Homeland Security

We in Kansas harbor, properly, a deep commitment to the protection of Constitutional civil liberties and privacy. It is in our DNA. We don’t, reflexively, turn to government to improve our lives — we turn to each other and we share what we have to improve the lives of all. And, when it comes to keeping America secure, we are also committed to getting it right.
 
Threats from cyberattacks are mounting, and the damage they are inflicting on individuals and businesses each day in America continues to increase.  This year, I was honored to be appointed to the House Intelligence Committee where I now see firsthand the enormity of the cyberattack threat from malevolent nation-state actors.

Remember last year, when Congress passed a law that the Pentagon must cut ties with Rososboronexport, the Russian state-owned arms exporter at the heart of Bashar al Assad’s atrocities in Syria?  The Department of Defense was supposed to spend the last twelve months identifying alternatives to its contract with Rosoboronexport, so that the United States wouldn’t be dependent on an enabler of mass atrocities. Well, apparently the Pentagon forgot too, because so far they haven’t done anything to prepare the United States to cut off its ties.
 
As a refresher, Congress passed a provision, authored by Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas), in  the FY2013 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that prohibited the use of DOD funds for any contract, memorandum of understanding, cooperative agreement, grant, loan or loan guarantee to Rosoboronexport.

The current eroding security situation in Syria heightens concerns about the possibility of terrorists gaining access to chemical and biological weapons.  In March, Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper testified before Congress noting elements of Syria's biological weapons program "may have advanced beyond the research and development stage," and its conventional and chemical weapons systems "could be modified for biological agent delivery."

These new insights increase the real risks from Syria’s unconventional weapons and are in addition to the large stockpile of chemical agents it already has. While trying to prevent the Assad regime’s use of these weapons against its own people is the current focus of diplomacy and threats of military action; we should anticipate that these weapons will likely fall into the hands of terrorists who want to attack the U.S. and our interests. As part of a comprehensive approach, we should be prepared to protect ourselves from this threat.

Public opinion on immigration is proof that “times change and people change with them,” as the saying goes. With each passing year, more Americans understand that our current immigration law is neither beneficial to society nor favorable to our economy. A majority of people are pushing for positive immigration reform — something that seemed impossible even 5 years ago.

This change in public opinion is now being matched by political will. New legislation — sponsored by a bipartisan “Gang of Eight” — offers a balanced approach to immigration reform, including a much sought-after temporary worker program by which immigrants can gain legal status and a more permanent remedy for “Dreamers,” those brought to the U.S. as undocumented children. The bill also prescribes an eventual path to citizenship for those who qualify, but only after federal officials achieve 100 percent surveillance and a 90 percent capture rate along the nation’s border areas.

Anyone who has read or watched any news source over the past year knows President Obama, numerous Administration officials, and many leaders in Congress agree that addressing the threat of cyber attacks is a critical national priority. Based on this threat analysis, the administration and many members of Congress continue to push for passage of cybersecurity legislation that would clarify and expand the government’s powers to receive and process traffic from American computer networks.

U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor today regarding the heinous attacks at the Boston Marathon on Monday:
 
Today, the thoughts of every American are with the people of Boston, but especially with the many victims of yesterday’s horrendous attacks, and their families.
 
Many who were looking forward to celebrating the achievement of a loved one yesterday woke today to the grim reality of facing the rest of their lives with a disfiguring injury. For them, yesterday’s attacks were the beginning of a long, difficult journey. Three others who lined up to encourage others, including an eight-year old boy who was there to cheer on his dad at the finish line, lost their lives in the blast.
 
We pray in a special way for their families.

As the Senate prepares to debate gun safety legislation, Senators will go to great lengths to demonstrate they are ardent supporters of the 2nd Amendment. Meanwhile, the House will consider the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act, or CISPA, a bill with enormous implications for the 4th Amendment, but few members seem equally concerned about the impacts of the House legislation on Americans’ privacy and constitutional rights.

As Congress finds itself on the cusp on a bipartisan immigration solution, advocates and opponents of reform are anxious to see what the Senate "Gang of Eight" has cobbled together. From everything that I have heard and read, it seems that these Senators have reached a very reasonable, responsible, and fair compromise. As a conservative, I am not thrilled by some of the proposed agreements, but that's okay. If I was perfectly happy with this bill, it probably would not be acceptable to my friends on the progressive side of the aisle. If most proponents of this immigration overhaul are begrudgingly accepting of these proposed solutions to the crisis that confronts America's immigration system, then it seems that these Senators have gotten it just about right.

Inside the beltway, immigration is the single most issue that has captured the bipartisan support of a deadlocked Congress. While the budget and gun control seem to be replete with heated politics, immigration, till this moment, has been a welcoming and civil debate. Just last week, major components were resolved and the news cycle is filled with lead Democrats and Republicans projecting progress to the American people. But when legislation emerges on Tuesday, will Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn stand in the way of immigration reform?

In an increasingly polarized political environment, it is rare to find issues on which people from all over the ideological spectrum can find consensus. So what do Grover Norquist, Dr. Richard Land, Wade Henderson, former corrections officials and prosecutors, representatives of faith groups, attorneys, and human rights advocates have in common? They all believe that the immigration detention system is in desperate need of repair and that Congress should fix it… now.