Date: 2007-01-09
Speaker: LORETTA SANCHEZ (democrat)
Chamber: H

of- California. Thank you. Mr. Chairman. and it feels great to call you Mr. Chairman. I rise today in support of H.R. 1. the Implementing the 9/11 Recommendations Act of 2007. and as a Member who has been on the Homeland Security Committee since its inception and a ranking member on one of its major committees. I am really thrilled that we are bringing this legislation on the real first day of legislative business. There are some really essential things in this. One major thing would be to achieve real security by implementing and distributing most homeland security -grant funding on the basis of risk. After the Department of Homeland Securitys completion of a comprehensive risk assessment. States with lower risks will be guaranteed 25 percent funding. or 45 percent if that State has an international land or sea border. This is important because. as we know. there are many States that need that money. and they need it now. Another important provision of this will be the infrastructure database. one that I have been talking about for the last 4 years and trying to get together. Lets just get that done. These requirements would satisfy the 9/11 Commission recommendation for the development of a reliable and complete list of the Nations critical infrastructure to be used so we can help to assess the threats and allocate the limited resources that we have. Of course. I am particularly pleased we are going to have an Office of Appeals and Redress. This is something that I offered as an amendment in committee which is included in this legislation so that people who are on the terrorist list have some way to get off if they are innocent. I rise today in support of H.R. 1. the Implementing the 9/11 Recommendations Act of Over the last several Congresses. my work as the ranking member of the Economic Security. Infrastructure Security and Cyber Security Subcommittee of the Homeland Security Committee has focused on the threats to our Nations security and how we can best protect ourselves from those threats. This legislation is an essential step towards achieving real security by implementing outstanding 9/11 Commission recommendations. One major security enhancement in this legislation is the move to distribute most homeland security grant funding on the basis of risk. After the Department of Homeland Securitys completion of comprehensive risk assessments. States with lower risk will be guaranteed 25 percent of all homeland security funding. or 45 percent if the State has an international land or sea border. This provision strikes an appropriate- balance between allocating most of the funding based on risk. while ensuring that every State will have the funding to maintain the necessary level of preparedness. Another important provision in this legislation requires annual updates of the National Asset Database. and the creation of a subset. the National AtRisk Database which will list the infrastructure most at risk to terrorist attacks. In addition. the provision requires the Department of Homeland Security to consult each State annually to discuss their assets. and confer with them before removing a State asset from the Database. These requirements satisfy the 9/11 Commission recommendation for the development of a reliable and complete list of the Nations critical infrastructure to be used to assess threats and allocate infrastructure protection grants. I am also particularly pleased that a provision to establish an Office of Appeals and Redress that I offered as an amendment in Committee was included in this legislation. I drafted this provision in response to my constituents frustrations when they were held up because they had the same name as someone on the nofly list. a frustration that I experienced personally several months ago. The establishment of this DHSwide office will ensure a timely and fair process for individuals that are wrongly identified. to seek redress. correct their records and reduce. or end. repeated delays and missed flights. These are just a few of the important provisions in H.R. 1 that will improve our Nations security. I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.