Arlen Specter: “I wish to amplify my brief earlier statement regarding my vote against the DeMint amendment No. 2481 to the fiscal year…”

“I wish to amplify my brief earlier statement regarding my vote against the DeMint amendment No. 2481 to the fiscal year 2008 Homeland Security Appropriations Act. On February 28, 2007, during Senate consideration of the Improving America's Security by Implementing Unfinished Recommendations of the 9/ 11 Commission Act of 2007, there were two side-by-side votes on amendments related to criminal offenses which disqualify an applicant from receiving a transportation worker identification credential. The first vote was on an amendment offered by Senator Inouye. This amendment, amendment No. 285, specified certain criminal offenses which would disqualify an applicant from receiving the transportation worker identification credential but gave the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security the authority to add to or modify the listed offenses in a rulemaking. I voted in favor of this amendment because I believe the Secretary ought to have the authority to modify the existing list of crimes when circumstances warrant a regulatory change, and the amendment was adopted by a vote of 58 to 37.”