Date: 2014-07-28
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I am prepared to close. I am going to conclude my remarks by indicating that I want to. again. express my appreciation for the work that we have done. As a Houstonian. and as the chairman indicated. we are Texans. we see this. we have seen it. we live with our neighbors. but. more importantly. we live with our friends on the border. Members of Congress are our friends. are our neighbors. and they are a part of this great Nation as well. It gives me a special sense of pride and responsibility to be able to work with their needs. As someone who has representation over one of the largest ports. along with some of my other colleagues in Houston. the Houston port. these are very important issues. I think America needs to realize that when we safeguard our ports. provide for these agents. and give them an infrastructure of authorization. we affirm them. We are securing the homeland. I think the border towns have handled this humanitarian crisis with great valor and a great sense of what America is all about. We need to respond to their needs. but we also need to address this question from a perspective of the humanitarian issue that it is and a balanced perspective of securing the border. I think we have begun that process with this legislation. and I ask my colleagues to support it. I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker. I rise in strong support of H.R. 3846. the "United States Customs and Border Protection Authorization Act." I am proud to be an original cosponsor of the bill. sponsored by my Subcommittee Chairman. the gentlelady from Michigan. Mrs. MILLER. U.S. Customs and Border Protection is among the largest and most significant of the Department of Homeland Securitys components. CBP is charged with ensuring the security of Americas borders while facilitating legitimate trade and travel. Despite the essential nature of CBPs mission. it has not been authorized in law since the reorganization of the Department of Homeland Security announced by Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff nine years ago this month. It is imperative that CBP is authorized in law to ensure that Congress can conduct proper oversight of the agency and its programs. This legislation does just that. I am pleased that the bill includes several amendments offered by Democratic Members during consideration by the Homeland Security Committee. I was particularly pleased that the Committee accepted an amendment I offered to help address the recent surge in the number of unaccompanied children entering the U.S.. at increasingly younger ages. particularly in my home state of Texas. This issue requires immediate attention from Congress. given that the welfare of so many children is at stake. I am also pleased that during Committee consideration an amendment offered by the gentlelady from California. Ms. SANCHEZ. was adopted to enhance CBPs oversight of and adherence to shortterm detention standards at its facilities. While these facilities are not intended to house individuals for longterm immigration detention. it is imperative that basic standards are adhered to in order to ensure the health and wellbeing of people. including children. in CBP custody. I am also pleased that the Committee accepted an amendment offered by the gentleman from California. Mr. SWALWELL. stating that CBP may not enter into or renew a trusted traveler program agreement with a foreign government unless that government reports lost and stolen passport data to INTERPOL. We know that passengers on Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 were traveling on stolen passpo rts. While the U.S. has relatively limited ability to ensure foreign governments utilize INTERPOLs database. encouraging them to report their own lost and stolen passports improves the quality of INTERPOLs lists used by the U.S. to screen travelers to and from our country. That said. I was disappointed that the Committee did not accept an amendment I offered to increase by an additional 2.000 the number of CBP officers deployed at our ports of entry. Congress recently provided the resources necessary to hire 2.000 additional CBP officers. but still more are needed. I understand current budgetary constraints. but so many of the challenges CBP faces at our ports of entry are related to or affected by persistent staffing shortages. Congress has a responsibility to do its part to alleviate those shortages and I hope to continue to work with my colleagues. on both sides of the aisle. on this important issue. That said. I strongly support the bill and am pleased that Customs and Border Protection will. for the first time. be authorized in its current form. In closing. I would like to thank the gentlelady from Michigan. Mrs. MILLER. for the bipartisan process. I believe we produced a solid bill that should garner broad bipartisan support in the House today. I am particularly pleased that at this time when there is so much rancor about the Administrations response to the influx of fleeing unaccompanied children at our Southwest Border. we are standing together to authorize resources for the CBP to continue to do its part. With that Mr. Speaker. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3846. the United States Customs and Border Protection Authorization Act.