Speech #1090115930

I recognize the importance of many of the appropriations contained in the amendment. but we have already substantially increased funding. Mr. Chairman. for Customs and Border Protection. Coast Guard. and FEMA over the last 3 years. This supplemental is about the Global War on Terror and Gulf Coast recovery. not about the regular budgets of these Departments. of these agencies. which we are dealing with right now as we appropriate for 2007. Now. in Customs and Border Protection. in this bill already we increase funding by $17.7 million. We have aggressively supported radiation detection and cargo inspection technology. appropriating some $700 million over the last three years. An additional $400 million in this amendment. wellintended. is completely arbitrary and unneeded. There is no rationale for this number. The new Domestic Nuclear Detection Office is developing new technologies. even as I speak. and a framework for their deployment. The gentleman also increases Customs and Border protection. international port security programs. the Container Security Initiative. and the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism by $300 million. Since 2004. these programs have received. at the hands of the Congress. over $430 million. This has fully funded the Container Security Initiative which will expand in 58 foreign ports by the end of fiscal 2007.