Issue Position: Homeland Security, Immigration, & Defense

Issue Position

Issue Position: Homeland Security, Immigration, & Defense

Our nation is at war, and those who seek to harm our homeland and our people will attempt to exploit our national security vulnerabilities. I continue to fight for improvements in homeland security. Information on some of the specific accomplishments in the areas of aviation, rail or port safety and security, is located on the web site of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, of which I am Chair (http://transportation.house.gov, where you will find links to specific bills and hearings).

Terrorism

Despite U.S. intelligence analysts' conclusion in a recent National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) report that the war in Iraq has become the primary recruitment vehicle for violent Islamic extremists, President Bush and Republicans in Congress continue to justify the Iraqi conflict as crucial to the war on terror. I agree with the conclusions in the NIE that have been made public, including that the President's Iraq strategy is making it harder for America to fight and win the war on terrorism, and that since the 2003 invasion, Iraq has become a training ground for terrorists.

At every opportunity, I have voted against the war in Iraq and I support the withdrawal of U.S. troops at the earliest practicable point.

9/11 Commission

For years the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) could not fully protect Americans because Congress and the President failed to provide the tools and resources DHS needs. The 9/11 Commission—a bipartisan commission created to investigate the causes of the 9/11 attacks and recommend protective measures—gave the Bush administration and the GOP-controlled Congress failing grades in its final report for refusing to enact numerous reforms that could save American lives and prevent another terrorist attack on U.S. soil. I am proud that the new Democratic-led Congress passed legislation (H.R. 1) to implement most of the 9/11 Commission's recommendations that still awaited enactment. The bill, signed by the President in August 2007, also places new emphasis on protecting our ports and our rail and transit systems.

I will continue to watch carefully how the 9/11 Commission's recommendations are implemented and to support initiatives adding border patrol agents, upgrading security at chemical facilities, improving port security, requiring inspection of airplane cargo, and improving communications systems for first responders.

Border Security

The serious under funding of border security is an issue that I and other Democrats have repeatedly tried to address. Many times in recent years the Republican majority voted to reject Democratic efforts to add resources for border security. Had these amendments been adopted, there would be 6,600 more Border Patrol agents, 14,000 more detention beds, and 2,700 more immigration agents to address the demands for immigration processing. It is my hope that Congress can work with the Bush Administration to give Customs and Border Protection the resources it needs to secure our nation's borders.

Guard and Reserves

The current war in Iraq has had major ramifications for Minnesota's citizen soldiers in the Reserves and National Guard. Because of multiple mobilizations and longer tours of duty, these men and women in uniform, along with their families and civilian employers are now facing incredible strain. I will continue to work hard so that Minnesota's guard and reserves have the best training and equipment, and do not fall behind in pay, healthcare and other benefits, compared to their active-duty counterparts in other states.

Immigration Reform

The current immigration system needs reform. There are an estimated 12 million undocumented, illegal aliens inside the United States. These include people who overstay their visas, sneak across the border, and enter the U.S. based on fraudulent documents. I believe it is possible to create much-needed meaningful reform of our nation's immigration policies that would enhance of domestic security, meet the demonstrated needs of industries and agriculture that depend upon immigrant labor, and not punish those immigrants who have followed existing immigration rules and laws.

A number of members of Congress have proposed legislation that creates "a path to citizenship" and a new guest worker program that legally allows workers to come into the United States for a job and then return home. While these efforts would help address some labor in agriculture and probably allow for better accounting of who is actually in our country, I cannot support such initiatives unless they meet some basic criteria. First they must not reward illegal conduct; there must be a penalty for an alien who has entered the United States illegally. Second, admissions of these aliens must not increase the backlog for others who are attempting to enter the United States by legal means. Last, there must be additional funding to speed up processing for those seeking immigration by legal means.

The inability of the Senate to pass a comprehensive immigration bill in 2007 demonstrates how controversial this issue is within Congress and in the public.

Passports

Legislation passed by Congress requires the departments of State and Homeland Security to come up with a system (named the Western Hemisphere Initiative) to identify individuals who come into the U.S. at any border point. The deadline for implementing the program has been extended, and I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress who represent border states, federal officials, and representatives from the Canadian government to find a solution that will cause a minimum of inconvenience and added cost for U.S. citizens.

PATRIOT Act & Domestic Surveillance

While I strongly support local, state and federal law enforcement agencies' efforts to locate anyone associated with the horrendous terrorist attacks against the U.S. on September 11th, 2001, as well as efforts to eliminate any future terrorist acts, I believe that we must be mindful of respecting individual's constitutional rights. I am disturbed by revelations of warrantless wiretapping and I will continue to closely monitor congressional oversight of the NSA domestic surveillance program.

When Congress passed the USA PATRIOT Act in 2001, I voted against the bill because it gave law enforcement the power to monitor activities of Americans unrelated to terrorism, with minimal or inadequate judicial oversight. Nor was I again able to support the bill that reauthorized the PATRIOT Act because the modification of specific privacy provisions was largely superficial and had little impact on safeguarding Americans' civil rights. Additionally, the legislation expanded the use of the death penalty, which I oppose in all cases.

While Congress has a duty to protect the American people from terrorism, we must also protect law-abiding American citizens from unaccountable, unchallengeable and unchecked government intrusion into their personal lives and private records. Congress should pass legislation that permits needed surveillance of voice and e-mail messages while requiring judicial involvement before information is disseminated, as well as regular congressional oversight to prevent abuse.

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