to 
tear down silo mentalities and do a much better job of sharing 
intelligence and resources.
  And we also knew we had to create an agency here at the Federal level 
and task them with implementing this seemingly impossible job. And so 
the Department of Homeland Security was created 5 years ago, and what a 
remarkable success story it has been.
  The brave men and women of the 22 agencies, more than 213,000 
individuals that make up the department, deserve our respect, and they 
deserve our gratitude. We have not had another successful attack on our 
shores since that day, in no small part due to the vigilance and the 
hard work of the Department of Homeland Security and their efforts to 
provide for our common defense against America's enemies, against the 
enemies of freedom, those who are truly cowards, those who hide in the 
shadows and who prey on the innocent.
  Mr. Speaker, as Congress recognizes and pays tribute to the 
Department of Homeland Security for the dedication and the commitment 
they have made to our homeland security during the past 5 years that 
they have been in existence, we also look forward to standing shoulder 
to shoulder with them as we look towards the future.

[[Page 5531]]

  We understand that we need to do more to clearly define the lines of 
congressional committee jurisdiction, to streamline, to make more 
effective and cost efficient many of the department's missions. We 
recognize that the largest room is always the room for improvement, and 
that the department is looking to Congress to continue to assist them 
and not to hobble them.
  Mr. Speaker, I am a new member of the Committee on Homeland Security, 
and I am proud to represent my district in Michigan, a border State 
with many unique dynamics, such as the first and second busiest 
international border crossings on the northern tier and the busiest 
rail entry in the country, the magnificent Great Lakes, fully one-fifth 
of the freshwater supply of the entire planet, a long liquid border 
that we share with our wonderful neighbors, the Canadians.
  These are issues and items that require the attention of the 
Department of Homeland Security, and yet, Mr. Speaker, every Member, 
every Member of this House, could tell us of particular dynamics in 
their district, or their State, or their region of the country that 
also require the attention of the department.
  Identifying and dealing with the threats to our homeland are done 
each and every day, 24/7, by the remarkable men and women of the 
Department of Homeland Security. And it is certainly appropriate that 
we honor those who serve us so well, that we thank them for their 
vigilance, we salute them for their dedication, we appreciate their 
commitment to democracy and liberty and freedom.
  I urge my colleagues to pass the resolution before us and formally 
thank the great Americans who make up the Department of Homeland 
Security for keeping our Nation safe.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, at this time, it is my great 
honor to recognize for as much time as he may consume the distinguished 
ranking member of the Committee on Homeland Security, the gentleman 
from New York (Mr. King).
  Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlelady for 
yielding.
  I thank Chairman Carney for helping to bring this matter to the House 
floor today, and I rise in strong support of H. Res. 1038 because we do 
owe a tremendous debt of gratitude and thanks to all of the employees 
of the Department of Homeland Security.
  Mr. Speaker, you and I come from adjoining districts in New York. 
Probably between our districts we lost well over 200 people on 
September 11. And I think any of us on September 12 and September 13 
anticipated there would have to be another successful attack on our 
country in the not-too-distant future. Well, the fact is, we have now 
gone 6\1/2\ years without an attack.
  During 5 of those years, the Department of Homeland Security has been 
up and operational. And it was really a tribute to the men and women 
who comprise the formerly separate 22 agencies who came together to be 
combined into this one department for what they have been able to do 
and what they have been able to achieve. It is no accident, it is not 
luck we haven't been attacked. It is for a number of reasons, but among 
the very prime reasons is the tremendous effort by all these men and 
women. And doing that was not easy because they each came from 
different cultures and traditions. They had different types of training 
and a different type of emphasis. They had a tough enough job before 
September 11. But now added to that was the new dimension of homeland 
security. And they had to do what they were doing at a different level, 
and they combined their efforts with employees from other agencies who 
were trained differently, who had a different way of looking at things, 
and they had to learn to speak and think as one. And they have done it. 
They have done a terrific job.
  I believe it was last year we held hearings on how far the department 
has come. And yes, it is easy to be a critic. It is easy to stand back 
and say this should be done better and that should be done better. But 
the consensus of the testimony we had from experts was that the 
Department of Homeland Security is further along in its progress than 
the Defense Department was after a comparable period of time after it 
was formed over 60 years ago. So it is important to keep that in mind, 
and also to keep in mind that their work is a 24/7 job, that at any 
given time, there are active threats against the United States or 
active plots against the United States, and there is no simple easy way 
to stop it. And there are many ways. We have to fight it overseas. We 
have to fight it at the national level making sure that all 
intelligence is coordinated. But no one is more central to that than 
the Department of Homeland Security because they have to coordinate the 
national and international intelligence and then also make sure it gets 
down to the local levels, to make sure that the local police, the State 
police and the local law enforcements throughout the country are 
apprised of what could be happening, what might be happening, and also 
to absorb information that is sent back up from the local governments 
to the Department of Homeland Security.
  So I commend them. I think it is too easy to take shots. And we see 
it in Presidential debates, we see people who take random shots at the 
people in this department, and it is so unfair because they are 
literally on the firing lines for us. They are on the front lines for 
us. In many ways, they are doing it anonymously because obviously their 
successes cannot be recorded. They are not publicized. How do you prove 
an attack didn't happen that was actually going to happen and didn't? 
And those that we do know about often can't be spoken about. But they 
are there. They are doing it. And in addition to that, they have the 
added responsibility from Congress because of the events of September 
11 and having to do much more as far as border security and illegal 
immigration is concerned. So there is just a myriad of responsibilities 
that have been thrust upon them in addition to all they have been doing 
before, and they are doing it first class.
  It is important for us in the Congress to live up to that same level, 
that same standard, that these employees are setting. It's important 
for us to get our act coordinated in the Congress, to make sure that 
jurisdiction is consolidated as much as possible so that we can speak 
with one voice, not to take partisan advantage, not to be allowing 
jurisdictional disputes between and among committees to impede the job 
that we should be doing. We can take a lesson from those employees out 
there who have put aside their prerogatives, put aside their own petty 
interests for the common good.
  So I commend all the employees of the Department of Homeland Security 
on the fifth anniversary. Thanks for keeping us safe. Thanks for doing 
what you are doing. And I believe we can speak for all Members of this 
House that we will continue to do what we have to do to make sure that 
you get the tools to do your job and also get the support that you so 
richly deserve from all of us, and most important, from your fellow 
Americans whom you have done so much to protect.
  I urge the adoption of the resolution.
  Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers.
  If the gentlewoman from Michigan has no more, and she is ready to 
close, I will close after she does.
  Mrs. MILLER of Michigan. Yes, I have no further speakers at this 
time, Mr. Speaker. And so I would certainly urge my colleagues to pass 
the resolution before us and honor the brave men and women of the 
Department of Homeland Security, and I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I might 
consume.
  I would like to talk about what the department does for a few 
moments. It is imperative that we honor and recognize the fact that the 
Department of Homeland Security and all its components provides the 
awareness for our Nation to prevent threats and identify our 
vulnerabilities. It prevents threats through detection and deterrence, 
and

[[Page 5532]]

it mitigates those accidents and those attacks that might happen. It 
protects people and/or critical infrastructure and, of course, the 
economy. It responds to terrorism. It responds to natural disasters and 
certainly any other emergencies. It provides us the opportunity and the 
ability to recover from terrorism and from natural disasters. And it 
serves the public by facilitating lawful trade, lawful travel and 
lawful immigration.
  It is committed to organizational excellence, and through that 
organizational excellence, we are all protected.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker I rise today to support H. Res. 
1038, ``Recognizing the 5th Anniversary of the Department of Homeland 
Security and honoring the Department's Employees for their 
Extraordinary Efforts to Protect and Secure our Nation.
  On September 11, 2001 this nation suffered a terrorist attack that 
surpassed anything we had dealt with before. After witnessing those 
events, I decided that the protection of our homeland would be at the 
forefront of my legislative agenda. I knew that all of our collective 
efforts as Americans would all be in vain if we did not achieve our 
most important priority: the security of our Nation.
  After the events of September 11th, the Department of Homeland 
Security was created in an effort to consolidate our Nation's efforts 
to prevent, respond to, and mitigate threats to the homeland, including 
acts of terrorism, natural disasters, or other emergencies.
  Since its first full scale year in 2003, the Department of Homeland 
Security has integrated 22 disparate agencies and offices. Due to the 
Homeland Security's employees' diligence, the department has done a 
magnificent job of deterring, detecting, and preventing acts of 
terrorism from occurring on U.S. soil.
  Over 331 pieces of legislation related to Homeland Security have been 
introduced since the Department's inception. From the health-related 
issues surrounding clean up of Ground Zero to Customs and Border 
Protection, the Department covers several facets affecting our national 
security.
  Working for the Department of Homeland Security is more than a job. 
It would be like saying that we as Members of Congress simply have a 
job. Homeland Security is a belief in the greatness of this nation and 
the desire to protect it no matter where the enemy comes from, no 
matter how large or small the attack.
  I thank the employees for the work they do and their belief in the 
need for protecting our Nation's borders, airports, seaports, rail 
lines, transit systems, and most importantly our way of life.
  That is why I have introduced legislation such as H.R. 750 [110th] 
the Save America Comprehensive Immigration Act of 2007, which seeks to 
amend the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to provide increased 
protections and eligibility for family-sponsored immigrants. It would 
authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security to deny a family-based 
immigration petition by a U.S. petitioner for an alien spouse or child 
if: (1) the petitioner is on the national sex offender registry for a 
conviction that resulted in more than one year's imprisonment; (2) the 
petitioner has failed to rebut such information within 90 days; and (3) 
granting the petition would put a spouse or child beneficiary in danger 
of sexual abuse. Among other things it would direct the Secretary to 
establish the Task Force to Rescue Immigrant Victims of American Sex 
Offenders.
  I also introduced H.R. 1530, the Chemical Facility Security 
Improvement Act of 2007 to prohibit federal funds from being used by 
the Secretary of Homeland Security to approve a site security plan for 
a chemical facility unless the facility meets or exceeds security 
standards and requirements to protect it against terrorist acts 
established by the State or local government for the area where it is 
located.
  Because while I support and commend the Department of Homeland 
Security, I still believe that the Department's mission and goals are 
still malleable. We need to continue to improve the Department's 
comprehensive national strategies to ensure that the more than 87,000 
different governmental jurisdictions at the Federal, State, and local 
level are protecting our nation's borders, transit systems, people, and 
ideals.
  This work could not be done however, without the more than 208,000 
employees of the Department working to ensure disaster preparedness at 
all levels of government while sacrificing their invaluable time with 
their family and working long hours to stand willing, able, and ready 
to respond if catastrophe strikes.
  The Department of Homeland Security is critical in ensuring our great 
nation's preparation for future terrorist threats and attacks. Its 
employees step beyond the ordinary call of duty and tirelessly help to 
prepare our Nation to counter acts of terrorism, natural disasters, and 
other emergencies.
  I urge my colleagues to support the achievements of the Department of 
Homeland Security, and support this resolution honoring the 5th 
anniversary of the Department of Homeland Security and its 
extraordinary employees.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, It is my pleasure to be 
here today to honor the employees of the Department of Homeland 
Security. As we mark the Department's fifth anniversary, we must keep 
in mind that it is the people of the Department who make the sacrifices 
to keep us all safe.
  Five years ago, this new Department was created and charged with the 
crucial mission of protecting and securing our homeland. This was not 
an easy task in the wake of the September 11th attacks. Hurricane 
Katrina demonstrated that this was a broader mission than the 
Department's leadership initially thought. However, despite the 
challenges before them, the employees of the Department have remained 
focused on ensuring the security of all Americans.
  We talk about the activities of TSA or FEMA or CBP. What sometimes 
gets lost in the discussion are the individuals behind the acronyms. 
The people of DHS deserve our praise and our gratitude. They include 
the Customs and Border Protection Officers who man our ports-of-entry; 
the Federal Air Marshals who, everyday, sit through the same flight 
delays that so frustrate the American public to do their part to keep 
the flying public secure; FEMA teams who trek selflessly into disaster 
zones to help those in need; and support personnel such as contracting 
officers, administrative assistants, technical support teams without 
whom the folks on the front lines could not do their jobs.
  I could go on, but my time is limited and I think my point is clear. 
All the men and women of the Department deserve to be recognized for 5 
years of hard work. They work nights, weekends, and holidays. They put 
their life on the line to secure our country from all manner of 
threats. Today, we are here to extend a hard-earned and much deserved 
``Thank You.''
  As Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, it is an honor for 
me to stand here today in support of this resolution. I have, at times, 
been critical of the Department's management. But I want to be very 
clear: my criticism of the Department's management should in no way be 
construed as a lack of appreciation for the individuals who are making 
daily sacrifices to secure our Nation.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring these ``everyday 
heroes.''
  Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House 
Resolution 1038, which recognizes and honors the employees of the 
Department of Homeland Security for their contributions in protecting 
our Nation from terrorist attacks.
  We commend today the more than 200,000 employees of the Department 
that have dedicated themselves to the ongoing effort to secure our 
Nation.
  In January 2003, the Department of Homeland Security officially was 
established, and in March 2003, 22 Federal agencies were brought 
together and the Department became operational. The Department has come 
a long way these five years.
  With great interest, our Subcommittee on Management, Investigations, 
and Oversight has watched and encouraged the Department's progress in 
managing its components, organizing its people, and executing the 
critical mission of protecting the Nation.
  I am especially pleased with the 21 percent staffing increase that 
Customs and Border Protection achieved in just one year. I have every 
confidence these agents are working tirelessly to help improve the 
security of our borders every single day.
  Similarly, the hard-working people at the Transportation Security 
Administration have implemented a wide range of improvements at our 
Nation's airports. T-S-A is now training its own employees to be 
explosives detection canine handlers, which will allow for a 
considerable surge in detection in the event of a threat to any 
transportation system.
  I am also proud that two key DHS facilities are located in my 
hometown of Anniston, Alabama. The Center for Domestic Preparedness 
provides live chemical agent training to first responders, and the 
Noble Training Center provides training for hospital and healthcare 
professionals to prepare for and respond to disasters.
  The people who serve at the CDP and Noble Training Center provide an 
invaluable service to our Nation and deserve our thanks.
  Yet as we look back over five years of growth and accomplishment, we 
must also

[[Page 5533]]

look forward to next year's transition and beyond.
  Consolidation of congressional oversight authority is still sorely 
needed, and remains the sole recommendation of the 9/11 Commission yet 
to be enacted. The lack of consolidated Congressional oversight 
jurisdiction over the Department has a direct negative impact on the 
Department's ability to fulfill its mission of securing the homeland. 
Congress must address this issue immediately.
  In addition, the Congress needs to establish an annual DHS 
authorization bill to provide the steady-handed guidance that 86 
different committees and subcommittees cannot. This Committee, followed 
by the House and our colleagues in the Senate, must produce an 
authorization bill in advance of any appropriations bill this year.
  And finally, we must allow the Department's employees to work 
unimpeded by further organizational shuffling.
  These and many more challenges lie in front of us. It is our job to 
ensure that the Department is ready for the future, especially as it 
prepares to transition to a new administration.
  We therefore gladly extend our thanks to the many dedicated 
individuals that make up the backbone of our Nation's current and 
future security.
  I urge my colleagues to support passage of this resolution.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in overwhelming support 
of H. Res. 1038, recognizing the fifth anniversary of the Department of 
Homeland Security and honoring the Department's employees for their 
extraordinary efforts and contributions to protect and secure our 
country.
  As a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, I am proud 
to work side-by-side with DHS on keeping our Nation secure. We have 
come a long way and it is hard to believe that so much has been 
accomplished in 5 years. For certain, consolidating 22 different 
agencies has been extremely challenging as it is the first act of its 
kind. The Department now employs more than 200,000 workers in its 
efforts to keep the Nation secure. Although there are many issues to 
still be resolved, and there always will be, I commend Secretary 
Chertoff and the DHS employees for their success in preventing another 
terrorist attack, thus far, and intercepting terrorists plots.
  My colleagues and I remain committed to working on ensuring that the 
agency has the support and resources it needs to continue to get the 
job done. One of our top priorities and concerns has always been staff 
morale. We believe that the employees are the backbone of the agency 
and that the agency is a reflection of its employees' approach and 
outlook toward their job. Their continuing efforts are crucial to the 
security of our Nation in the years to come.
  I would like to extend heartfelt congratulations to Secretary 
Chertoff and the employees of DHS, especially those in the U.S. Virgin 
Islands, for their outstanding service.
  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise to declare my support for the 
employees of the Department of Homeland Security and to thank them for 
their important service to our country. I opposed the formation of the 
Department of Homeland Security in 2002. There was good reason to 
believe that a reorganization that would take at least 10 years and 
possibly more, would cause delay in implementation of real measures 
that could make the country safer.
  I pointed out that the proposed reorganization of 22 different 
agencies into one large entity would not constitute efficient and 
effective government, nor would it help the thousands of Americans who 
die of violent crimes each year in this country.
  When Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005, it soon 
became apparent that my concerns about establishing the Department of 
Homeland Security were valid. Katrina and the subsequent flooding took 
at least 1,835 lives and sent a powerful reminder to the people of the 
United States that the homeland is not secure. I certainly do not 
expect that the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency (FEMA) or any other government agency can prevent a 
natural disaster. But FEMA's own mandate was to coordinate disaster 
relief through preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation. The 
federal response should have been to make things happen and to make 
them happen quickly; to anticipate and respond to the needs of local 
and state officials.
  Instead Hurricane Katrina will long be held in our Nation's 
collective conscience. We will remember the terrified and helpless 
faces of the victims that this disaster claimed, displaced and 
horrified. We will remember the faces of our fellow citizens pleading 
for help, for days as they endured horrible conditions at the 
convention center and Superdome. The unbearably inadequate response to 
these disasters exacerbates the shame, heartache and insecurity that 
has resulted. The images haunt us.
  What was the response from the former FEMA Director Michael Brown in 
testimony before the House? He said, ``[a]nd while my heart goes out to 
people on fixed incomes, it is primarily a state and local 
responsibility. And in my opinion, it's the responsibility of faith-
based organizations, of churches and charities and others to help those 
people.'' Michael Chertoff, Secretary of DHS said, ``I remember on 
Tuesday morning picking up newspapers, and I saw headlines, `New 
Orleans Dodged the Bullet.' '' Is this the way we make the homeland 
safer? By attempting to fabricate leadership instead of demonstrating 
it?
  Furthermore, in 2003 the Administration terminated the collective 
bargaining rights of TSA screeners just as TSA workers were ready to 
vote on joining the union of the American Federation of Government 
Employees (AFGE). DHS does not allow a unionized TSA workforce. 
Transportation security workers deserve collective bargaining rights. 
It is an insult to these dedicated men and women within DHS, including 
FEMA, the Army Corp of Engineers and Border Patrol that their rights to 
organize have been denied.
  I unequivocally appreciate the dedicated service of DHS employees. 
Their hard work and commitment to public service is outstanding and 
valuable. However, I cannot celebrate the creation of DHS.


                             General Leave

  Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
of this resolution and include any extraneous material.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CARNEY. I yield back the balance of my time, Mr. Speaker.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Carney) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1038.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

                          ____________________