December 12, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H6733 Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. I thank As a Member of the Committee on Home- controls and by modernizing its financial man- the gentleman. land Security and Ranking Member of its Sub- agement systems. Mr. Ranking Member, I knew that committee on Transportation, tasked with While DHS has previously stated that it can Mr. KING would have other opportuni- oversight of the Department, I am a strong obtain an unqualified opinion on all of its finan- ties to be on the floor. We are going to supporter of the work that the Department cial statements by the end of fiscal year 2013, be here through Christmas, but if that does on behalf of the American people. the Government Accountability Office (GAO) is not the case, then he has kind of a It is important that the public understand the has noted that ‘‘there is no clear plan for how smile of Santa Claus, but I just want to vital work that the Department has done and auditability will be achieved’’ by the end of say to Chairman KING, as well, just to continues to do to assess and counter threats 2013. thank you for your service. There is no and to maintain the security of our homeland. As we evaluate the progress of the Depart- doubt of your commitment to Amer- S. 1998 directs the Secretary of Homeland ment, I want to ensure that the Department ica’s security, and I have enjoyed hav- Security, in order to comply with the Depart- has sufficient funding and its finances are ing the opportunity to work with you ment of Homeland Security Financial Account- managed and structured properly such that on the committee. ability Act, to ensure that the balance sheet of our nation is safe and secure from all threats. b 1500 the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. and associated statement of custodial activity question is on the motion offered by Madam Speaker, reclaiming my time, I for FY2012 and FY2013, and the full set of the gentleman from New York (Mr. urge my colleagues to support the bill consolidated financial statements of DHS for KING) that the House suspend the rules and yield back the balance of my time. FY2014 through FY2016, are ready in a timely and pass the bill, S. 1998. Mr. KING of New York. Madam manner and in preparation for an audit as part The question was taken; and (two- Speaker, I yield myself such time as I of preparing required performance and ac- thirds being in the affirmative) the may consume. countability reports. rules were suspended and the bill was I would like to thank Senator BROWN Furthermore, S. 1998 directs the Chief Fi- passed. for introducing this legislation to ad- nancial Officer of DHS to: A motion to reconsider was laid on dress the ongoing DHS financial man- (1) Submit a report on the plans to obtain the table. agement challenges. Also, let me thank an unqualified opinion annually until an un- f the ranking member, Mr. THOMPSON, qualified opinion is submitted, and and the ranking member of the sub- (2) Submit to Congress and the Comptroller FRANK BUCKLES WORLD WAR I committee, Ms. JACKSON LEE, for their General a report on DHS’s plans and re- MEMORIAL ACT kind words. This probably will be my sources needed to modernize DHS’s financial Mr. CHAFFETZ. Madam Speaker, I last appearance on the floor as chair- systems. move to suspend the rules and pass the man of the committee. The Department of Homeland Security bill (H.R. 6364) to establish a commis- I want to thank the ranking member. (DHS) was created in 2003, with the vital mis- sion to ensure a suitable observance of It has now been over 7 years we have sion of ensuring that, in the wake of the Sep- the centennial of World War I, to des- worked together as chairman and rank- tember 11th, 2001 attacks, the American ignate memorials to the service of ing member. I enjoyed working with homeland is safe, secure, and protected members of the United States Armed you. I enjoyed it a lot more when I was against terrorists who would do us harm. Forces in World War I, including a Na- chairman, and I’m sure you enjoyed it Our domestic security is our nation’s top pri- tional World War I Memorial on the a lot more when you were chairman. ority; a mission that includes terrorism preven- National Mall in the District of Colum- But no matter what our capacities tion and security enhancements, border man- bia, and for other purposes, as amend- were, I always found it a privilege to be agement and security, immigration administra- ed. able to work with you. When we could tion and enforcement, cyberspace security, The Clerk read the title of the bill. cooperate, we did. When we had honest and disaster response. The text of the bill is as follows: differences, I think we expressed them With a $40 billion annual budget and more H.R. 6364 in a very gentlemanly way. I certainly than 200,000 employees, DHS is the nation’s know that you did, and I want to thank Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep- 3rd largest federal department. resentatives of the United States of America in you for that. Consequently, this Congress must pay close Congress assembled, I want to also thank the committee attention and give careful consideration to the staff, especially Mike Russell, Mandy SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. activities of the Department of Homeland Se- (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as Bowers, and Kerry Ann Watkins, for curity as we assist it in becoming a more the ‘‘Frank Buckles World War I Memorial the tremendous job they did, and all sound, lower-risk, more efficient, and more ef- Act’’. the members of the staff of both the fective department. (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of con- majority and the minority. And, Given the relatively new nature of the De- tents for this Act is as follows: Madam Speaker, I would like to thank partment, along with the fact that it originated Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. you for your years of service in the as an amalgamation of 22 federal agencies, it Sec. 2. Findings. House here as well. Sec. 3. Definitions. Again, it’s been a great privilege is no surprise that the Government Account- Sec. 4. Establishment of World War I Cen- being chairman. I believe we achieved a ability Office (GAO) has consistently des- tennial Commission. lot. I think most importantly what the ignated—as recently as December 2011—the Sec. 5. Duties of Centennial Commission. ranking member has tried to do and implementation and transformation of the De- Sec. 6. Powers of Centennial Commission. what I’ve tried to do is establish the partment as high-risk with respect to waste, Sec. 7. Centennial Commission personnel fraud, abuse mismanagement, or needing re- matters. significance of this committee and to Sec. 8. Termination of Centennial Commis- prove that on major issues affecting form. Unfortunately, since its inception, the De- sion. the country, that both parties can Sec. 9. Designation of National World War I work together in a bipartisan way. And partment has been unable to obtain what is Museum and Memorial in Kan- I thank the gentleman for his coopera- known as a ‘‘clean’’ or ‘‘unqualified’’ audit of sas City, Missouri. tion on that. its financial statements (i.e. a finding by an ob- Sec. 10. Establishment of National World Going back to business, I urge sup- jective reviewer that the Department’s finances War I Memorial in the District port of the bill, and I yield back the are in conformity with generally accepted ac- of Columbia. balance of my time. counting standards). The DART Act seeks to Sec. 11. Prohibition on obligation of Federal Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Madam address this issue by directing the Department funds. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 1998, to take the steps necessary to obtain a clean SEC. 2. FINDINGS. the ‘‘DART Act,’’ the purpose of which is to audit by the end of fiscal year 2013. Congress makes the following findings: In order for Congress to be able to effec- (1) From 2014 through 2018, the United obtain an unqualified audit opinion, and im- States and nations around the world will prove financial accountability and manage- tively monitor and oversee DHS’s efforts in mark the centennial of World War I, includ- ment at the Department of Homeland Security. this area, S. 1998 also requires DHS to pro- ing the entry of the United States into the The DART Act will permit Congress to effec- vide Congress with specific details on its plans war in April 1917. tively perform its oversight duties with respect to achieve a clean audit, through eliminating (2) America’s support of Great Britain, to the Department of Homeland Security. material weaknesses in its internal financial France, Belgium, and its other allies in VerDate Mar 15 2010 06:33 Dec 13, 2012 Jkt 029060 PO 00000 Frm 00031 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K12DE7.059 H12DEPT1 smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with H6734 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE December 12, 2012 World War I marked the first time in United any organization recognized by the Sec- (3) To facilitate and coordinate activities States history that American soldiers went retary of Veterans Affairs for the representa- throughout the United States relating to the abroad in defense of liberty against foreign tion of veterans under section 5902 of title 38, centennial of World War I.