Date: 2016-04-13
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of H.R. 4509. I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for his astuteness. along with Mr. WALDEN. for a very important initiative. Having been on the Homeland Security Committee since the tragic terrorist attack against the United States. I have watched the formation of this department and the issues that are important to secure America. I have lived through various processes and various disasters that are not terrorist related to know how important these grants overall are. The grants. in particular. that are dealing with this bill in planning committee are extremely important to add to the planning committee those individuals who are beyond the very able work of our firefighters and police officers. Those are first responders. But it is very important to engage the community. such as schools. medical professions. and beyond. I hope. as this legislation passes. we will also look to having on the planning committee some of the leaders on Homeland Security issues that are in our community. For example. I have an individual by the name of Charles X. White who has led issues on homeland security for a very long time. His activism created an opportunity for there to be a homeland security specialty and discipline at Texas Southern University because the community is involved. involved on issues of evacuation. involved on issues of restoration. involved on issues of making sure funding gets to those necessary entities that may not be known on a global sense and. when I say that. in a countywide. citywide. or statewide sense. They provide the insight into neighborhoods. I think it is important that. as this bill makes its way. its interpretation will be that we add community leaders who are the kind of persons who are engaged with the daytoday goingson of neighborhoods. knowing how important it is for them to be heard during times of a terrorist act or any other disaster to be restored. Again. I am grateful for this legislation and the leadership of Mr. PAYNE and Mr. WALDEN. I ask my colleagues to enthusiastically support this legislation. To those who may be engaged all around America with preparedness. it is important. of course. to have every aspect of our community involved in these planning committees so that their voices can be heard on how best to heal. to solve. and to restore after a tragedy has occurred in our local communities. Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of H.R. 4482. a legislation that will require an analysis of the Southwest Border Threat from the Secretary of Homeland Security and a Border Patrol Strategic Plan from the Chief of the Border Patrol. I support this legislation as a senior member of the House Committee on Homeland Security and the Ranking Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime. Terrorism. Homeland Security and Investigations. I believe that Congress can and should do more to ensure the safety of our southern border from terrorism and criminal threats. My service in the House of Representatives has focused on making sure that our nation is secure and prosperous. The U.S. has thousands of miles of coastlines. lakes. and rivers and hundreds of ports that provide opportunities for legitimate travel. trade. and recreation. Ports serve as Americas gateway to the global economy since the nations economic prosperity rests on the ability of containerized and bulk cargo arriving unimpeded at U.S. ports to support the rapid delivery system that underpins the manufacturing and retail sectors. A central component of national security is the ability of our international ports to move goods in and out of the country. According to the Department of Commerce in 2012. Texas exports totaled $265 billion. In 2012. ship channelrelated businesses contributed 1.026.820 jobs and generated more than $178.5 billion in statewide economic activity. The Port of Houston is a 25milelong complex of diversified public and private facilities located just a few hours sailing time from the Gulf of Mexico. In 2014. the Port of Houston was ranked among U.S. ports: 1st in foreign tonnage. 1st among Texas ports with 46% of market share by tonnage and 95% market share in containers by total TEUS in 2014. 1st among Gulf Coast container ports. handling 67% of U.S. Gulf Coast container traffic in 2014. and 2nd in U.S. ports in terms of total foreign cargo value (based on U.S. Dept. of Commerce. Bureau of Census). The Government Accountability Office (GAO). reports that the Port of Houston and its waterways and vessels. are part of an economic engine handling more than $700 billion in cargo annually. The Port of Houston houses approximately 100 steamship lines offering services that link Houston with 1.053 ports in 203 countries. The Port of Houston is home to a $15 billion petrochemical complex. the largest in the nation and second largest in the world. With the nations largest petrochemical complex supplying over 40 percent of the nations base petrochemical manufacturing capacity. what happens at the Port of Houston affects the entire nation. At the same time. these waterways offer opportunities for terrorists and their instruments. drug smugglers. and undocumented persons to enter our country. U.S. seaports. like the Port of Houston. are vulnerable to terrorist attacks. H.R. 4482 will require the Secretary of Homeland Security to analyze and assess the southwest border threat: Terrorism and criminal threats seeking unlawful entrance to the U.S. through the southwest border or exploiting border vulnerabilities. Improvements needed in border ports to prevent the entrance of terrorism into the U.S.. Law. policy. cooperation between state. local or tribal law enforcement. international or tribal agreements that hinder effective and efficient border security. counterterrorism. antihuman smuggling and trafficking efforts and legitimate trade along the southwest border. Current percentage of situational awareness and operational control of U.S. borders achieved by DHS of international land and maritime borders of the U.S. H.R. 4482 will require the Chief of the Border Patrol to issue by March 1. 2017. and every five years after. a Border Patrol Strategic Plan: Evaluation of southwest border threat analysis. Assessment of principal border security threats. Efforts to focus intelligence collection to disrupt transnational criminal organizations outside of U.S. borders. Ensure new border security technology can be operationally integrated with existing DHS technologies. Technology required to maintain. support. and enhance security and facilitate trade at ports of entry. Cooperative agreements and information sharing with state. local. and federal law enforcement agencies that have jurisdiction on the northern and southern borders. Prioritized list of research and development objective to enhance the security of borders. Assessment of training programs for detecting fraudulent documents. understanding scope of enforcement authorities and the use of force policies. and screening. identifying. and addressing vulnerable populations. Assessment of how border security operations affect crossing times. Let me close by reminding my colleagues that earlier this year we passed the Northern Border Security Act. which secured our border with Canada. Now it is time to protect our Southern Border. therefore I urge all Members to join me in voting to pass H.R. 4482.