please delete the pleased to be joined by sheila jackson lee texas.forward to continuing in this congress to make the tsa more effective in concert with her. the topic of the ceiling is terrorism and transportation security. i'd like to welcome our weaknesses. tsa administrator john pistole and thank him for being here today. we look for which your testimony and appreciate your time. let me first state and first and foremost that tsa is a counterterrorism agency, and it must maintain that mission. as its primary focus. if there are programs or offices within the tsa that do not directly support the primary mission or could operate more efficiently, this subcommittee will look closely to see where the taxpayer dollars could be better spent at tsa to achieve a greater level of security. it's also important to stay at the outset that regardless of what other committees in the house may want you to believe, this subcommittee is the subcommittee with primary jurisdiction over all of tsa. in this role, we plan to exercise oversight of the agency and the sec

like to yield once again to the remaining time to the congresswoman from texas, congresswoman sheila jackson lee to speak on some of the other areas that the c.r. would cut and hurt our effort to win the future. ms. jackson lee: you don't know how difficult it is for many of us to accept the assignment or the lack of assignment that this present majority leadership gave to the territories. and i want to thank you for placing this squarely on the record, frankly. we harked with the district of columbia and the -- we worked with the district of columbia and virgin islands, guam and puerto rico, because it was important to have the insight and constructive input on these legislative issues and more importantly on the floor of the house. let me re-emphasize in joining you to say that the territories should not suffer and in the c.r. they do. i want to hold up -- this is a letter to my colleagues, a letter to americans, a letter to the citizens of houston. this is the long list of cuts and let me cite to you very quickly so you understand what we are talking about. we have to cut, but can we do it in

thermoses from that day and that continues to read >> tell me, shifting gears a little bit, sheila jackson lee a little earlier mentioned the airport, the private union contractors and how to had made the decision to seize that effort. tell me about your thought process of making that decision. >> so, conceptually i see that tsa should be a federal counterterrorism agency, and we are best able to train and deploy and execute on a mission as a federal work force. that being said, with the 16 privatized airports i'm always open to innovative ideas and opportunities where we can improve either in terms of our efficiencies and how we go about doing things for better security or from a business efficiency standpoint. and so some of the reporting was in a skilled programmers no longer open that's not true. but i do want to see clear and compelling information or evidence that would benefit -- there's got to be a reason for making the change, and if we went beyond the 16 in any large measure it would make it more challenging in terms of how we do the immediate flexibility and ability that i want in t

please be joined in the subcommittee by ranking member sheila jackson lee.g member and i have a strong relationship that look forward to continuing in this congress to make tsa more effective in concert with harry. the topic of this eeriness terrorism and transportation security. i would like to welcome our witnesses, tsa administrator john pistole and thank them for being here today. we look forward to your testimony and appreciate your time. let me first state -- first and foremost i tsa is a counterterrorism agency and it must maintain that mission as its primary focus. if there are programs or offices within the tsa that do not correctly support the primary mission or could operate more efficiently, the subcommittee will oppose it if you are taxpayer dollars could be better spent at tsa to achieve a greater level of security. it's also important to say that the outset that regardless of what other committees in the house may want you to believe, this subcommittee is the candidate with primary jurisdiction over all of tsa. in this road plan to exercise vi

represent her district, this congress, and this country with outstanding distinction, congresswoman sheila jackson lee. ms. jackson lee: i thank the gentlelady from the virgin islands and will join the ago a laids and my -- accolades and my fellow colleagues to express my appreciation for her leadership and as well to thank her for leading this one hour on the celebration of african-american history month. thank you very much, mr. speaker. and i stand to acknowledge that all of us who have this wonderful heritage and those who do not, who count african-americans as an intrigual part of the fabric of american culture and society to really commemorate the history of all people and certainly in this instance of african-americans, the entire year. because we are a very relevant and elaborate, if you will, part of american history. i stand in the united states capital which was built by slaves. today congresswoman, i was in austin, texas, this morning at the texas black legislative caucus where some 2,000 people gathered under the leadership of the texas black legislature, chaired by representative sylvest

minutes, plus one minute, and that allows me to give one minute to hank johnson, one minute to sheila jackson lee, and one minute to dennis kucinich. a minute and a -- a minute and a half to ms. jackson lee. and a minute and a half to kucinich. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from texas is recognized for 1 1/2 minutes. ms. jackson lee: i'd like to extend my appreciation to the gentleman from texas for the time. all three issues have been laid out to the three elements. i'd simply like to pose a question to my colleagues, we know we have a problem with the three remaining, intrusive, and i believe unconstitutional provisions. we know ranking member conyers has explained we were not absent, we did not have the lights out under his jurisdiction, we actually pursued this. we couldn't get an agreement. we couldn't move towards the floor. so the question now is, we realize a roving wire tack is intrusive and the lone wolf provides a problem. so the question is, how do we fix it for the american public? how do we ensure the constitution is intact? let me be very clear, it is well-documented huma

jackson lee: i have an an amendment, amendment 240. the chair: the clerk will designate the amendment. the clerk: amendment 240 printed in the congressional record, offered by ms. sheila jackson lee of the administration. -- lee of texas. the chair: for what purpose does the gentleman from virginia rise? >> i reserve a point of order against the gentlewoman's amendment. the chair: the point of order is reserved. the gentlelady is recognized in support of her amendment for five minutes. ms. jackson lee: i thank the gentleman, and i thank the ranking member and of course the manager of the -- for the majority. . i rise for a very important discussion. as a member of the house judiciary committee and someone who truly believes that the cops program that has been initiated over a long tenure of time has truly brought down the crime statistics across america. whether you are a rural hamlet or whether you are a major city, the cops program has been an anchor for neighborhoods who can't pay for their own private police services. this amendment restores the $600 million that is offered to be taken from the present funding. and it restores or would prevent the taking of 1,330

i'm pleased now to recognize the distinguished gentlelady from houston, texas, sheila jackson lee, a senior member of the committee, for as much time as she may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized for such time as she may consume. ms. jackson lee: thank you, madam speaker. let me thank mr. conyers for yielding. i think it's important that we explain to our colleagues what we're doing here. this is part of a seven or nine-hour marathon for committees of jurisdiction to come to the floor to respond to how important it is to, in essence, clog up the government. it sounds pretty and it sounds attractive to be able to suggest that we have not been exercising due diligence as relates to the regulatory process of the executive branch, and my colleague from tennessee was right when we cite the constitution, what we are saying is that the founding fathers recognize the importance of three distinct branches. the legislative writes legislation and has the right to oversight and those who are part of this body are elected to represent certain perspectives. . the executi

television as opposed to the chairman and myself -- >> and i apologize for that, ranking member sheila jackson lee. if there was something -- i am drawing a blank on what that was. >> we are talking about the aic. our news report before i even knew anything about it that you are changing. >> from the atr testing? >> this is not 2011 and i'm going back to november. >> obviously i want to keep you and the chairman fully informed, and when i don't do that that is on me to do a better job. >> i just want to say it's not only the chairman that mentions k9 on this issue. i look forward to you hopefully pumping that up with talented, healthy animals that are a great asset and i hope we will be able to visit. with that thank you for your indulgence and i think that will yield back at this moment. >> the gentleman from minnesota is recognized for questions. >> thank you, mr. chairman. and understanding being in the military and the airline pilot understand is the best way to go about this is it leaders security because there are layers of threats. there is no silver bullet as you say. it starts basically f

allege recognition for excellence in arts education act, i am pleased to appoint the honorable sheila jackson lee of texas to the congressional award board. thank you for your consideration of this appointment. signed, sincerely, nancy pelosi, house democratic leader. house of representatives, sir, pursuant to section 4-b of house resolution 5, 112th congress, i am pleased to reappoint the honorable james p. mcgovern of massachusetts as co-chair of the tom lantos human rights commission. thank you for your attention to this appointment. signed, sincerely, nancy pelosi, house democratic leader. the honorable the speaker, house of representatives, sir. pursuant to 2 united states code 2081 i am pleased to reappoints the honorable marcy kaptur of ohio to the united states capitol preservation commission. thank you for your consideration of this appointment. signed, sincerely, nancy pelosi, house democratic leader. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, the chair will postpone further proceedings today on motions to suspend the rules on which a recorded vote or the yeas and nays ar

sheila jackson lee, for two minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from texas. ms. jackson lee: i thank the distinguished chairman and the ranking member of this committee. and i want to remind my colleagues of a sing important moment when -- single important moment when those of us who were republican and democrat came together after 9/11 and out of this judiciary committee came a singular initiative that dealt with the crisis of which we're facing. i have in my hand the constitution and i'm reminded that when the founding fathers came together and declared that we all were created equal, they too were concerned about treason , spying, the undermining of government and maybe even the threat of violence as we well know how this country came into being, we had to fight a war. but yet they had in this constitution the rights of the fourth amendment, that we would be protected against unreasonable search and seizure, fifth amendment of due process and they believed that americans should be protected. this bill, however, comes to the floor again without amendments and i'