Department Of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2008

Floor Speech

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2008 -- (House of Representatives - June 13, 2007)

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Mr. HALL of New York. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words.

Mr. Chairman, before I address the Homeland Security Appropriations bill, I just wanted to comment that it is interesting, some might say entertaining, to be given a lesson in fiscal responsibility by those Members who helped to run up the biggest deficit and the biggest balance of trade deficit that this country has ever seen. But we will let that go.

For now I would just like to talk about, first of all, the fact that there are no earmarks in this bill. To talk about earmarks on a bill, the Homeland Security Appropriations bill, which has no earmarks is inappropriate and just a distraction.

In terms of first responders, the part that I would like to address, it is particularly important to my district, New York's 19th, which served and continues to serve New York City. Orange County in my district is the farthest north that first responders from New York are allowed to live. The firemen and policemen of New York may live only that far north from New York City because of needing to be there when they are called in a hurry. And as a result, we have had many fire and police who lost their lives on 9/11 and many are subsequently suffering from respiratory ailments from working on the Ground Zero pile. So we know, not only from that but from planning for other incidents, accidents, attacks that we need to be ready for, that first responders need our help and they need it from this bill, and this bill gives it to them.

This bill gives it to them through Homeland Security grants, which meet the needs of first responders including hiring, training, and equipping first responders. The President proposed slashing the grants by 52 percent. Instead, our bill restores this cut, providing $550 million, which is $25 million above fiscal year 2007 and $300 million above the President's request for Homeland Security grants.

Local law enforcement terrorism prevention programs, this $375 million program plays a key role in assisting local law enforcement agents in information sharing, target hardening, and counter-terrorism planning. The President's budget eliminates this program. Our bill provides $400 million, which is $25 million above fiscal year 2007.

Firefighter assistance grants, the President proposed to slash these grants by 55 percent. Instead, this bill restores the cut, providing $570 million, $23 million above fiscal year 2007 and $270 million above the President's request. And SAFER grants, the President proposed eliminating these Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response, SAFER, $115 million SAFER grants. The program was eliminated by the President in his proposal. We, instead, provide $230 million, which is $115 million above fiscal year 2007.

So in every instance in which first responders need our help, need the Federal Government's assistance, to be able to respond to fire, police, and other security and public safety issues and events, we are trying to provide them with the resources that they need over the President's objections and over his cuts.

I am proud to support this bill, and I submit that I personally don't have any earmarks in it, and I don't know of anybody else who does. So let's please not discuss it in those terms but in terms of what makes the American people safer.

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