On February 10, 2005, the House voted 261-161 to pass legislation (H.R. 418) aimed at enhancing border security and implementing much-needed driver’s license reforms. Representative Todd Platts voted in favor of this legislation.
H.R. 418 would make it more difficult for terrorists, like the so-called “Blind Shiek” (Omar Abdel Rahman) who helped to organize the first World Trade Center bombing, from abusing the political asylum process in order to avoid deportation. It would also make the nation’s deportation laws more consistent with its admission laws. Currently, for example, an alien engaged in certain terrorist activities—such as being an officer in a terrorist group or receiving military-type training from a terrorist group—can be denied admission into the United States but cannot always be deported once inside the United States. H.R. 418 would also authorize the Department of Homeland Security to expedite the construction of a security fence along the Mexico-U.S. border.
Finally, H.R. 418 would encourage states to adopt stricter standards for the issuance of driver’s licenses. Specifically, H.R. 418 would prevent federal agencies (including the Transportation Security Administration) from accepting as a valid form of identification any driver’s license which does not meet national anti-fraud standards. It would also prevent states from issuing driver’s licenses to illegal aliens. The September 11th hijackers had at least 15 forms of state identification between them, enhancing their ability to board commercial flights, rent cars, and otherwise travel throughout the United States without attracting attention. As the 9-11 Commission noted, “For terrorists, travel documents are as important as weapons.” Without the ability to travel, terrorists cannot effectively conduct surveillance, hold meetings, train, or execute attacks.
H.R. 418 is now pending in the Senate. The provisions of the bill were originally passed in the House as part of last session’s intelligence reform bill (H.R. 10), but those provisions were removed by a joint House-Senate conference committee prior to final passage of that bill.
Representative Platts Re-appointed as Government Reform Subcommittee Chairman
For the 2005-2006 session, Representative Todd Platts has been appointed to chair the Government Reform Subcommittee on Management, Finance, and Accountability. Previously called the Subcommittee on Government Efficiency and Financial Management, the Subcommittee will continue to examine issues involving the overall economy, efficiency, and financial management of federal operations and activities.
In addition to continuing to push for the enactment of the Program Assessments and Review (PAR) Act (see below), Rep. Platts has announced his intent as Subcommittee chair to develop legislation which would consolidate dozens of existing financial oversight laws currently spread over 800 pages into a single, well-thought-out act. He noted that financial managers at federal agencies are frequently forced to navigate a complex maze of statutory requirements and produce reports which may be of little value to anyone. “We shouldn’t just be producing reports that get printed and sit on a shelf somewhere,” Rep. Platts said. He added that he plans to develop the legislation carefully in the months ahead and with bipartisan input.
Web Page Highlights (www.house.gov/platts)
The Four Chaplains
Rep. Todd Platts delivered a statement on the House floor regarding the
Four Chaplains, who sacrificed their lives to save fellow shipmates during
World War II.
(http://www.house.gov/apps/list/speech/pa19_platts/chaplains.html)
Re-introduction of the Program Assessments and Review (PAR) Act
Rep. Todd Platts reintroduced his legislation from last session which
would have required the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB),
working with agencies, to review and assess the effectiveness of each
federal program at least once every five years. His statement regarding
the re-introduction of this bill has been posted on the web site.
(http://www.house.gov/apps/list/speech/pa19_platts/parreintroduces.html)
The Month in Review
The following is a list of some key votes taken by the United States House of Representatives during the month of January of 2005:
The Congressional Gold Medal Enhancement Act (H.R. 54)
The House voted 231-173 to pass a bill limiting the number of recipients of a Congressional Gold Medal to two during any one calendar year. Supporters of the legislation argued it was necessary to preserve the medal as a unique honor in light of the increasing numbers awarded in recent years. Rep. Platts voted in favor of this legislation.
Military Recruiter Access to College Campuses (H. Con. Res. 36)
The House adopted 327-84 a resolution expressing the continued support
of Congress for the equal access of military recruiters to institutions
of higher education. The resolution was in response to a recent court
decision, which declared unconstitutional a federal law cutting off funds
to colleges and universities barring ROTC or military recruiters from
their campuses. Rep. Platts voted in favor of this resolution.
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