House committee approves DHS authorization bill
Measure is important in giving the department guidance and to show panel is exercising oversight, ranking member says.
Democrats on the House Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday proposed a barrage of amendments during a markup of the fiscal 2007 Homeland Security authorization bill, including controversial proposals to approve billions of dollars more than the administration requested, require inspections of air cargo and increase protections for employees who report wrongdoing.
The bill, approved by a 30-1 vote, would authorize Homeland Security Department programs and polices, including $34.7 billion in spending during fiscal 2007. Although Congress has never passed an authorization bill for the department, Homeland Security ranking member Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said such a bill is critical to give the department guidance and show that the committee is exercising its oversight responsibilities.
"It's like we wound up a new toy and just let it go," Thompson said. "The department is literally a dozen broken agencies ... We cannot simply go along with Secretary [Michael] Chertoff and the administration saying trust me. Congress needs to act."
An amendment by Thompson that would have increased the department's authorized funding to $40.8 billion was defeated on a 16-13 party-line vote. The amendment would have increased funding levels across several Homeland Security accounts, including money for rail and mass transit security, grants for first responders, beefed-up biological and chemical countermeasures, more Customs and Border Protection agents, more radiation monitors at U.S. seaports and an acceleration of the Coast Guard's Deepwater modernization program.
Thompson said the vote on the amendment showed where committee members stand on homeland security matters. Homeland Security Chairman Peter King, R-N.Y., opposed the amendment, saying it would jeopardize the credibility of the committee because the funding level was unrealistic. "To be taken seriously as a committee, I believe we should set realistic numbers," King said.
An amendment by Rep. James Langevin, D-R.I., that would have added $374 million for the department to buy radiation detection equipment for seaports was also defeated by a 16-13 party-line vote. Langevin said the department will not deploy next-generation detectors to all U.S. seaports until 2013, but his amendment would allow it to be done by the end of fiscal 2007.
Rep. Dave Reichert, R-Wash., argued against the amendment, saying it would force the department "to purchase old, outdated" equipment that has high false alarm rates.
Republicans also defeated, 15-14, an amendment offered by Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., that would have required the Transportation Security Administration to ensure that all cargo on commercial airplanes is inspected within three years.
Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., crossed party lines to support the amendment. "TSA and the majority have continued to give a pass to the cargo industry. It is just too risky," Markey said.
Rep. Mark Souder, R-Ind., argued against the amendment, saying it would be too expensive and disrupt commerce. "Money doesn't grow on trees," Souder said. Another controversial amendment from Markey that would have increased protection for Homeland Security whistleblowers was shot down by a 16-14 vote.