On the Issues
Homeland Security and First Responders
When I came to Congress over 20 years ago, I never guessed that I would one day serve as chairman for the Appropriations subcommittee with jurisdiction over the Border Patrol, the U.S. Coast Guard, and Customs enforcement. Of course, the idea for a Department of Homeland Security was not even a glimmer in anyone’s eye back in the mid-1980s, when the Cold War still largely defined the worldview of the country. Things have significantly changed over the last two decades, and particularly over the last six years. September 11, 2001, made it clear that we need to be ready here at home to prevent and respond to threats against us.
As Chairman of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, I have worked to ensure that all the people responsible for protecting our country receive the funding and support they need to do their jobs, including our first responders who would be at the forefront of responding to any terrorist attack. While we have made progress, and our country is in many ways better prepared to face the terrorist threat than it was in 2001, the threat we face has also continued to mount.
Our remaining homeland security needs are many. We need to better secure critical infrastructure; we need to keep our aviation awareness up by using better technology and closing existing security gaps; we need to secure our borders, both land and sea; and we need to make sure our first responders have the training and equipment they need.
For more information about my activities related to homeland security, please see my subcommittee’s website.
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