I have written you and continue to believe collective bargaining can improve workforce morale and productivity.

My top concern continues to be affording TSOs the same benefits and personnel standards as other employees in the Federal pay system.

I absolutely join my colleagues in thanking you for the outreach that you have done since you have been administrator on keeping us informed.

Let us take care that nothing we do or say here today works to undermine those efforts.

As we approach the 10th anniversary of September 11, we are constantly reminded that terrorists continue to plot to kill Americans at home and abroad.

In our zeal to combat terrorism and protect our country, we must be careful not to wrongly accuse our people because of how they look, where they live, or their cultural background.

If we take the right action, many of our concerns about a terrorist threat from this region could be significantly reduced.

The top priority for the committee is to counter the serious and evolving terrorist threats facing our country.

Let me also express my deepest sympathy to the family of David Hillman, a retired CBP officer who was killed by a suicide bomb in Kandahar.

Combating the terrorist threat depends on accurate intelligence and an unbiased assessment.

As the representative of the 37th district, I understand the need for law enforcement to constantly modify and assess anti-terror strategies.