Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2008
Floor Speech
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2008 -- (House of Representatives - June 12, 2007)
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Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to support the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2008. I would like to thank Chairman Price and Ranking Member Rogers for including a solid increase for funding for detection canine teams used by DHS. The bill includes an increase of $17.3 million that will add more canine teams for air cargo inspections. The bill also includes funding for 1,506 canine teams for CBP, which represents an increase of 272 teams over last year's level.
These increases reflect a provision I supported in the Rail and Public Transportation Safety Act of 2007 and H.R. 659, the Canine Detection Team Improvement Act, which I introduced earlier this year.
However, I am deeply concerned about section 527 that would classify instructors at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center as inherently governmental. This provision would impose a dangerous ban on using non-Federal trainers after a national emergency and the resulting needed times of surge.
I also remain concerned about the ability of DHS to recruit and train an additional 3,000 new Border Patrol agents funded by the bill. Given attrition rates, this means that Border Patrol will need to hire and train approximately 4,400 agents a year. While I support putting more boots on the ground as quickly as possible, I am convinced that the current approach DHS is using cannot meet this goal.
I am also concerned that it continues to cost $187,000 to recruit, train and deploy just one Border Patrol agent. The Subcommittee on Management Investigations and Oversight plans to hold another hearing on Border Patrol agent training costs in its capacity next Tuesday. It is my hope that the findings from this hearing will be considered by the House and Senate conferees on this bill to improve the way DHS recruits and trains Border Patrol agents.
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