Committee InfoDescriptionHello congressmen and welcome to the House Committee of Homeland Security. Created in 2002 in response to the events of September 11th, 2001, the Committee on Homeland Security was formed to pass legislation concerning domestic security and to oversee the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security. Made a permanent committee in January 2005, the committee consists of 34 representatives and is chaired by Bernie Thompson. There are six subcommittees, each with a focus on a specific aspect of homeland security:* Subcommittee on Border, Maritime, and Global Counterterrorism * Subcommittee on Intelligence, Information Sharing, and Terrorism Risk Assessment * Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection * Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity, and Science and Technology * Subcommittee on Emergency Communications, Preparedness, and Response * Subcommittee on Management, Investigations, and Oversight The committee can amend, approve, or table any homeland security related bills. Additionally, it has the power to hold hearings, conduct investigations, and subpoena witnesses. The official site (http://homeland.house.gov/) lists legislation passed by the committee. Legislation recently passed by the Committee on Homeland Security includes HR 2195, a bill to secure the nation’s Electric Grid, and the TSA Authorization Act, which fully authorizes and secures funding for the Transportation Security Administration. In the wake of FEMA’s poor management during Hurricane Katrina, the Committee introduced legislation restructuring FEMA, which is a part of the Department of Homeland Security. The attacks at the Mumbai rail station, along with the 2005 subway bombings in London and the 2004 train bombing in Madrid highlighted the need to secure America’s rail and public transportation systems. Thus, the Committee on Homeland Security introduced the Rail and Public Transportation Security Act of 2006. Chairman Bernie Thompson explained, “First, this bill requires a National Rail and Public Transportation Security Plan. Second, the bill requires rail and public transportation systems to submit vulnerability assessments and security plans for approval. Third, the bill requires rail and public transportation systems to train their employees on how to prevent, prepare for, and respond to a terrorist attack. Finally, the bill provides the resources and manpower needed to truly increase security. This bill provides genuine solutions to the security threats faced by rail and public transportation systems. These security threats, as demonstrated yet again today, are real and I call upon my colleagues in the House and Senate to pass rail and public transportation legislation to ensure the security of our systems”, said Rep. Thompson. Currently, the Committee is processing a multitude of hearings regarding the issue of homeland security. One of the most publicized hearings at the moment is regarding a couple's unauthorized access to a White House dinner. Chairman Thompson's press statement on the issue stated that the matter is not a mere concern of crashing a dinner party at the White House and attention-seeking, the principle issue at hand is the unauthorized trespassing of the White House without objection from the Secret Service. Thompson believes that "there is no doubt that this incident can be an enlightening case study. But it is not enough for us to merely analyze. We must dissect every facet. We must learn the lessons and fix the problems.And after we do these things, we need to give thanks that no lives were lost." Other on-going hearings in the committee include re-assessment of al-Qa'ida's threat to the homeland, new border legislations, and opposition to the Guns on Trains Act. For more information on the Committee on Homeland Security and their current activities, visit the official website at: http://homeland.house.gov. Or simply pay attention to the news; homeland security is a topic that receives wide press coverage from all media outlets. ------ Hi everyone, my name is Flora, and I cannot wait to meet all of you in just a few months! This is my second of hopefully four years of chairing at Penn Model Congress, and I am part of the Penn MC Intercollegiate Board working on organizing the first college-wide MC conference. I started Penn last year in the Wharton school and decided to pursue a second degree in History this semester. I have no definite plans for the future at the moment; anything other than investment banking is fair game. I also delved into journalism this semester, and I write for and edit an online Style and Arts publication-- the [the3st] (pronounced "thirst"). My favorite hobbies include interviewing fashion designers, discovering eccentric boutiques and restaurants, and searching for a good read. Please feel free to email me at fliu9327@gmail.com if you have any questions and check out http://the3st.com if you are ever bored! My name is Daniel Berke, and I'm a sophomore in both the College of Arts and Sciences and Wharton. As for my major, I'm still not completely sure, but I'm working on figuring it out (I need to decide by April). Outside of class, I'm a tour guide for the admissions office and I participate in the ski club and intramural tennis. This is my first Penn Model Congress, but I've heard only good things about it and the Committee of Homeland Security will surely have lots of interesting topics to debate. If you have any questions feel free to email me at dberke@sas.upenn.edu, and I look forward to meeting all of you at the conference. Chairs
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Account LoginConference DatesMarch 31 - April 3, 2011 RegistrationRegistration is now closed. InformationClick here for more details about PENNMC 2011! Check us out on Facebook!
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