Prospects for security bills wane as campaigns beckon

As lawmakers head into the August recess, they leave behind a growing list of unfinished bills touted as vital to homeland security.

Although lawmakers from both parties talk publicly about the importance of homeland security issues, the House and Senate have yet to go to conference on several major pieces of legislation, including port security, chemical security, reorganizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency and an authorization bill for the Homeland Security Department.

"I think it's inexcusable that Congress has failed to pass this legislation and that, generally speaking, [congressional oversight] has been so spotty and ineffective," said Clark Kent Ervin, who served as the first Homeland Security inspector general. "If I were to give a grade, it would be a D-minus."

The Senate and House have passed different fiscal 2007 Homeland Security appropriations bills but are on track to go to conference and pass a final version. But the Senate and House Homeland Security committees have not yet gone to conference on any of their bills.

"It seems the Homeland Security committees are suffering the same fate as the homeland security agencies: a lot of activity but not really any results," said an industry source who asked not to be identified.

Quietly, aides acknowledge that time is running short, as Congress plans to adjourn in early October for the November elections and keep any lame-duck session as short as possible. But they also say not to think the pending bills are down for the count.

"Certainly there's a lot to do between now and the end of the year," a House GOP aide said. "I think there's a good chance a couple of these pieces of legislation could become law before year's end."

Indeed, the House and Senate homeland security committees have each passed port security, chemical security and FEMA reorganization bills.

"If you look at these pieces of legislation ... most of them are very similar if not identical in language," the House aide said. "When we get to conference on these bills, it should be very quick."

The House Homeland Security Committee has also approved a Homeland Security reauthorization bill.

An aide to Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairwoman Susan Collins, R-Maine, said she established "a vigorous legislative agenda" earlier this year.

"All of these issues have been tackled on the committee level and have received significant bipartisan support," the aide said, adding that Collins successfully attached a provision to reorganize and strengthen FEMA to the Senate fiscal 2007 Homeland Security appropriations bill.

The full House has passed its port security bill, but the companion version in the Senate remains bottled up.

The House Homeland Security Committee approved its chemical security bill last week, while the Senate version is bogged down by objections from more than a dozen senators -- and a hold from Senate Environment and Public Works Chairman James Inhofe, R-Okla.

The aide said Collins is working with Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., to bring the port security bill to the floor in September. She also remains hopeful the hold on the chemical security bill will be lifted and a time agreement reached for floor debate, the aide said.

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs ranking member Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., faults Republicans for the backlog of bills awaiting action, saying their priorities are misplaced.