Date: 2012-06-06
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

I thank the chairman of the subcommittee and the ranking member for their courtesies. I am the ranking member on the Transportation Security Committee and have had the privilege of serving as the chairperson of that committee. I now work with the chairperson. and I appreciate the opportunity to speak to the issues of our committee as relates to the present appropriations. I think we can all be reminded of a number of incidents. starting with 9/11 and the attack on the Nations aviation and the Nations soul. During that time. we did not have the structure of Federal Air Marshals that we have today. We can be reminded of the shoe bomber. the Christmas Day bomber. the issue of the pilot that caused a disturbance some weeks and months ago. We know that the idea of aviation security is crucial. In the course of that. we have developed a very important system called the Federal Air Marshal system. If you would query much of the traveling public. whether domestic or international. they would say yes to more Federal Air Marshals. and I agree. Ive offered amendments and legislation to require more Federal Air Marshals on international trips and certainly have encouraged the training and utilization of FAMs on domestic trips. I have visited their offices. Ive sat down and spoken to them. They are committed and dedicated public servants. My amendment will restore the Federal Air Marshals. FAMs. budget by $50 million. As youre aware. FAMs is an integral program to the homeland security mission. I believe that this recommendation takes into consideration the crucial operational challenges FAMs will face as a result of a reduction. The FAMs riskbased concept of operations. CONOPS. outlines the two constraints that impact its optimal allocation of flight coverage: First. FAMs is. of course. dependent on the number of Federal Air Marshals available. Secondly. FAMs flight coverage is reliant on the mission travel budget which covers all FAM travel expenses. including hotel and per diem costs. With the large cost difference between domestic and international flight operations. CONOPS must be used to conduct the most optimal mission allocation that can be maintained within those limitations. In deciding the FAMS appropriation. the House must take into consideration FAMS plan to extend its current hiring freeze in FY 2013. as mandated by the Presidents budget. It plans to be cooperative. With limited employees. if the proposed $50 million reduction were to be implemented. FAMS operation would be severely undermined. I would venture to say they would be shut down to a great extent. The program would be forced to extend the hiring freeze to include civilian personnel. implement a furlough of all FAMS personnel for a minimum of 4 days. reduce mission coverage. assess which offices can be shut down. and consider a reduction in force. or RIF. to strategically reduce onboard staffing levels. This is not the time to do this in the course of franchise terrorism. In addition. FAMS would suffer a significant decline in critical operational programs. including travel. information technology. and logistical support. A reduction would be an obstruction to the good work and progress of this program. For these reasons. I encourage my colleagues to look closely at the devastation and the loss of these dollars and ask you to restore the $50 million to the FAMS budget. I would ask my colleagues to consider this amendment. and I would ask that we include or recognize FAMS as an integral part of a homeland security. Nation security. frontline security. and an important point and program to consider funding necessary to ensure the security of the traveling public and the Nations homeland. With that. I ask support of the Jackson Lee amendment. I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. Chair. I rise today to offer my amendment to H.R. 5855. Making Appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for the Fiscal Year ending September 2012. My amendment will restore The Federal Air Marshalls (FAMS) budget by $50 million. As you are aware. FAMS is an integral program to the homeland security mission. I believe that this recommendation takes into consideration the crucial operational challenges FAMS will face as a result as of a reduction.