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Department of Homeland Security Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008

Floor Speech

Date: May 9, 2007
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Transportation


DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2008 -- (House of Representatives - May 09, 2007)

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Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Chair, I rise in support of the Castor amendment to H.R. 1684. This amendment directs the Department of Homeland Security to work with my State of Florida to resolve differences between its ports access control credential and its Federal counterpart, the Transportation Worker Identification Credential, or the TWIC card.

Florida has been a national leader in developing its own credential, entering into an agreement with TSA in 2003 to implement this TWIC prototype. Florida's card is largely interchangeable with the TWIC. However, there are questions about the ability to integrate Federal requirements with Florida's standards.

I cannot stress enough the importance of resolving this issue so that maritime workers in my State do not have to obtain multiple cards and separate card readers for the same purposes.

I met with TWIC program officials on this matter and, during a hearing of my Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection Subcommittee last month, asked them to delay implementation of the TWIC card in Florida until this issue can be satisfactorily resolved.

Although I am optimistic that we are moving in the right direction toward a resolution on this matter, I commend the gentlewoman from Florida for offering this amendment which will reinforce our State's bipartisan resolve to fix this problem.

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

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