House Proceeding 02-03-09 on Feb 3rd, 2009 :: 2:14:20 to 2:24:00
Total video length: 2 hours 59 minutes Stream Tools: Stream Overview | Edit Time

Note: MetaVid video transcripts may contain inaccuracies, help us build a more perfect archive

Views:276 Duration: 0:09:40 Discussion

Previous speech:

Next speech:

2:14:18 to 2:14:38( Edit History Discussion )

Bennie G. Thompson: and for the post-partisan environment that we saw on west on january 20. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas yields back his time. the gentleman from mississippi. mr. thompson: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. thompson: mr. speaker, let

2:14:20 to 2:24:00( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Bennie G. Thompson

2:14:39 to 2:15:02( Edit History Discussion )

Bennie G. Thompson: me first thank ms. harman for her leadership on this bill. she brought it up through her subcommittee on homeland security, in the full committee and mr. reichert who is no longer on the committee, was ranking member, as already noted , it passed out of the committee unanimous and was passed here on the floor likewise.

2:15:03 to 2:15:24( Edit History Discussion )

Bennie G. Thompson: so basically any hesitational reservation on this bill is being noted for the first time and i would hope that we don't mix a good bill with other politics of this body. so for that reason, mr. speaker, we have new leadership here in

2:15:25 to 2:15:45( Edit History Discussion )

Bennie G. Thompson: washington, it's committed to change for our nation with this bill we have a profound opportunity to deliver a change for the better at the department of homeland security. the over-classification of materials impedes information sharing with state, local and tribal law enforcement. it also impedes information

2:15:46 to 2:16:07( Edit History Discussion )

Bennie G. Thompson: sharing with the owners and operators of critical infrastructure. given that over 85% of our nation's critical infrastructure, including electrical grids, airports, power plants and mass transit systems are all in the hands of nongovernmental enties, it is critical that d.h.s. establish

2:16:08 to 2:16:30( Edit History Discussion )

Bennie G. Thompson: robust, stable lines of communications. last year this legislation, as i indicated, was passed unanimously out of the committee and was approved by thisouse by voice vote. today we have the opportunity to send it over to the senate with another strong message for change. before i yield back, i want to

2:16:31 to 2:16:51( Edit History Discussion )

Bennie G. Thompson: express my profound disappointment that this bipartisan bill is seen as an opportunity for empty partisan attacks dealing with the economic stimulus. it's fine to attack the stimulus, but you need to attack it in its consistent form and not just attack it in good bills

2:16:52 to 2:17:15( Edit History Discussion )

Bennie G. Thompson: like this. bills that passed bipartisan in our committee and again voice vote on the floor. with that, mr. speaker, i yield back the balance of my time and urge passage of the bill. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the question is, will the house

2:17:16 to 2:17:36( Edit History Discussion )

Bennie G. Thompson: suspend the rules and pass h.r. 553? those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinionf the chair, 2/3 of those voting having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from mississippi rise?

2:17:37 to 2:17:57( Edit History Discussion )

Bennie G. Thompson: mr. thompson: mr. speaker, i move that the house suspend the rules and pass h.r. 559. the speaker pro clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 559, a bill to amend the homeland security act of 2002, to establish an appeal and redress process for individuals wrongly delayed or prohibited from boarding a flight or denied a right, benefit or privilege and for

2:17:58 to 2:18:19( Edit History Discussion )

Bennie G. Thompson: other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from mississippi, mr. thompson, and the gentleman from texas, mr. olson, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from mississippi. mr. thompson: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous

2:18:20 to 2:18:40( Edit History Discussion )

Bennie G. Thompson: material on the bill under consideration. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. thompson: mr. speaker, i rise in support of this bill and yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. thompson: mr. speaker, h.r. 559, the fair, accurate, secure and timely redress act or fast redress act, was first

2:18:41 to 2:19:01( Edit History Discussion )

Bennie G. Thompson: introduced by representative clarke in the last congress. ms. clarke is to be commended for her effort in eering this legislation through the house in a cooperative, bipartisan way. h.r. 559 was marked up and approved on a bipartisan basis by the committees transportation

2:19:02 to 2:19:22( Edit History Discussion )

Bennie G. Thompson: subcommittee in the last congress. the large -- last june, the bill was unanimously passed by the house, but unfortunately was not signed into law. i believe with our new president, this bill will soon become law. everyone complains about the lack of sanity in the watch list press.

2:19:23 to 2:19:43( Edit History Discussion )

Bennie G. Thompson: but few have dared to wade into all the ends -- ins and outs of the system. representative clarke has done just that. and this legislation is the product of her thoughtful undertaking. as you know, mr. speaker, this issue is of great concern to me as well.

2:19:44 to 2:20:04( Edit History Discussion )

Bennie G. Thompson: policies and these policies must ensure that people are not improperly identified as potential terrorists or on any watch list or database. this bill promotes security while also protecting civil liberties. president obama's swearing in began a new era in our homeland and national security policies.

2:20:05 to 2:20:26( Edit History Discussion )

Bennie G. Thompson: and smart legislion like these measures before us today will be well served by our new leadership. certainly the practice of watch listing an individual plays an important role in identifying possible terrorist suspects. it is important to keep in mind that the watch list is only as

2:20:27 to 2:20:48( Edit History Discussion )

Bennie G. Thompson: good as the information on it. without accurate, complete and reliable information, the purpose of a watch list is frustrated and the database becomes unreliable. fixing the watch list and reducing misidentifications is a particularly difficult challenge to. meet this challenge, all the intelligence and law enforcement

2:20:49 to 2:21:09( Edit History Discussion )

Bennie G. Thompson: components that populate the list's need -- lists need to come together and clean it up. unfortunately, this is not happening. since february, 2007, over 32,000 americans have sought redress through the d.h.s. travel and redress inquiry

2:21:10 to 2:21:30( Edit History Discussion )

Bennie G. Thompson: program known as d.h.s. trip. each individual toll tailor provided personal information -- voluntarily provided personal information to establish his or her identity. when there is a determination that this person is not a threat, their names are placed on a cleared list that is maintained by the transportation security administration. this cleared list is populated

2:21:31 to 2:21:52( Edit History Discussion )

Bennie G. Thompson: with names of individuals who have the same or similar names as someone on the no-fly or select elicit but have prove than they are not the person on the list -- selectee list but have proven that they are not the person on the list. this has been cleared with

2:21:53 to 2:22:13( Edit History Discussion )

Bennie G. Thompson: certain agencies. under h.r. 559, the updated information would be shared throughout d.h.s. and with other federal agencies that use the terrorist watch list or database. this would ensure that individuals who are cleared under the redress process are not stopped as potential

2:22:14 to 2:22:36( Edit History Discussion )

Bennie G. Thompson: terrorists by other federal agencies. specifically, h.r. 559 requires the secretary of homeland security to establish e office of appeals and redress to provide a timely and fair redress process. the office of appeals and redress is directed to maintain a comprehensive cleared list

2:22:37 to 2:22:57( Edit History Discussion )

Bennie G. Thompson: that contains the names of individuals who have been misidentified and have corrected erroneous information. the comprehensive cleared list would be made available to those that use the terrorist watch list or database to resolve misidentification. e bill directs t.s.a., c.b.p.,

2:22:58 to 2:23:18( Edit History Discussion )

Bennie G. Thompson: the coast guard and other d.h.s. components to remps the comprehensive cleared list -- to reference the comprehensive cleared list. this will ensure that individuals served as our esteemed colleague from georgia, congressman john lewis, will not be repeatedly stopped or delayed or have to seek redress from

2:23:19 to 2:23:39( Edit History Discussion )

Bennie G. Thompson: different components in the same federal agency. importantly, the measure includes protections to ensure that personally identifiable information is handled in accordance with privacy laws. once enacted, individuals who go through the trouble of clearing their names will not have to

2:23:40 to 2:24:01( Edit History Discussion )

Bennie G. Thompson: repeat the exercise again and again. mr. speaker, with the inauguration of president obama, america enters a new chapter and this bill provides our security policies forward in a manner that protects our homeland and our civil liberties. mr. speaker, on behalf of every