June 12, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1113 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS IN RECOGNITION OF THE FORT with him in the U.S. House of Representa- gration judge by nongovernmental agencies. WORTH POLICE DEPARTMENT tives. The presentations facilitate access to justice EAST DIVISION Mr. Chairman, Chairman ROGERS has once for detained immigrants in removal pro- again been presented with an inadequate ceedings. The program also saves money on HON. MICHAEL C. BURGESS budget allocation. He has done his best to immigration detention and makes the Immigra- strengthen our ability to effectively respond in OF TEXAS tion Court more efficient. times of national emergency and fund the crit- (2) The report recognizes the success of the IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ical programs in the bill that protect our Nation Intensive Supervised Appearance Program, Monday, June 12, 2006 against terrorist attacks and national disasters. ISAP, which prevents families from being de- Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to Nevertheless, I am disappointed that due to tained in jail. The bill includes an additional $5 recognize the Fort Worth Police Department the lack of funds resulting from hundreds of million for the expansion of this program. East Division, in the 26th Congressional Dis- billions of dollars in Republican tax cuts for the (3) The report expresses concern regarding trict of Texas for their outstanding work serv- very rich, the bill reduces badly needed funds reports that children apprehended by DHS ing and protecting the communities of Fort for programs critical to our first responders’ continue to be separated from their parents. Worth. ability to efficiently and safely respond to a ter- The committee’s report language encourages This past May, I had the privilege of visiting rorist attack or national disaster. I am particu- ICE to work with reputable nonprofit organiza- the Fort Worth Police Department East Divi- larly concerned about cuts to grants that fund tions to consider allowing family units to be sion. Captain Bryan Sudan provided me with communication capability such as interoper- placed in the Intensive Supervised Appear- a brief tour of the facility and explained how ability. Radio interoperability is essential for ance Program. If detention is necessary, the the divisions of the department interacted to- our police, fire, and emergency medical serv- report language encourages ICE to house gether. ice departments to communicate with each family members together in nonpenal, home- I also had the opportunity to ride along with other in times of emergency. This was dem- like environments until the conclusion of their veteran Officer Anthony Cutler and with Officer onstrated by the horrors in New York on 9/11 immigration proceedings. Thomas O’Brien and witnessed firsthand the when many of the New York police and fire- (4) The report includes language that ex- high level of respect the officers have for the fighters died because of the inability to warn presses concerns regarding recent media re- community and citizens. It was clear that the each other of the dangers ahead. Four and a ports of health care deficiencies at ICE deten- officers cared about the neighborhood and the half years after 9/11 it is unconscionable that tion facilities. The committee’s report language people in it. interoperable communications remain an correctly directs ICE to report on the activities On a day-to-day basis, these individuals unmet urgent need. It is also unfortunate that it undertakes to ensure compliance with deten- place their lives on the line just to protect us the Democratic amendment by Mr. OBEY that tion standards. all. They do this with bravery, strength, humil- would have added funding for port security, (5) The report highlights concerns with the ity and dignity. They are selfless in their ac- border security, and first-responder equipment backlog at the National Records Center. This tions and compassionate people at heart. and training failed on a party line vote. backlog results in few, if any, of the asylum They only want safety for us all, and I am I am also disappointed and greatly con- applicants who requested their files through thankful for their service. cerned that this bill’s report expresses support the Freedom of Information Act, FOIA, receiv- Friendly, courteous, and professional only for the expansion of the 287(g) program which ing their files in time to prepare for their ap- begins to describe the high caliber of officers allows State and local law enforcement offi- pearance in immigration court. The report lan- employed with the Fort Worth Police Depart- cers to perform immigration enforcement func- guage directs Citizenship and Immigration ment East Division. I am honored to now rep- tions. Many local law enforcement officers Services to develop a plan to ensure that such resent the Fort Worth Police Department and have stated that if they are required to enforce requests are filled in a timely and expeditious send my sincere thanks for their service to the Federal immigration policies it would hamper manner. community. their ability to successfully fight crime in their (6) The report expresses concern that the respective communities. Department of Citizenship and Immigration f Furthermore, I am disappointed that the re- Services has not issued regulations on the U- DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SE- port does not include a solution to the mis- visa for immigrant victims of a crime. This visa CURITY APPROPRIATIONS ACT calculation of the Letters of Intent contract be- was established 6 years ago in the Trafficking 2007 tween the TSA and the Los Angeles World air- Victims Protection Act of 2000. Due to the lack ports, LAWA. According to LAWA, TSA’s con- of regulations, few victims have applied be- SPEECH OF tractor made errors in calculating the cost of cause only interim relief exists. The report di- HON. LUCILLE ROYBAL-ALLARD installing inline baggage screening equipment rects CIS to report on its plan for issuing U- at Los Angeles and Ontario airports. These visa regulations. OF CALIFORNIA calculating errors have resulted in a contract (7) I was pleased that the report recognizes IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES dollar amount lower than what is needed to the important efforts of the Directorate of Thursday, May 25, 2006 complete the required equipment purchase Science and Technology, S&T, to encourage The House in Committee of the Whole and installation. I hope to work with the chair- universities to become centers of multi-discipli- House on the State of the Union had under man in conference to resolve this problem. nary research on homeland security issues. consideration the bill (H.R. 5441) making ap- Despite these concerns, I thank Chairman An outstanding example of such a center is propriations for the Department of Home- ROGERS and Congressman SABO for including the University of Southern California’s Center land Security for the fiscal year ending Sep- many of the items I requested in the Home- for Risk and Economic Analysis in Los Ange- tember 30, 2007, and for other purposes: land Security report. The following report lan- les. Given the high threat of acts of terrorism Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Chairman, I rise guage addresses serious issues raised during to large cities like Los Angeles, these centers in support of H.R. 5441, the Homeland Secu- subcommittee hearings with representatives of can help prioritize countermeasures to ter- rity Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2007. As the Department of Homeland Security. rorism, by computing relative risks among po- a member of the Homeland Security Sub- (1) The report language addresses the need tential terrorist events and by identifying where committee, it has been an honor to work with to continue the use of Legal Orientation Pro- homeland security investments can be most Chairman HAL ROGERS and with our ranking grams in Immigration and Customs Enforce- effective. member, MARTIN SABO, who sadly is retiring at ment, ICE, detention centers around the coun- (8) I am also pleased that Customs and the end of the 109th Congress. Congressman try. Legal Orientation Programs are legal pres- Border Protection is directed to report on their SABO has served our country with honor and entations given to persons in immigration de- plans to address the increased workload at distinction. It has been a privilege to serve tention, prior to a first hearing before an immi- Ontario International Airport and to provide ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. VerDate Aug 31 2005 04:32 Jun 13, 2006 Jkt 049060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A12JN8.001 E12JNPT1 rfake on PROD1PC61 with REMARKS E1114 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks June 12, 2006 quarterly reports to the House Committee on which the Republican majority did not provide Many veterans have called my office express- Appropriations and the House Committee on in this bill. While this bill is an improvement ing concern about their financial safety, and I Homeland Security on international flight arriv- over the administration’s request, it neverthe- am appalled the VA has not done more to pro- als at Ontario that take customs longer than less is lacking in fully meeting our critical tect them. the standard 60 minutes to process. homeland security needs. The stolen information included the name, (9) The report includes language that ex- f social security number, and date of birth for presses concern about reports that unaccom- approximately 19.6 million veterans. Disability panied alien children are being detained in un- TRIBUTE TO GARY MELIUS ratings for some veterans were also included acceptable conditions, such as jail-like facili- in these files.