I rise in support of the FY 2008 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations bill.  I commend Chairman Price’s leadership in crafting a measure that will provide an additional $2.1 billion above the President’s request and fill many of our remaining security gaps.

As Chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity and Science and Technology, I am pleased that this bill incorporates language I worked on to strengthen chemical security by allowing state and local governments to set chemical safety rules that are stronger than federal mandates.

Further, this legislation incorporates an additional $307 million for aviation security, an area the 9/11 Commission highlighted as a priority.  The bill will allow TSA to install vital explosive detection systems at commercial airports nationwide, and will double the amount of cargo screened on passenger aircrafts.

This bill also takes the critical step of lifting the cap on TSA airport screeners, a provision which is of tremendous importance to T F Green Airport in my district.  In addition, H.R. 2638 includes robust funding to strengthen border protection, including $8.8 billion to fund an additional 3,000 border patrol agents for FY08. 

Finally, this legislation will help our first responders, who place their lives on the line each day, by restoring funding to the Local Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention program and the Assistance to Fire Fighter Grants program. 

Of course, no appropriations measure is perfect, and this bill is no exception.  I am especially disappointed with the inadequate funding level for cybersecurity, which poses potentially devastating threats to our nation’s critical infrastructure, and I hope we can improve the bill in this area.  Overall, however, this is an excellent bill which provides support for many critical programs, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting it.