DENNIS A. CARDOZA: “I understand that the CBO has determined that my amendment violates the PAYGO rules. As such, I would like to engage the…”

“I understand that the CBO has determined that my amendment violates the PAYGO rules. As such, I would like to engage the chairman of the Agriculture Committee and the chairman of the Homeland Security Committee in a colloquy. As you both well know, buried within the authorization of the Homeland Security Department was a little-known provision that mandated the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's 1,800 agricultural inspectors move from USDA to the newly created Department of Homeland Security Customs and Border Protection Division. This move was made in order to consolidate custom and border enforcement into one agency, a decision I'm sure was made with all good intentions in mind. However, as the GAO has recently reported, since the transfer of these USDA employees, Customs and Border Protection has not developed sufficient performance measures to take into account the agency's expanded mission or to consider all pathways by which prohibited agricultural items or foreign pests may enter the country. Mr. Chairman, this deficiency in our border security cannot and should not be tolerated. Stopping foreign pests and prohibited agricultural products from entering the United States might not be as sexy as stopping terrorists, weapons, or drugs, but it is certainly as important. These are six-legged terrorists, Mr.…”