House Proceeding 06-04-09 on Jun 4th, 2009 :: 0:21:50 to 0:27:25
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0:21:46 to 0:22:07( Edit History Discussion )

Paul Braun, Jr.: identi work forward to solving the problem. ms. sanchez: thank you, mr. chairman. mr. thompson: i reserve the balance of my time. the chair: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentleman from new jersey. from pennsylvania. mr. dent: thank you, mr. chairman. jersey is part of greater

0:21:50 to 0:27:25( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Paul Braun, Jr.

0:22:08 to 0:22:28( Edit History Discussion )

Paul Braun, Jr.: pennsylvania. excuse me. mr. chairman, i'd like to yield at this time four minutes to the distinguished gentleman from the state of georgia, mr. broun. dr. broun. the chair: the gentleman from georgia is recognized for four minutes. mr. broun: recently while i was on a hunting trip up north, i

0:22:29 to 0:22:49( Edit History Discussion )

Paul Braun, Jr.: flew out of an airport in montana. the number of screeners actually outnumbered the number of passengers. so when this bill came before the homeland security committee, i offered several amendments, one of which would have required a g.a.o. study of the current staffing levels at t.s.a. to determine their appropriateness

0:22:50 to 0:23:11( Edit History Discussion )

Paul Braun, Jr.: and whether or not staffing levels could be reduced by consolidation of duties and functions or by enhanced use of technology. . t.s.a. has not followed federal control standards in im34re79ing the risk managed network and reforming resource allocation.

0:23:12 to 0:23:32( Edit History Discussion )

Paul Braun, Jr.: i wanted to ensure that hard earned taxpayer funds were being used in the most cost effect and efficient manner and ensure that t.s.a. wouldn't become known as, thousands standing around. i'm disappointed that my amendment was not accepted. a number of commonsense provisions were not included by the majority or were watereddown

0:23:33 to 0:23:55( Edit History Discussion )

Paul Braun, Jr.: to avoid the jurisdiction of other committees. rather than produce a good bill and negotiate final language with other committees, our committee only allowed provisions to be considered in committee that were wholly within the committee on homeland security 10 rule jurisdiction. this bill could be much better. for example, the majority showed

0:23:56 to 0:24:16( Edit History Discussion )

Paul Braun, Jr.: that they saw no value in affirming t.s.a.'s employees rights to protect themselves during a public health emergency. one of my amendments offered in committee would simply allow any t.s.a. employee to choose to wear a protective facemask in the event of a pandemic flu outbreak our other public health and emergency.

0:24:17 to 0:24:37( Edit History Discussion )

Paul Braun, Jr.: t.s.a. employees encountered two million domestic and international passengers every day and should not be by their supervisers from wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment in the event of a public health emergency, particularly when the disease is both contagious and deadly. the national treasury employees

0:24:38 to 0:24:59( Edit History Discussion )

Paul Braun, Jr.: union which represents many of the employees, voiced strong support for this provision. designed to protect the t.s.a.'s frontline officers. the only reason this provision was essentially gutted by the majority with a quote, perfecting, unquote, amendment and any references to public health emergency was removed is because the provision could have allowed the committee on energy

0:25:00 to 0:25:20( Edit History Discussion )

Paul Braun, Jr.: and commerce to review the language requiring the secretary of homeland security to collaborate with t secretary of health and human services. other changes made to weaken other republican amendments as well. at the markup i along with my fellow republican members of the committee unanimously supported an amendment authored by

0:25:21 to 0:25:41( Edit History Discussion )

Paul Braun, Jr.: representative mark souder that would have placed any detainee that's housed down at guantanamo bay on or after january 1, 2009, to place them on t.s.a.'s no-fly list. i think that makes sense. again this amendment was gutted. given the present -- giving the president the sole authority to

0:25:42 to 0:26:03( Edit History Discussion )

Paul Braun, Jr.: determine whether a former guantanamo detainee should be be assigned to the no-fly list. the committee must assert its jurisdiction and conduct vigorous oversight of the transfer or release of detainees housed at guantanamo bay. the homeland security committee is the primary authorizing committee for the department of homeland security. which was created after the 9/11

0:26:04 to 0:26:24( Edit History Discussion )

Paul Braun, Jr.: attacks to protect our homeland. we cannot shirk our responsibility. it is justified and necessary for this committee to take a lead role in protecting and securing american citizens. i'm pleased, however, that my cybersecurity amendment was included with others in the bipartisan en bloc amendment

0:26:25 to 0:26:46( Edit History Discussion )

Paul Braun, Jr.: adopted by the committee. my amendmentdds the vulnerability of cyberattack to the list of risk to be assessed and ranked by t.s.a. reports indicate that civilian air traffic computer networks have been penetrated multiple times in recent years. may i have 30 more seconds. mr. dent: i yield 30 seconds.

0:26:47 to 0:27:07( Edit History Discussion )

Paul Braun, Jr.: the chair: the gentleman virginia tech. mr. broun: including attack that partially shut down air traffic data systems in alaska. i -- our transportation systems are network. train switches can operate remotely, even some metro bus can change a traffic light as they approach. it is very important amendment and i thank my colleagues for accepting it.

0:27:08 to 0:27:26( Edit History Discussion )

Paul Braun, Jr.: in closing i would like to thank my colleagues and the staff on this committee from both sides of the aisle for working together on this bill and on numerous other amendments in a bipartisan manner. i'm sorry we could not come to an agreement on all of our amendments going forward i hope we can work together to address the jurisdiction concerns that