mr nelson of florida  majority leader because of these two votes coming together like they did there was some confusion and that's why this ok longer everyone should understand this will be you know make a habit of this we have been very very strict  forcing the twenty minute rule and will continue do that now to present for the benefit of all senators we had a productive day today but my opinion not as productive as it should be senators who have amendment and we'll have to either on august third reading or move to cloture something if people have amendments we said this would be an open process and this is a very important piece of legislation and i would hope that they're not waiting till the last minute because the last also follow up on that so that we can have some list of amendments so that we least know who to call because we've had a lot of dead time here today and i think if this bill is open to amendment and people have concerns with that they should offer those offering on behalf of myself and to senator domenici my colleague it is to provide funds to local law enforcement agencies along our very substantial borders with canada and with mexico port to assist them with criminal acts but any problems of enforcement of the laws and dealing with criminal activity in those border communities this is an amendment that calls sets up a fifty million dollar a year gran amendment we have passed twice already here in the united states senate has not become wall as yet it calls upon the department of homeland security to establish this competitive grant program to assist local law enforcement that are located along the border or other local law enforcement agencies that are determined by the homeland security department to  be heavily impacted high impact areas elsewhere in the country the border with canada as we all know is fifty five hundred twenty five miles long our border with mexico is nearly two thousand miles long  have had serious problems in the new mexico mexico border as has the state of arizona in fact last year the state of arizona and new mexico the two states both states declared states of emergency in order to provide local law enforcement with immediate assistance in dealing with criminal activity along the border the federal government needs to step up and do its part in helping these local law enforcement agencies as some men that helps us do that i hope when the time comes for a vote on this amendment all of my colleagues will agree to support it and we can pass it with a unanimous vote madam president of the floor and i see  about unfinished business and it's not just doing what others have failed to do it is about living up to the responsibilities we have as a congress and a government to protect our nation and it people and to do everything possible to prevent what was once unthinkable from happening again as a senator from new jersey i take that responsibility as a solemn promise that the seven hundred new jerseyans who lost their lives on september eleventh and their families that survive more than five years ago it became painfully clear that we as a nation who felt we were the most secure in the world found ourselves unprotected in the glimpse of a few minutes and over the course of a few horrific short hours our nation and the security we thought we had was changed forever we entered into the stark reality of a post september eleventh world on that day where in gaps in our security were exploited back systems were taken advantage of in a trusting nation paid the price thousands of innocent lives everyday americans whose this nation is grieved every day every day since we lost we can never go back to rectify past mistakes that could have prevented that day but we can work to better secure our nation moving forward and we have a road map of how to get there the nine eleven commission laid out a plan provided guidance and delivered or one specific and wide ranging recommendation more than two years after the commission issued those recommendations many of them remain just that recommendations that have not been acted on or fully implemented this legislation already comes before this body guard later than it should but the fact is that it is here on the floor in this chamber just two short months into a new congress speaks vocally of our new leadership and how important finishing the nine eleven commission's work is to our leadership and i want to commend both majority leader reid and chairman lieberman for making this a top priority for this congress as well as chairman anyway and chairman dodd for their roles in crafting this legislation many of us have been pushing for a long time to see all forty one recommendations fully implemented and to make significant improvements to our nation's security that have been under the radar screen for far too long as a former member of the house of representatives i fought to see that all forty one recommendations were fully implemented and the two thousand and four intelligence reform legislation i was proud to serve as the lead democratic negotiator in the house on the conference committee that created the final intelligence bill and while that legislation made essential and urgently needed reforms to our nation's intelligence unfortunately it fell short falls short on implementing all of the recommendations i have also since introduced legislation that ensures that all of these recommendations will be fully implemented and to hold the executive branch accountable for implementing each recommendation and it is my hope that with the bill that we are working now before the senate and with a vigorous oversight of the leadership of chairman lieberman and ranking member collins will be able to see all of these recommendations and acted and implemented and i was just over a year ago the nine eleven public discourse project that by former members of the nine eleven commission published it disturbing report card giving far more f s than is on the implement haitien of those forty one recommendations there is no excuse left for congress the white house or federal agencies for not finishing what is so directly needed improving the security of our nation yes we've made some great step forward yes we have made some significant improvements that have likely saved lives and stop terrorists in their tracks but no one no one used the lack of another catastrophic attack on our soil as proof that we have succeeded in fully meeting our goals the fact is so long as we did not heed the advice of the nine eleven commissioners who spent months examining how we could improve our nation's security so long as we do not make dramatic improvements to our security at our nation's ports on our trains and busses around our chemical plants and in how we allocate homeland security funding we continue to leave our nation at risk i cannot imagine talking about the security of our nation without the forty one recommendations of the nine eleven commission the commission's findings and recommendations are integral to understanding our deepest flaws the complexity of our intelligence and security networks the obstacles that lie ahead and most of all what needs to be done yet some in our government if they had their way there would have been no commission there would have been no digging into the secrecy and ineffectiveness of our nation's security no poring over thousands upon thousands of documents no reviewing of every action federal agencies took or did not take to prevent and respond to the attacks of september eleventh no asking some of the toughest questions our nation has had to bear so once we pass this final legislation have it signed into law and implemented we will come to the day i hope sooner rather than later when our nation's security funding is based more on risk when our ports so fully secure because one hundred percent standing when we are making the necessary investments in mass transit security and when i first responders have a strong emergency communication system that works in interoperable ways so that those who are sworn to protect us can speak to each other respect these are only a few of the things that are at stake in this fight and unfortunately this is a fight that would not have taken place without the commitment and strength of the families of the victims of september eleventh when the loved ones of those who were lost on september eleventh have become full time advocates spending every possible hour lobbying congress when they have to be the constant reminder for our government to do its job we know we have failed many of them are here and have been here today watching this body waiting to finally see this legislation become law hoping that all their suffering their work and their tireless advocacy will not be in vain let us not only fulfill their wishes but the wishes of all americans have a nation as secure as possible for their families and neighbors let us work to pass this legislation and make sure that it is fully enacted that is i nearly accomplish what should have been finished and we're waiting for senators to come back to the floor here working today on this homeland security bill a bill that's it we expect the senate to be working on for the next week perhaps into next week as well according to majority leader harry reid you may have seen a couple of votes earlier dealing with access to secure areas of u s ports part of this homeland security bill dealing with port security also part dealing with rail security part of it authorizing funds to improve cross communication with emergency responders and also aviation security part of this homeland security bill