Lee Terry: “this amendment is simple in the sense that what it does is it provides 20 million additional dollars for our first…”

“this amendment is simple in the sense that what it does is it provides 20 million additional dollars for our first responders, and it takes it from a flush, although well-improved, Transportation Security Agency. I want to start off by complimenting the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers), the chairman of the subcommittee. Most of the time when an amendment is offered, it is because that person has disagreed philosophically with the direction of that particular appropriation. I am here to compliment the chairman and say that I agree with his priorities, Mr. Chairman, and two of those priorities that he has provided are an extra $1 billion of funding for our first responders above the President's request. He has also decreased to bring down the number of TSA agents in our airports, and I greatly appreciate both of those. My goal here today is to improve on what the gentleman has already done, Mr. Chairman. I would like us to take an even bigger step in helping our first responders. When we look at our homeland security today, we rely a great deal on our fire, police and emergency services; and while we talk about a new Homeland Security Department and funding that Department, most of the people receive a vision of a top-down system that comes from Washington, D.C., down to the local levels.”