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As Ranking Member, Bilirakis and the Subcommittee will investigate and report on the Department of Homeland Security's anti-terrorism and disaster response efforts, personnel management procedures, and procurement process. In addition, Bilirakis will serve as a member of the Homeland Security Committee's Subcommittee on Border, Maritime, and Global Counterterrorism.

"Our nation is facing a serious economic crisis and I believe we must do all we can to get our economy moving in the right direction again. Last year, Florida ranked second nationally with 255,000 job losses. This is precisely why Congress should be considering a stimulus bill which creates jobs; unfortunately we are instead considering a federal spending spree.

"I strongly opposed the bailout from the beginning and I oppose this attempt to facilitate the expenditure of TARP funds. The bill which passed the House today will expand the types of institutions that can receive TARP funds and increase the power of the Treasury to spend taxpayer funds with little accountability to the American people," said Bilirakis.

The Amendment comes on the heels of a Congressional report indicating that the recent refusal of certain private financial institutions to provide any accounting of how they are using taxpayer money undermines public confidence.