Department of Homeland Security
On July 25, 2002, I voted for the Homeland Security Act (H.R. 5005 in the 107th), which passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 295 to 132. This bill established a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as an executive department of the United States, headed by a Secretary of Homeland Security, appointed by the President. The primary mission of the new Department is to prevent terrorist attacks within the United States, reduce the vulnerability of the United States to terrorism, minimize the damage and assist in the recovery from terrorist attacks on our soil.
The primary responsibilities of the DHS are information analysis and infrastructure protection, chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and related countermeasures, border and transportation security, emergency preparedness and response, and coordination (including the provision of training and equipment) with other executive agencies, with State and local government personnel, agencies, and authorities, with the private sector, and with other entities.
Increased Homeland
Security Funding
In addition, I voted in 2003 to increase homeland security funding as part of the first Homeland Security Appropriations Bill. Recognizing the need to allocate more funding for first responders, the Homeland Security Appropriations Bill includes $4.4 billion in grants for police, fire and emergency crews for terrorist attack response training and to buy anti-terrorism equipment such as gas masks and radiation detectors. This is a 25% increase over President Bush's initial 2004 budget request. This legislation will help alleviate the heavy cost burdens local communities have been forced to bear since September 11th.
I also supported Rep. David Obey's (D-WI) efforts to amend the appropriations bill, which would have increased funding for port security, the Coast Guard and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Though this amendment was not permitted, it would have added $400 million for port security grants, $200 million for border security improvements and $100 million for the Coast Guard to implement the Maritime Safety and Security Authorization Act passed last November.
To read more about this effort to increase funding for Homeland Security, please click here.
Aviation Security
The first responsibility of government is to provide public safety. Following September 11, the need to protect our airliners and airports has become paramount. As a member of the Homeland Security Task Force, I worked closely with my House colleagues to develop a package of common sense solutions to this problem. I fully support legislation requiring the screening of 100% of carry-on and checked baggage, fortifying cockpit doors, and ensuring more thorough background and identification checks for ground and aircrews.
Air Cargo Security Act of 2003
According to a December 2002 General Accounting Office report on air cargo security - commissioned by U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) - nearly one-quarter of all air cargo is transported on passenger aircraft, yet only a fraction of that cargo is ever inspected. The report found that air cargo is vulnerable to tampering at multiple points during land transportation and at cargo handling facilities.
In response to the GAO report, I introduced the Air Cargo Security Act. Most air cargo is never screened for explosives; there are no criminal background check requirements for cargo handlers and shipments are susceptible to tampering during land transportation. Aviation is only as safe from terrorism as its most vulnerable component. Strengthening air cargo security is vital to ensuring passenger safety and that's why I introduced the Air Cargo Security Act.
For more information on the Air Cargo Security Act, please click here.
Sky Police Act
In 2001, I authored the Sky Police Act of 2001 (H.R. 3190 in the 107th), bipartisan legislation to permit local, state, and federal law enforcement officers to serve as Sky Marshals while traveling on commercial flights. Under the bill, the volunteer officers would be rigorously trained and certified through the Federal Air Marshal program, and would carry FAA-issued identification cards permitting them to carry firearms designed expressly for Sky Marshal use. This will increase the security of our passengers and deter terrorist attacks by supplementing the Sky Marshal ranks without making the program cost-prohibitive.
Bioterrorism
The anthrax attacks of 2001 caused widespread fear and uncertainty, and many of us are concerned about the accessibility and availability of vaccinations for this and other deadly biological weapons. For this reason, I introduced the Deadly Biological Agent Control Act (H.R. 3306 in the 107th) with U.S. Senator Feinstein. Under our bill, every scientific and medical laboratory that possesses dangerous biological agents is required to register with the Centers for Disease Control. Prior to 1996, labs were only required to register biological agents with the CDC if they were being sent from one facility to another. Laboratory workers would be required to undergo comprehensive background checks before they are allowed to work with the dangerous agents.
You can read the op-ed Senator Feinstein and I wrote regarding these important provisions by clicking here.
I also supported H.R. 2122 (108th), the Project BioShield Act. This bill authorizes $5.6 billion over 10 years for the "Project BioShield" initiative, which would purchase vaccines, treatments, and other countermeasures to deal with diseases or conditions caused by bioterrorist attacks. It gives the government authority to promote research and development of countermeasures, and allows the government, in a national emergency involving bioterrorism, to distribute drugs and treatments not yet approved by the FDA. The Project BioShield Act of 2003 passed the House of Representatives with a vote of 421 to 2.
Please click here to read my op-ed on National Security Principles After the Cold War.
Democratic Study Group on National Security
I am proud to announce that I am a co-chair and co-founder of the Democratic Study Group on National Security with Reps. Steve Israel (NY) and David Scott (GA). In the post 9/11 era, national security issues touch the lives of all Americans and this group will bring together the best experts to help us formulate foreign and domestic policies to keep our country strong and our communities safe. It will serve as a great tool to discuss and develop national security initiatives. Past speakers have included former National Security Advisor to President Clinton Sandy Berger, General Claudia Kennedy, General Barry McCaffrey and General Anthony Zinni.
To read more about the Democratic Study Group on National Security, please click here.
Assessing our Military and Security Needs Abroad
In March of 2002, I traveled with a bipartisan Congressional delegation to Afghanistan to review first-hand the status of U.S. military efforts and reconstruction initiatives. In Kabul, we conferred with Afghan Prime Minister Hamid Karzai and other Afghan leaders as they began the process of drafting a constitution and setting procedures for democratic elections. I also visited with American troops stationed at the Bagram Air Base north of Kabul. We should all be very proud of the bravery of these American soldiers who have put themselves in harm's way to fight terrorism. I was also pleased that the Afghanis we met with expressed great gratitude for American intervention and assistance.
In August of 2003, I visited Iraq as part of a bipartisan congressional delegation in order to get a first-hand look at post-war Iraq, assess its immediate economic, infrastructure and humanitarian needs as well as visit with our men and women in uniform.
While in Baghdad, our delegation met with the commander of U.S. ground forces in Iraq to discuss the U.S. financial and military commitments in Iraq. We also met with troops on the ground in Baghdad, visited Iraqi hospitals and toured the Iraq police academy. I met the most extraordinary soldiers and was very impressed to see that troop morale is holding steady despite tough assignments. Our soldiers are doing incredible work; these are some truly inspiring young men and women, performing with courage and distinction in tough circumstances where it is hard to tell friend from foe.
I am concerned, however, about the extended deployment of the reserves and National Guard, in some cases as long as 20 months. If we are utilizing our guard and reserves to this degree it is going to be increasingly difficult to attract new people and retain the ones we have. I have also expressed serious reservations about the lack of adequate post-war planning in Iraq, and the resulting instability.
Our delegation also visited the mass graves near Babylon, where in 1991, Saddam Hussein massacred as many as 15,000 Iraqi Shiites after they rose up against his regime. We also traveled to Mosul and met with members of the 101st Airborne Division who were involved in the search for and killing of Saddam Hussein's two sons, as well as to Hussein's hometown of Tikrit with the 4th Infantry Division - the soldiers responsible for many of the raids.
The trip gave us a valuable firsthand impression of what the conditions are like in Iraq and what our soldiers are facing on a day-to-day basis. We were also able to see up close what the Iraqi people are living with in terms of basic infrastructure, such as a reliable water and energy supply. Each day in Iraq, I had the opportunity to sit down with California troops to hear their concerns, listen to their experiences and convey to them how much we appreciate their service.
To read more about my visit to Iraq in August of 2003, please click here.
Weapons of Mass Destruction Intelligence and the War in Iraq
Independent Investigations into Iraq War Intelligence
In October of 2002, Congress voted to authorize the use of force in Iraq. We made that decision based on intelligence which detailed Saddam Hussein's chemical, biological and nuclear programs. We now know that some of that intelligence was seriously flawed.
I am an original cosponsor of legislation to establish an Independent Commission to investigate our intelligence gathering process as it pertains to Iraq. Our ability to avoid another September 11th and our standing in the world community will be influenced by how we resolve questions surrounding the accuracy of pre-war and post-war intelligence.
For more information on this subject, please click here.
To read more about Rep. Schiff's views on the importance of accurate and reliable intelligence, please click here.
Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Securing Vulnerable Stockpiles of Weapons Materials
In May 2003, I introduced legislation (H.R.2063) to expand the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) program to include countries outside the former Soviet Union such as Pakistan, India, North Korea, China, Iran and Iraq. The Nunn-Lugar program was designed to ensure that the nuclear arsenal of the Soviet Union would not fall into the wrong hands as the Soviet empire was coming apart. Given the new threats, which have materialized in the war on terrorism, it is now clear that we must expand the Nunn-Lugar program to include nations outside the former Soviet Union. Specifically, this bill authorizes the Secretary of Defense to use up to $50 million in CTR funds for proliferation threat reduction projects outside the former Soviet Union.
Also in May 2003, I introduced an amendment along with Rep. John Spratt (D-SC) to the National Defense Authorization Act of 2004 to strengthen the United States' efforts to reduce weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) around the world.
Currently, large stockpiles of deadly chemical weapons and weapons materials are stored with minimal security in Shchuch'ye, Russia. Though security has been upgraded in previous years, the large arsenals of chemical weapons and weapons materials remain vulnerable. Our amendment would restore funding for the construction of a chemical weapons destruction facility at Shchuch'ye. Parsons, an engineering firm in Pasadena, CA, has been involved in the design and early construction of this secure facility in Shchuch'ye.
To read more about this legislation, please click here.
Reducing Stockpiles of Dangerous Nuclear Materials
All-too vulnerable supplies of highly enriched uranium (HEU) - suitable for use in nuclear weapons - and fuel and waste from decommissioned reactors throughout Russia and the former Soviet Union pose grave threats to American security.
HEU poses a grave threat as a terrorist weapon and there is an urgent need to deal with the small, unsecured stocks of HEU used as fuel in research reactors. Operators of these reactors often do not have the financial resources to adequately protect this dangerous fuel, and there is grave danger that it could fall into the wrong hands. Yet, currently, there is no single, coordinated U.S. government initiative working to secure and clean out these international facilities of their HEU stocks.
In May 2003, my provision to reduce vulnerable stockpiles of dangerous radioactive materials from old nuclear reactors throughout Russia and the former Soviet Union was incorporated into the Foreign Relations Authorization Act for FY04 and FY05 (H.R. 1950).
The Nuclear Disarmament Fund (NDF) is a unique and flexible entity within the State Department that is well suited to take on the challenge of a global HEU clean out. NDF's objective is to permit rapid response to unanticipated or unusually difficult, high priority requirements or opportunities to halt the proliferation of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons; destroy or neutralize existing weapons of mass destruction, their delivery systems, and related sensitive materials; and to limit the spread of advanced conventional weapons and their delivery systems. NDF is an entirely appropriate mechanism for dealing with the issues of HEU clean out and stockpile reduction.
My measure directs and authorizes an additional $25 million for the NDF to secure, reduce and clean out stockpiles of HEU at over 100 research reactors in over 40 countries worldwide.
During the House consideration of the Foreign Operations Appropriations bill for FY 2004 (H.R. 2800), I led efforts to increase the level of funding for the NDF by $15 million, restoring it to the level requested by the President -- $35 million.
Restoring the level of NDF funding to at least the President's request would strengthen the State Department's ability to mitigate a critical weakness in our national security by proactively working to reduce the threats posed by stockpiles of nuclear material in the former Soviet Union.
(For more information on Schiff's efforts to increase NDF funding, please click here.)
In addition, my amendment to expedite U.S. visa applications - consistent with national security objectives - for Russian scientists involved in arms control and nonproliferation efforts with U.S. scientists was included in the House-passed H.R. 1950. Delays and difficulties in implementing nonproliferation and threat reduction programs are emerging because of tightened U.S. visa regulations. While new restrictions on the issuing of visas have come about in the aftermath of September 11, they should not be at the cost of the larger national security of the United States.
Visa regulations that halt or significantly slow U.S.-Russian efforts to place nuclear weapons-usable materials under stronger protection are detrimental to the long-term security of our country. Russian weapons scientists involved in nuclear nonproliferation cooperative efforts with the U.S. are critical to American efforts to ensure that nuclear weapons-grade materials remain under control and out of the hands of terrorists. Expediting visa applications for international counter-terrorism efforts is crucial to U.S. national security and essential to maintaining the United States' global leadership in science and technology.
For more information on this subject, please click here.
Urge Renewal of Key Non-proliferation Agreements
Working with my colleagues John Spratt and Ike Skelton, I sent a letter to President Bush requesting the renewal of two key U.S.-Russian nonproliferation agreements that provide the legal basis for important cooperative threat reduction efforts with Russia.
Both agreements, which recently expired, were dedicated to reducing the size of the Russian nuclear weapons complex and transitioning its excess scientists and workers into peaceful, alternative careers, as well as governing key aspects of Russia's plutonium disposition program.
To read more about this letter to President Bush, please click here.
