House passes emergency defense and terror supplemental

Nearly four years after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the global war on terrorism is continuing.  There has been tremendous progress made in this effort, and many of us in Washington are optimistic – although guardedly so – that the United States and our coalition partners around the world are making tremendous strides in this effort.

    
In just the past few days alone, there have been two major developments which show that the power of al Qaeda in particular is waning as the number of members and their desire to continue the fight is decreasing.  Early in the week, a letter reportedly intended for delivery to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi – a key al Qaeda ally and the leader of the insurgency in Iraq – was seized by coalition forces.  In it, the writer revealed a growing weariness with the fight and an increasing lack of confidence in the leadership of the insurgency.

    
Then on Wednesday, May 4, it was revealed that Pakistani security forces had captured Abu Faraj Farj al Liby following a protracted gun battle with him.  Al Liby is reported to be the third highest ranking member of al Qaeda and a key aide to Osama bin Laden, and his capture represents another strong blow against terrorism.

    
While this news is extremely encouraging, the war still continues, and with it the continuing need to support our military forces to the greatest extent possible.  This past Thursday, the House of Representatives continued its commitment to providing for our active duty military members and their families by passing the FY 2005 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Tsunami Relief.  With an overwhelming vote of 368-58, the House has reaffirmed its commitment to providing the best equipment, the best medical care, and the most state-of-the-resources possible for our men and women in uniform.

    
While the legislation passed by the House contains several important new benefits and continues our financial obligations in the war on terror, there are three areas in particular on which I would like to focus this week: supporting our troops, continuing our support for the war on terror, and providing for increased border security.

    

Supporting our military and their families

    
While there is certainly no way we could ever fully repay the members of our military who are making such important sacrifices each day – particularly those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in performing their duties – in order to preserve and foster freedom around the world, I feel this legislation makes important strides in protecting our servicemen and women and their families.

    
This appropriations bill includes a total of $75.9 billion for total defense related costs, and covers the following important areas:

- Increased funding for force protection and to increase the survivability of our troops serving in the field.  This includes providing a further increase in the number of so-called “up-armored” vehicles used by our forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

- The current maximum payout of Servicemember Group Life Insurance (SGLI) benefits is increased from $250,000 to $400,000.  Also, the death gratuity paid to the families of military members killed in the line of duty has been increased from $12,000 to $100,000.  In both cases, these increased benefits are retroactive to deaths which occurred after October 7, 2001.

- A new insurance benefit, the Traumatic Injury Protection Insurance program, has been introduced.  This program provides up to $100,000 in benefits for service members who suffer traumatic or debilitating injuries in the field.

 

Increased border security

    
The emergency supplemental measure passed by the House also includes increased funding and new regulations to address our ongoing problems with border security, as well as the continual challenges posed by illegal immigrants.  The bill includes $635 million for increased border security and enforcement of immigration laws, including: $176.2 million for the hiring, training, and equipping of 500 new Border Patrol agents; $97.5 million for the hiring and training of new immigration investigative and enforcement personnel; and $454.2 million for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

    
Additionally, this legislation provides for the following new regulations in dealing with illegal immigrants:

- Applicants for a driver’s license would be required to show proof that they are legally present in the United States.  It would also require that any temporary licenses or identification cards expire at the same time as a person’s lawful entry status, and that any identification used for federal purposes (such as boarding an airplane) must meet federal guidelines.  It is important to point out that this regulation in no way mandates the creation of a new, nationalized identification card or information database.

- Strengthens laws against asylum fraud by closing loopholes in the system and making a determination on which asylum seekers are in the United States for legitimate reasons.  It also provides for strengthening our national deportation laws and extends prohibitions on terrorist-related activities to both those trying to enter the United States and those already living in this country.

- Provides the Secretary of Homeland Security with the power to waive laws relating to the construction of the 14-mile-long San Diego Border Fence in order to complete that project, which has been ongoing for nearly ten years.

    

Continuing foreign support for the war on terror

    
Finally, the emergency supplemental measure provides a combined $230 million to our coalition allies to assist with their efforts in the war against terrorism.    Additionally, it provides $680 million for international peacekeeping efforts (including those in the war-torn nations of Haiti and Sudan), and $1.7 billion in infrastructure and counter-terror funding for the nation of Afghanistan.  Finally, the legislation provides $200 million in economic and infrastructure assistance to promote the continuation of the peace process between Israel and the Palestinian territories.

    
This is indeed an important piece of legislation, and I am confident it will provide much-needed benefits for Americans here at home, our military forces here and abroad, and our partners in peace around the world.

    
My staff and I work for the people of south Alabama.  Let us know when we can be of service.

For release the week of Thursday, May 05, 2005. For more information please contact Nancy W. Wall at (202)225-4931.