Todd Rokita: “I want to thank the gentleman from Alabama and I want to thank the minority party. It is 12:10 by the clock of the…”

“I want to thank the gentleman from Alabama and I want to thank the minority party. It is 12:10 by the clock of the House, and I know this is a long process. We have more to do tomorrow. I appreciate all parties allowing the House to work its will. I rise to offer an amendment tonight on behalf of the Republican Study Committee and myself to reduce the overall funding levels contained in the Homeland Security bill by 10 percent, with the exception of funds for ensuring the security of our Nation's borders. This would save, Mr. Chairman, $2.5 billion. Our country is on the brink of a fiscal crisis. As the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has stated repeatedly, our debt is the greatest threat to our national security. Not citizens going through our airports, not what appears to be three wars now we have involved ourselves in; our debt is the greatest threat to our national security. We need to ensure that our tax dollars are spent wisely and efficiently, especially when it comes to protecting our Nation. Unfortunately, the Department of Homeland Security is not an exception when it comes to examples of government waste. The Department of Homeland Security must focus its resources more effectively. In their short history they have become inherently wasteful, creating programs that do not make our Nation any more secure. And they're not unlike any bureaucracy that's come before it.…”