国会纪录：2003年1月23日（参议院）Page S1463 Page S1463总督汤姆岭的提名担任国土安全部长Jeffords先生。主席先生，我崛起致辞汤姆里奇的提名，以便将新创建的国土安全部门负责。虽然我支持他的确认，但我想详细说明我的期望，即州长山脊将对国会委员会负责，因为他执行职责。作为参议院环境和公共工程委员会的排名成员，我深深关切的是这个新部门的创造。我根据对联邦应急管理机构，FEMA，新组织在新组织中的作用以及曾经进入该部门进行的能力的担忧，投票起来，促进了国土安全部门的立法。环保局环保委员会将继续在新部门内监督FEMA。我完全希望州长山脊回答任何和所有问题，我们可能在响应和及时的时尚中对FEMA的新作用。我还希望该部门采取行动，保护我们的化学和核植物免受攻击，并支持第157届，如第157届会议，在第108届国会上赞助的化学保障法案，并在第108届会议上得到了赞助的化学保障法案，并由EPW委员会有利地报告第1602次第107届国会和第1746年，由参议员Reid赞助的核安全法案，并在第107大会上由EPW委员会有利地报告。州长岭在2002年7月10日之前表达了对见证的重要安全问题的关注，陈述，“事实是，我们拥有一个非常多元化的经济，我们的敌人将一些经济资产金博宝正规网址视为目标。 And clearly, the chemical facilities are one of them.'' The Washington Post published a letter on Sunday, October 6, 2002 from Governor Ridge and Administrator Whitman expressing the commitment of the Bush Administration to reduce the vulnerability of America's chemical facilities to terrorist attack. In this letter the Governor stated that voluntary efforts alone are not sufficient to provide the level of assurance Americans deserve. I agree with the Governor and expect his engagement in the development of legislation to address this issue. As Senator Levin pointed out in Governor Ridge's confirmation hearing before the Government Affairs committee last week, language contained in section 214 of the implementing legislation for the Homeland Security Department could be interpreted to exempt from disclosure any information included in a voluntary submission, including evidence of illegal activity such as hazardous waste dumping. Further information, even if discovered independently of the submission, could not be used in any action against that company. Even a Member of Congress would be prevented from taking any action with that information. In other words, this language could give substantial legal shelter to companies acting illegally. The potential environmental consequences of this are enormous. While I note the potential for this interpretation, I do not believe it is the correct interpretation, and I was heartened to hear that Secretary Ridge shares my views on this. In last week's confirmation hearing, he said, ``That certainly wasn't the intent, I'm sure, of those who advocated the Freedom of Information Act exemption--to give wrongdoers protection, or to protect illegal activity. And I'll certainly work with you to clarify that language.'' I agree with the Secretary that ambiguities in this language must be clarified to make clear that it is only the physical document being submitted to the Department of Homeland Security that is intended to be protected by this provision. Records generated elsewhere or by other means, even if they contain similar or identical information to that which was submitted to Homeland Security, would not be affected by this provision but would continue to be treated under existing Freedom of Information Act provisions or other applicable law. This allows confidentiality of the information voluntarily submitted to Homeland Security, while still allowing other Government agencies to proceed with their duties under existing law. It also allows the public continued access to information to which it has traditionally been entitled under our public information laws. I look forward to working with Governor Ridge as he assumes his new post. ____________________