House Proceeding 06-24-09 on Jun 24th, 2009 :: 0:09:15 to 0:18:50
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0:09:12 to 0:09:33( Edit History Discussion )

Harold Rogers: every member will support and i reserve the bal the chair: the gentleman from kentucky. mr. rogers: the chair: the gentleman from kentucky. mr. rogers: i yield myself such time as i may consume. the chair: the gentleman is recognized. mr. rogers: let me start, madam

0:09:15 to 0:18:50( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Harold Rogers

0:09:34 to 0:09:57( Edit History Discussion )

Harold Rogers: chairman, by commending the chairman on putting together a thoughtful bill. i also want to sincerely thank him for listening to our concerns on this side and for continuing this subcommittee's traditions of bipartisanship and professionalism.

0:10:00 to 0:10:21( Edit History Discussion )

Harold Rogers: . however, i must express my grave concern ompe an issue that casts a long and sad shadoove over this important bill. the fact that we are not here today deting this bill under an open rule. that breaks with long cherished traditions concerning

0:10:22 to 0:10:42( Edit History Discussion )

Harold Rogers: appropriations bills. and i, for one, am outrage that had today's debate on the critical issue of homeland security has been arbitrarily constrained. such dictatorial tactics are contrary to the purpose of this

0:10:43 to 0:11:04( Edit History Discussion )

Harold Rogers: chamber and our legislative process. and to add insult to injury, the majority also denies the ability of a hard-working member of our subcommittee, the gentleman from california, and even the ranking member of this subcommittee, to offer amendments on e-verify. both amendments were clearly in

0:11:05 to 0:11:25( Edit History Discussion )

Harold Rogers: order. and both amendments pertained the critical issue that's germane to this bill. to deny us the ability to offer such legitimate amendments is a complete travesty. now as to the 2010 bill, chairman price has already discussed many of the details,

0:11:26 to 0:11:46( Edit History Discussion )

Harold Rogers: so i'll refrain from repeating them, but i think it's important to note that with this bill before us today, the chairman has significantly improved the hand that we were dealt by the administration, a hand that included an extremely late and bureaucracy-laden budget

0:11:47 to 0:12:08( Edit History Discussion )

Harold Rogers: request, with huge increases for policy and administrative offices at headquarters at the expense of operations. and also a somewhat tightened 302b allocation, that is nearly half a billion dollars below the budget estimate. these conditions present a

0:12:09 to 0:12:31( Edit History Discussion )

Harold Rogers: somewhat mixed picture about how this new administration and the current house leadership are prioritizing security nearly eight years after 9/11. indeed, i find it incredibly ironic and disappointing that just two weeks ago, president obama released a 77-page

0:12:32 to 0:12:55( Edit History Discussion )

Harold Rogers: strategy on stopping the mexican drug cartels that professes the need to enhance our intelligence and drug interdiction capabilities and yet his 2010 budget only marginally increases homeland's intelligence office and border patrol and actually

0:12:56 to 0:13:19( Edit History Discussion )

Harold Rogers: proposes cuts to customs and border patrol's operational assets and the coast guard personnel. it's a prime example of where the president's rhetoric doesn't match reality. given the current threaten

0:13:20 to 0:13:40( Edit History Discussion )

Harold Rogers: virmente, now is not the time -- threat environment, now is not the time to leave our personnel in the lunch wanting tools to fulfill their mission. having said all that, i do think the chairman has endeavored to make up for these deficiencies by somewhat scaling back on the

0:13:41 to 0:14:02( Edit History Discussion )

Harold Rogers: administration's plans for more bureaucrats, making some prudent enhancements to operations and producing a pretty good bill for 2010. that's not to say it is absolutely perfect. there are some areas where i would have changed and concern about. one of the concerns i have is the bill's funding levels for

0:14:03 to 0:14:24( Edit History Discussion )

Harold Rogers: operational and surveillance assets. while the chairman has made some enhancements to operations, more could and shou be done to equip our operators in the field . with the drug war raging in mexico and the drug supply lines bustling from south america, we must not only step up operations

0:14:25 to 0:14:45( Edit History Discussion )

Harold Rogers: along the southwest border, but also increase our interdiction efforts in the source and transit zones. second, i would be remiss, madam chairman, if i didn't clarify my position on a piece of language contained in the report accompanying today's bill.

0:14:46 to 0:15:06( Edit History Discussion )

Harold Rogers: on page 49, the report says, and i quote, that i.c.e. must have no higher immigration enforcement priority, end of quote, referring to the identification and removal of criminal yalens. now, i know the issue of criminal aliens is near and dear

0:15:07 to 0:15:27( Edit History Discussion )

Harold Rogers: to the chairman's heart as is mine. i have support his efforts in this regard, with one major caveat, that an emphasis upon criminal aliens will not come at the ex immigration and enforcement functions. every time i hear someone on the

0:15:28 to 0:15:49( Edit History Discussion )

Harold Rogers: other side of the aisle profess that i.c.e. should have no higher immigration enforcement priority than criminal aliens, i must remind them that not one of the 9/11 hijackers could be classified as criminal alie and all of the 9/11 terrorists exploited the legal immigration

0:15:50 to 0:16:12( Edit History Discussion )

Harold Rogers: system. so immigration enfor matters to our homeland security. and we must not lose sight of that fact. now in addition to these concerns, i think it's imperative that the homeland security implications of closing the guantanamo bay facility be thoroughly addressed.

0:16:13 to 0:16:33( Edit History Discussion )

Harold Rogers: so i'm thankful that through a bipartisan effort during our committee markup, we adopted my amendment to require the department to conduct a thorough threat assessment for each and every guantanamo detainee, to add their names as well to the

0:16:34 to 0:16:57( Edit History Discussion )

Harold Rogers: no-fly list and prevent the possibility of immigration benefits being used as a loophole that could lead to the release of these detainees into the united states. this is a deadly serious issue. we need to know the threat posed by possible transfer of these

0:16:58 to 0:17:19( Edit History Discussion )

Harold Rogers: terrorists to both our hometowns and susceptible inmate populations in our prisons across our country. and this need to know is exacerbated by the fact that the president is moving forward with detainee transfers and resettlements as we speak,

0:17:20 to 0:17:41( Edit History Discussion )

Harold Rogers: ignoring congress' bipartisan, bicameral calls for better planning and risk analysis. the adoption of that amendment is a prime example of how this body can work together in the name of responsible oversight and security. and i believe it's an absolutely vital addition to the bill.

0:17:42 to 0:18:02( Edit History Discussion )

Harold Rogers: madam chairman, it's my hope we can continue to address these issues and further improve what i believe to be a well crafted bill. while i may have made it clear it's my intention to support this bill, i will also continue to voice my suggestions for how it can be strengthened. in closing, let me again voice

0:18:03 to 0:18:24( Edit History Discussion )

Harold Rogers: my disappointment and indignation with the majority's decision to close down a full and open debate on today's bill. this misguided decision by the democrat leadership clouds what should be a thorough discussion of the safety and security of our nation.

0:18:25 to 0:18:45( Edit History Discussion )

Harold Rogers: thank you, madam chairman. i look forward to working with the chairman of the subcommittee to move the bill through the 2010 process, a process that i hope can salage some vettage of the long-standing traditions of i reserve.

0:18:46 to 0:18:50( Edit History Discussion )

Harold Rogers: the chair: the gentleman from north carolina. mr. price: i yield myself one minute, to be followed by four