Date: 2003-09-24
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

Mr. Speaker. House Resolution 374 is a rule that provides for the consideration of the conference report for the fiscal year 2004 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act. This is a standard rule for a conference report. providing for 1 hour of general debate. evenly divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations. As we continue the 2004 appropriations cycle. Mr. Speaker. it is fitting that the first appropriations bill. and now the first conference report this House considers. is the Homeland Security Appropriations Act. It has been over 2 years since the Nation was savagely attacked by a group of cowardly terrorists on September 11. 2001. Appropriate. decisive. and necessary steps in our defense and foreign policy have been evident under the leadership of President Bush through successful efforts to eliminate al Qaeda from its governmentsponsored haven of Afghanistan. the elimination of the Taliban regime and. recently. to remove the ruthless dictator Saddam Hussein in Iraq. and operations throughout the world in furtherance of U.S. national security. The U.S. military has performed and succeeded with distinction each and every time we have called upon their gallant services. But much more work has to be accomplished in the homeland. and this legislation. Mr. Speaker. provides communities the necessary tools to effect necessary security efforts. In this conference report. Congress is providing almost $30 billion to protect the homeland. $1 billion above the Presidents request. The legislation provides $4.2 billion to the Office of Domestic Preparedness. I have seen firsthand the work of Federal dollars when supplemented with State and local funding to make our communities safe. In south Florida. the local governments and municipalities have taken extensive steps to ensure the safety of airports. seaports. utilities. and water supplies. but they still require the supplemental funding and grants that this legislation provides. With over 7.500 miles of land borders and 361 seaports. local authorities will always be the frontline of defense. First responders are the key to the effective protection of our communities. In addition to many other programs. this conference report provides $1.7 billion for basic formula grants under the Office of Domestic Preparedness. $500 million for State and local enforcement terrorism prevention grants. $750 million for firefighter grants. and $725 million for highthreat. highdensity urban areas. To further ensure the safety of the American people. we have instituted very clear guidelines for grant eligibility. Local and State officials must create a multiyear homeland security plan. This will ensure that we are not just throwing money at the problem. but we are working to find comprehensive. longterm solutions to problems. The Department of Homeland Security is also working hard to protect our ports of entry. There is $62 million in this bill for the Container Security Initiative. It is our belief that security at our ports should be the last line of defense. not a first. Through the Container Security Initiative. the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection is working with the worlds largest ports to screen cargo before it leaves for the United States. We now require 24hour advanced notice for manifests of any cargo ship heading to the United States. This allows the Department of Homeland Security to see what is on a ship before it gets anywhere near the coasts of the United States. Through a sophisticated database screening system and ground personnel working with host countries. the Departm6nt is creating a frontline of defense hundreds. sometimes even thousands of miles away. This conference report also provides $236 million for immigration services. $80 million of which is dedicated to alleviating the current unsatisfactory backlog of immigration applications. Under President Bushs Blueprint for New Beginnings. Director Aduardo Aguirre of the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services is committed to achieving a maximum term of 6 months for immigration applications between the time of application and the time of swearing in. including for citizenship. specifically. Some parts of our Nation have seen the wait for citizenship applications grow and grow to the point that now it is not anywhere near 6 months. but rather years. in many instances. Effective funding to eliminate this backlog and streamline the process is essential. as is congressional oversight. and I want to thank the gentleman from Kentucky (Chairman ROGERS) who. In the Committee on Rules yesterday evening. again committed to continuing forceful oversight to make sure that this goal of the President and of the director really is achieved. Six months. 6 months should be the maximum time between an application for citizenship and the swearing in of a new American. Easing the backlog will enhance national security by ensuring that those who should be In the country are given their citizenship papers and those who have goals other than enjoying American prosperity and freedom and may seek to potentially harm America are quickly removed from the consideration process and dealt with appropriately. We must also allow those with a desire to enter the United States legally to do so without undue burden. Again. Mr. Speaker. I look forward to working with the chairman and the administration to ensure that. with necessary security. the borders of this country remain open to those who seek freedom and prosperity. Again. I would like to thank the gentleman from Kentucky (Chairman ROGERS) and the gentleman from Minnesota (Ranking Member SAnO) for their important bipartisan work on this very important appropriations bill which I think. appropriately. is the first one that we bring in final form before our colleagues. Mr. Speaker. H.R. 2555 is good legislation essential to our continued commitment to the security and safety of all of the citizens and the residents of the United States. the wellbeing of the homeland. I urge my colleagues to support both the rule and the underlying legislation. Mr. Speaker. I reserve the balance of my time.