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Congressman Boozman with Fort Smith Citizens Academy graduate Linsey Yates of Ramona Roberts Realty and Deputy City Administrator Ray Gosack View Photo
More photos Congressman Boozman and the people of the Third District

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Homeland Security

President George W. Bush asked us during a visit to Capitol Hill to tell everyone back home that we are working hard to make sure that the tragedies of September 11th never happen again. I really do believe this is true. Republicans and Democrats, House and Senate have put their differences aside when it comes to finding ways to prevent terrorist attacks at home.

But we still have a lot of work to do. The events of September 11th showed us that we are vulnerable and need to work to make our borders safer for our citizens. As Congressman of the Third District of Arkansas, I have tried to help protect, control, and monitor changes made for better security, without infringing on the very freedoms for which we are fighting.

My seat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has enabled me to actively participate in the debates over how to protect our skies and ports. Since joining the House, I have voted for legislation that will strengthen our borders; protect our ports; help prepare the nation in case of a bioterror attack; and arm pilots to defend the cockpit against hijackers.

When President Bush called on Congress to create a new Cabinet level department dealing specifically with Homeland Security, we responded by consolidating over 100 different agencies involved with protecting our borders, skies and ports. I voted for this legislation because I do believe we need to streamline our efforts to fight terror.

However, sometimes that approach, while done with good intentions, can make things worse. This is the case with the recent intelligence reform bill that President Bush signed into law. That bill included a number of good ideas, but the final version was "watered-down," and I fear it left us in a vulnerable position. I will work with my colleagues to address the inadequacies in this new law and to find real ways to protect the American people from another terror attack at home.

Congressional Research Service Reports:

The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is part of the legislative branch of the federal government. CRS, which is a department of the Library of Congress, works exclusively as a nonpartisan analytical, research, and reference arm for Congress.

CRS Reports are in PDF format. In order to view these files, you will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your PC. You can download the free reader from Adobe's website. These files may be rather large and may take a few minutes to download.

Border and Transportation Security: The Complexity of the Challenge

Border Security: The Role of the U.S. Border Patrol

Transportation Security: Issues for the 109th Congress

Nuclear Power Plants: Vulnerability to Terrorist Attack

Homeland Security: Coast Guard Operations - Background and Issues for Congress