Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation to preserve important non-homeland security missions in the Department of Homeland Security. I am pleased to be joined by the Senator from Delaware, Mr. Carper, and the Senator from New Jersey, Mr. Lautenberg, in this effort to guarantee the fulfillment of non-homeland security functions Americans rely on daily.

Many of these non-homeland security functions are especially important to the state of Hawaii. The Coast Guard provides essential search and rescue, fisheries enforcement, and protection of our coastline. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service protects the state's fragile ecosystem from invasive species. The Federal Emergency Management Agency assists municipalities in reducing the destructive effects of natural disasters, such as floods, hurricanes, and tidal waves.

To preserve these vital functions, the "Non-Homeland Security Mission Performance Act of 2003" would require the Department of Homeland Security to identify and report to Congress on the resources, personnel, and capabilities used to perform non-homeland security functions, as well as the management strategy needed to carry out these missions.

The measure would require the Department to include information on the performance of these functions in its annual performance report. Our legislation also calls for a General Accounting Office (GAO) evaluation of the performance of essential non-homeland security missions.

The establishment of the Department of Homeland Security created additional management challenges and has fueled growing concerns that the performance of core, non-homeland security functions will slip through the cracks. Just last week, the GAO testified before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure that the Coast Guard has experienced a substantial decline in the amount of time spent on core missions. Moreover, GAO found that the Coast Guard lacks the resources to reverse this trend. Coast Guard Commandant Thomas H. Collins is quoted as saying that his agency has more business than it has resources and is challenged like never before to do all that America wants it to do.

These same concerns extend to the entire Department of Homeland Security. The Department of Homeland Security's Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration services provides asylum for refugees and helps immigrants become American citizens. The Customs Service protects and monitors foreign trade so essential for a healthy American economy. And the Secret Service protects and monitors against identity theft, counterfeiting, and other financial crimes. In fact, the General Accounting Office has added the transformation of and implementation of the Department to the GAO High Risk list, partially as the result of existing management challenges to fulfill non-homeland security missions.

The cost of creating a Department of Homeland Security should not come at the expense of these essential missions. Agencies should strike the proper balance between new homeland security responsibilities and their critical non-homeland security missions. Enhancing traditional missions also enhances domestic security which depends on sound management strategies that ensure adequate resources and personnel.

I urge my colleagues to support the "Non-Homeland Security Mission Performance Act of 2003." Our bill takes important steps to ensure that Americans will not see a decline in non-homeland security services as a result of the creation of the Department of Homeland Security.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the RECORD following this statement.