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Republicans Introduce DHS Authorization Bill |
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by Mickey McCarter
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Tuesday, 29 June 2010 |
Bill and competing measures face short timeframes
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has not seen an authorization bill since its inception in 2003.
An authorization bill is the major means by which Congress attempts to define the activities of a federal agency, providing it with direction in its major initiatives and oftentimes starting new initiatives. Lawmakers consider this landmark legislation for large departments, like the Defense Department, but less important for smaller departments, like the Labor Department.
DHS, however, certainly falls in to the category of a large department and further receives scrutiny for having a number of initiatives that are not entirely successful for various reasons.
As such, there have been several significant attempts to implement an authorization bill on the department to date. The most recent attempt occurred in the House in 2007; the Senate in 2008.
House Republicans have added another major attempt to assemble and pass an authorization bill for DHS Monday, introducing the Counterterrorism Enhancement and Department of Homeland Security Authorization Act of 2010 (HR 5590) as the third major attempt at an authorization bill for DHS.
Ten Republicans joined Rep. Peter King (R-NY) in introducing the bill, which would collect some previously prescribed activities for DHS.
"Congress has not produced a comprehensive authorization of the Department of Homeland Security since its establishment. That has to change. Just as other Congressional committees regularly authorize the federal departments over which they have responsibility, we believe that it is important that the Committee on Homeland Security do the same," King said in a statement.
"Following the Committee on Homeland Security's permanent establishment in 2005, Republican leadership ensured that the Committee passed a DHS authorization bill each year during the Republican majority. But unfortunately, the Committee has failed to consider a comprehensive authorization bill for the past three years. We have waited long enough," he added.
The bill would support several key issues long endorsed by King, such as expanding the Securing the Cities program to set radiological detectors in major US cities and banning the use of funds at the Justice Department to hold trials for suspected al Qaeda terrorists in US civilian courts.
The bill further would foster initiatives to combat homegrown terrorism; bolster transportation security for aviation, rail, and surface transportation systems; and increase maritime security, partly through expanding the Container Security Initiative, according to its sponsors.
The authorization legislation would act on longstanding issues endorsed by independent experts as well--such as consolidating congressional oversight of DHS, reducing jurisdiction from 108 congressional panels managing DHS activities currently. It also would establish a goal of security US borders by 2016.
The House Homeland Security Committee last passed a DHS authorization bill on March 28, 2007. The bill never received consideration by the full House.
The Senate last saw activity on a DHS authorization bill when Sens. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) introduced a bill on Sept. 26, 2008. By contrast, that bill--likely to serve as a template for any new effort--would have promoted the DHS policy office, strengthened the authority of the CIO office, instituted a new investment review process, and strengthen planning for catastrophes at the local, state, federal, and international level, among other initiatives.
To complicate matters, the House passed a separate authorization bill for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) (HR 2200) in June 2009. Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) has vowed to introduce a companion bill in the Senate Commerce Committee any time now. And Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, has pondered introducing a separate bill for the National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD), which houses cybersecurity initiatives at DHS.
Of course, Lieberman and Collins put many of their cybersecurity ideas in the Protecting Cyberspace as a National Asset Act (S. 3480), which also has a companion bill in the House (HR 5548) introduced by Rep. Jane Harmon (D-Calif.).
Both chambers of Congress have targeted adjournment dates in early October to provide their members with extra time to campaign in a mid-term election year. That means there are few precious months left on the legislative calendar, making it unlikely Congress would act on contentious DHS authorization bills in that short period of time.
After the 111th Congress expires, sponsors of DHS authorization bills and other legislation must reintroduce them in the 112th Congress.
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Mickey McCarter |
| About the author: |
| eNewsletter Editor/Senior Washington Correspondent,
is a journalist with more than a decade of experience in reporting
on
military affairs and information technology.
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