Dave Camp: “I rise in support of H.R. 1416, the Homeland Security Technical Corrections Act of 2003. This bipartisan bill makes…”

“I rise in support of H.R. 1416, the Homeland Security Technical Corrections Act of 2003. This bipartisan bill makes grammatical and technical changes to the Homeland Security Act of 2002. The Department of Homeland Security, the product of the Homeland Security Act, has existed for a little more than 100 days. The Homeland Security Act brought together a number of Federal agencies with homeland security functions into one collaborative effort, joining resources, information and missions to defend our Nation. Protecting our Nation from attack requires strengthening our border defenses. We must know who and what is passing through our country. The American people deserve this level of security. Utilizing technology advancements, we can monitor individuals and intelligently screen cargo without delaying legitimate trade and travel. Cross-border commerce is critical to the American economy. Trade with Canada and Mexico, our country's top trading partners, is growing at a rapid pace with almost $1.4 billion crossing the northern border every day; and with more than $250 billion in trade per year with Mexico, our Nation cannot lose sight of the vital importance of the uninterrupted flow of trade as new policies for border security are pursued. Security and commerce are not mutually exclusive goals. Since the Department of Homeland Security was officially created, coordination between border security agencies has definitely improved.”