Conference Report on H.R. 5441, Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2007

CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 5441, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2007 -- (House of Representatives - September 29, 2006)

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Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, both gentlemen are correct. WHTI is vital to our homeland security, and I am absolutely committed to ensuring it is put in place.

The conference report requires the Departments of Homeland Security and State to implement WHTI no later than 3 months after the security requirements are met or by June 1, 2009, whichever is earlier.

We urge DHS and State to quickly develop the PASS card technology, card readers, and procedures to enable the earliest possible deployment of the system at our sea and land ports of entry.

Again, let me make this clear. The conference report does not force a delay upon WHTI. It is up to DHS and State to make sure the program works securely and is implemented as soon as possible, which can and should be in accordance with the original WHTI deadline of January 1, 2008.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Wamp), a very valuable member of this subcommittee, hardworking, and a conferee on the bill.

Mr. WAMP. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for the outstanding job he does.

This $34.8 billion brings the total that we have spent on this Department since September 11, 2001, to $151.7 billion, a significant investment in this new Department.

I want to hail the service of MARTY SABO over the years but specifically on this subcommittee and because of his cooperation specifically in one area where he and Chairman ROGERS have been brilliant. They have used the power of the purse to force this Department to move towards efficiency and accountability, something that was really missing for a long period of time. We have withheld money from them pending reports and accountability over and over again.

I want to report on two areas today where we are making great progress because of our work on this subcommittee. Science and technology was woefully inadequate. It is now moving rapidly. Admiral Cohen has come in, and he is outstanding. We are deploying new technologies, and we are really spending the money much more wisely. Great progress has been made.

Another area is where we created and helped the administration form the DNDO, the Defense Nuclear Detection Organization. Nuclear problems in homeland security are our greatest threats. Mr. Edwards, on the Democratic side, and myself and others have really been active here to make sure this new agency is effectively detecting the nuclear threat and advancing those technologies. This funding is $481 million. We forced it up above the administration's request to that figure. It still is not enough. I would rather have had the Senate number of $500 million, but we are making great strides there now as well.

Also, the border is much more secure today than it was a year ago. The gentleman from Minnesota is exactly right. This subcommittee has been securing the border each and every year but dramatically in the last year. We now are sending 99 percent of them back.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, I want to wish happy birthday to Michelle. Thank you for your service.

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Mr. Speaker, this year has been a difficult year for this bill, as they all are. We did not have all of the allocation that we could have used. However, I think we judiciously have spent the moneys that were allocated to us.

There is no more important chore that the Congress has, in my judgment, than to protect the country as best we can from its enemies and from natural disasters. That is what this bill is all about. It is such a huge undertaking. We have got 7,500 miles of borders with our neighbors, we have 12,000 miles of coastline, including the Great Lakes, 440 commercial airports with 600 million passengers a year internally and many millions more from outside the country, rail and subways and tunnels and bridges and cyber structures, and the financial system. Everything we have is subject to attack, and it is a very, very difficult chore for the government, both the executive branch and certainly the legislative branch, to try to get our arms around the mission and to try to find the moneys there to try to finance the effort to defend the country against its enemies.

But I think we have done that within this bill as best we can. We have covered practically every angle that you can think of with plenty of funding. I am especially pleased that we found huge new sums to spend on border security. We can't exist as a country if we can't protect that border, and that is what this bill is all about in its main emphasis.

Again, I want to thank MARTY SABO for his years of service and friendship, he and Sylvia. MARTY, you and Sylvia, we wish you Godspeed.

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