GovernmentExecutive.com

The White House threatened to veto the fiscal 2008 Homeland Security authorization bill Wednesday, as House Republicans decried a Democratic rule that prevented them from amending the legislation.

Republicans also complained that Democrats stripped or altered nearly 40 provisions in the bill without consulting the GOP after it was reported out of the House Homeland Security Committee.

"This deal makes a mockery of the democratic process ... and unfortunately will probably make our country less safe," said Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn. "Welcome to homeland security, Democratic style."

In a procedural move, Republicans voted against the rule that prevented their amendments from being considered. The rule passed 222-197, clearing the way for floor action. Twenty-one amendments are to be debated, and a final vote might be held late today. The bill would authorize about $40 billion for Homeland Security programs.

In a Statement of Administration Policy, the White House said it strongly opposes passage of the bill and threatened a veto because of a provision that would repeal the department's authority to implement a new personnel management system.

The White House said the bill would interfere with the department's management authority, hinder the department's ability to conduct missions and conflict with the President Bush's fiscal 2008 budget request for the department.

The White House added that some provisions in the bill "would raise serious constitutional questions" by imposing employment requirements on the administration and potentially establishing racial or gender quotas in hiring practices.

Democrats said some provisions were removed or altered because of jurisdictional disputes with other lawmakers and committees. Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Calif., said House Homeland Security Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss, navigated the jurisdictional issues to get the bill to the floor.

Matsui said issues were raised by Republicans and Democrats, and added that Democrats intend to address provisions that were dropped through other legislation.

"This is an open process," she said. "This is the first time in two years such a bill has come to the floor. It is also the earliest a DHS authorization bill has come to the floor and the first time it has occurred before [appropriators] mark up the appropriations bill."

COMMENTS

• The Department of Homeland Security was created to show the American Public that the administration was doing something in response to 9/11. Ma and Pa Kettle living in Kansas may think they are more secure because of DHS (and its disfunctional agencies), but DHS employees who work in the field know it is not really running efficiently and morale has bottomed out. The DHS personnel program is set up to punish those who let this "secret" out and to give more power to "Bush Buddies" like Julie Myers, who clearly is not qualified to hold her appointed position. Stephen Posted May 14, 2007 6:11 AM
• The current OPM report card grade for DHS's employee morale is an "F" and the score for organization and management would also be an "F" if they hadn't been given an "Incomplete" due to the high amount of leadership turnover. Also, DHS employees rated their agency as last or near last in every category of the most recent Federal human capital survey. Much of the discontent and dysfunction can be attributed to the current administration's ham-handed attempts to reform a personnel system they didn't like because it didn't give them enough control over career employees who kept contradicting political rhetoric with facts. (Note: we civil service types will cheerfully contradict politicians of either party, not just Republicans.) Maybe the best thing to do would be to start DHS over from scratch. The first step is to pull the plug on the ill-conceived and unnecessary NPS. DJ Posted May 10, 2007 12:11 PM
• Security is supposedly the reason DHS gave for creating the new Personnel program. It will allow civilians to be moved just like the military with no recourse. NOT! There isn't a civilian alive who would not pitch in during the time of War or for the need of our country. Yes, you are right about all the money wasted on the new Personnel system and it still is not perfected. Yes, morale is extremely low and will stay that way. When you have a room full of Type A personalities there will be a lot of back stabbing and brown nosing to out perform each other since pay raises are tied to performance. Let the games begin! B Schell Posted May 10, 2007 11:23 AM