[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 21 (Tuesday, February 3, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H901-H906]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                NATIONAL BOMBING PREVENTION ACT OF 2009

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the bill (H.R. 549) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 
to establish an appeal and redress process for individuals wrongly 
delayed or prohibited from boarding a flight, or denied a right, 
benefit, or privilege, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.

[[Page H902]]

  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 549

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``National Bombing Prevention 
     Act of 2009''.

     SEC. 2. BOMBING PREVENTION.

       (a) In General.--Subtitle A of title II of the Homeland 
     Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 121 et seq.) is amended by 
     adding at the end the following new section:

     ``SEC. 210F. OFFICE FOR BOMBING PREVENTION.

       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish within the 
     Protective Security Coordination Division of the Office of 
     Infrastructure Protection of the Department an Office for 
     Bombing Prevention (in this section referred to as `the 
     Office').
       ``(b) Responsibilities.--The Office shall have the primary 
     responsibility for enhancing the ability, and coordinating 
     the efforts, of the United States to deter, detect, prevent, 
     protect against, and respond to terrorist explosive attacks 
     in the United States, including by--
       ``(1) serving as the lead agency of the Department for 
     ensuring that programs designed to counter terrorist 
     explosive attacks in the United States function together 
     efficiently to meet the evolving threat from explosives and 
     improvised explosive devices;
       ``(2) coordinating national and intergovernmental bombing 
     prevention activities to ensure those activities work toward 
     achieving common national goals;
       ``(3) conducting analysis of the capabilities and 
     requirements necessary for Federal, State, local, and tribal 
     governments to deter, prevent, detect, protect against, and 
     assist in any response to terrorist explosive attacks in the 
     United States by--
       ``(A) maintaining a national analysis database on the 
     capabilities of bomb squads, explosive detection canine 
     teams, tactics teams, and public safety dive teams; and
       ``(B) applying the analysis derived from the database 
     described in subparagraph (A) in--
       ``(i) evaluating progress toward closing identified gaps 
     relating to national strategic goals and standards; and
       ``(ii) informing decisions relating to homeland security 
     policy, assistance, training, research, development efforts, 
     testing and evaluation, and related requirements;
       ``(4) promoting secure information sharing of sensitive 
     material and promoting security awareness, including by--
       ``(A) operating and maintaining a secure information 
     sharing system that allows the sharing of critical 
     information relating to terrorist explosive attack tactics, 
     techniques, and procedures;
       ``(B) educating the public and private sectors about 
     explosive precursor chemicals;
       ``(C) working with international partners, in coordination 
     with the Office for International Affairs of the Department, 
     to develop and share effective practices to deter, prevent, 
     detect, protect, and respond to terrorist explosive attacks 
     in the United States; and
       ``(D) executing national public awareness and vigilance 
     campaigns relating to terrorist explosive threats, preventing 
     explosive attacks, and activities and measures underway to 
     safeguard the United States;
       ``(5) assisting State, local, and tribal governments in 
     developing multi-jurisdictional improvised explosive devices 
     security plans for high-risk jurisdictions;
       ``(6) helping to ensure, in coordination with the Under 
     Secretary for Science and Technology and the Administrator of 
     the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the identification 
     and availability of effective technology applications through 
     field pilot testing and acquisition of such technology 
     applications by Federal, State, local, and tribal governments 
     to deter, prevent, detect, protect, and respond to terrorist 
     explosive attacks in the United States;
       ``(7) coordinating the efforts of the Department relating 
     to, and assisting departments and agencies of Federal, State, 
     local, and tribal governments, and private sector business 
     in, developing and implementing national explosives detection 
     training, certification, and performance standards;
       ``(8) ensuring the implementation of any recommendations in 
     the national strategy required under section 210G, including 
     developing, maintaining, and tracking progress toward 
     achieving objectives to reduce the vulnerability of the 
     United States to terrorist explosive attacks;
       ``(9) developing, in coordination with the Administrator of 
     the Federal Emergency Management Agency, programmatic 
     guidance and permitted uses for bombing prevention activities 
     funded by homeland security assistance administered by the 
     Department; and
       ``(10) establishing and executing a public awareness 
     campaign to inform the general public and private sector 
     businesses on ways they can deter, detect, prevent, protect 
     against, and respond to terrorist explosive attacks in the 
     United States, that--
       ``(A) utilizes a broad spectrum of both mainstream and 
     specialty print, radio, television outlets, and the Internet;
       ``(B) utilizes small and disadvantaged businesses, as 
     defined under the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 631 et seq.); 
     and
       ``(C) ensures that the public awareness messages under the 
     campaign reach and are understandable to underserved 
     populations, including--
       ``(i) persons with physical and mental disabilities, health 
     problems, visual impairments, hearing impairments, limited 
     English proficiency, and literacy barriers;
       ``(ii) socially and economically disadvantaged households 
     and communities;
       ``(iii) the elderly; and
       ``(iv) children.
       ``(c) Limitation on Statutory Construction.--Nothing in 
     this section shall be construed to affect the authority of 
     the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, 
     the Director of the United States Secret Service, or the 
     Attorney General of the United States.
       ``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--
       ``(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
     to carry out this section--
       ``(A) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2010;
       ``(B) $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2011 through 
     2013; and
       ``(C) such sums as may be necessary for each subsequent 
     fiscal year.
       ``(2) Availability.--Amounts made available pursuant to 
     paragraph (1) are authorized to remain available until 
     expended.
       ``(e) Enhancement of Explosives Detection Canine Resources 
     and Capabilities.--To enhance the Nation's explosives 
     detection canine resources and capabilities the Secretary of 
     Homeland Security shall, by partnering with other Federal, 
     State, local, and tribal agencies, nonprofit organizations, 
     universities including historically black colleges and 
     universities and minority serving institutions, and the 
     private sector--
       ``(1) within 270 days after the date of the enactment of 
     this subsection--
       ``(A) develop a pilot program that includes a domestic 
     breeding program for purpose-bred explosives detection 
     canines; and
       ``(B) increase the current number of capability assessments 
     of explosives detection canine units to identify common 
     challenges and gaps in canine explosives detection, to 
     provide for effective domestic preparedness and collective 
     response to terrorism, and to inform grant guidance and 
     priorities, consistent with national capabilities database 
     efforts;
       ``(2) continue development of a scientifically based 
     training curriculum to enhance consensus-based national 
     training and certification standards to provide for effective 
     domestic preparedness and collective response to terrorism 
     through the effective use of explosives detection canines for 
     explosives detection canines; and
       ``(3) continue engagement in explosives detection canine 
     research and development activities through partnerships with 
     the Science and Technology Directorate and the Technical 
     Support Working Group.

     ``SEC. 210G. NATIONAL STRATEGY.

       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall develop and 
     periodically update a national strategy to prevent and 
     prepare for terrorist explosive attacks in the United States.
       ``(b) Development.--Not later than 90 days after the date 
     of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall develop 
     the national strategy required under subsection (a).
       ``(c) Reporting.--Not later than six months after the date 
     of the submission of the report regarding each quadrennial 
     homeland security review conducted under section 707, the 
     Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security 
     of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland 
     Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report 
     regarding the national strategy required under subsection 
     (a), which shall include recommendations, if any, for 
     deterring, preventing, detecting, protecting against, and 
     responding to terrorist attacks in the United States using 
     explosives or improvised explosive devices, including any 
     such recommendations relating to coordinating the efforts of 
     Federal, State, local, and tribal governments, emergency 
     response providers, and the private sector.''.
       (b) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--The table of 
     contents in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 
     (6 U.S.C. 101 et seq.) is amended by inserting after the item 
     relating to section 210E the following new items:

``Sec. 210F. Office for Bombing Prevention.
``Sec. 210G. National strategy.''.

     SEC. 3. EXPLOSIVES TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSFER.

       (a) In General.--Title III of the Homeland Security Act of 
     2002 (6 U.S.C. 181 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
     the following new sections:

     ``SEC. 318. EXPLOSIVES RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.

       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Under 
     Secretary for Science and Technology, and in coordination 
     with the Under Secretary for National Protection and 
     Programs, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Defense, and 
     the head of any other relevant Federal department or agency, 
     shall ensure coordination and information sharing regarding 
     nonmilitary research, development, testing, and evaluation 
     activities of the Federal Government relating to the 
     detection and prevention of, protection against, and response 
     to terrorist attacks in the United States using explosives or 
     improvised explosive devices, and the development of tools 
     and technologies necessary to neutralize and disable 
     explosive devices.
       ``(b) Leveraging Military Research.--The Secretary, acting 
     through the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, and 
     in coordination with the Under Secretary for National 
     Protection and Programs, shall coordinate with the Secretary 
     of Defense and

[[Page H903]]

     the head of any other relevant Federal department or agency 
     to ensure that, to the maximum extent possible, military 
     policies and procedures, and research, development, testing, 
     and evaluation activities relating to the detection and 
     prevention of, protection against, and response to terrorist 
     attacks using explosives or improvised explosive devices, and 
     the development of tools and technologies necessary to 
     neutralize and disable explosive devices, are adapted to 
     nonmilitary uses.

     ``SEC. 319. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER.

       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Under 
     Secretary for Science and Technology, and in coordination 
     with the Under Secretary for National Protection and 
     Programs, shall establish a technology transfer program to 
     facilitate the identification, modification, and 
     commercialization of technology and equipment for use by 
     Federal, State, and local governmental agencies, emergency 
     response providers, and the private sector to deter, prevent, 
     detect, protect, and respond to terrorist attacks in the 
     United States using explosives or improvised explosive 
     devices.
       ``(b) Program.--The activities under the program 
     established under subsection (a) shall include--
       ``(1) applying the analysis conducted under section 
     210F(b)(3) of the capabilities and requirements of bomb 
     squad, explosive detection canine teams, tactical teams, and 
     public safety dive teams of Federal, State, and local 
     governments, to determine the training and technology 
     requirements for Federal, State, and local governments, 
     emergency response providers, and the private sector;
       ``(2) identifying available technologies designed to deter, 
     prevent, detect, protect, or respond to terrorist attacks 
     using explosives or improvised explosive devices that have 
     been, or are in the process of being, developed, tested, 
     evaluated, or demonstrated by the Department, other Federal 
     agencies, the private sector, foreign governments, or 
     international organizations;
       ``(3) reviewing whether a technology described in paragraph 
     (2) may be useful in assisting Federal, State, or local 
     governments, emergency response providers, or the private 
     sector in detecting, deterring, preventing, or responding to 
     terrorist attacks using explosives or improvised explosive 
     devices; and
       ``(4) communicating to Federal, State, and local 
     governments, emergency response providers, and the private 
     sector the availability of any technology described in 
     paragraph (2), including providing the specifications of any 
     such technology, indicating whether any such technology 
     satisfies appropriate standards, and identifying grants, if 
     any, available from the Department to purchase any such 
     technology.
       ``(c) Working Group.--To facilitate the transfer of 
     military technologies, the Secretary, acting through the 
     Under Secretary for Science and Technology, in coordination 
     with the Secretary of Defense, and in a manner consistent 
     with protection of sensitive sources and methods, shall 
     establish a working group to advise and assist in the 
     identification of military technologies designed to deter, 
     prevent, detect, protect, or respond to terrorist explosive 
     attacks that are in the process of being developed, or are 
     developed, by the Department of Defense or the private 
     sector.''.
       (b) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--The table of 
     contents in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 
     (6 U.S.C. 101 et seq.) is amended by inserting after the item 
     relating to section 317 the following new items:

``Sec. 318. Explosives research and development.
``Sec. 319. Technology transfer.''.

     SEC. 4. GAO STUDY OF EXPLOSIVES DETECTION CANINE TEAMS.

       Section 1307(f) of the Implementing Recommendations of the 
     9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (Public Law 110-53; 121 Stat. 
     395) is amended by striking ``utilization'' and all that 
     follows through the end of the sentence and inserting 
     ``utilization of explosives detection canine teams, by the 
     Transportation Security Administration and all other agencies 
     of the Department of Homeland Security that utilize 
     explosives detection canines, to strengthen security and the 
     capacity of explosive detection canine detection teams of the 
     Department.''.

     SEC. 5. REPORT ON CANINE PROCUREMENT ACTIVITIES.

       The Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit a report to 
     the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and 
     Governmental Affairs of the Senate by not later than 180 days 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act examining the 
     administration of canine procurement activities by the 
     Department of Homeland Security to deter, prevent, detect, 
     and protect against terrorist explosive attacks in the United 
     States, that includes consideration of the feasibility of 
     reducing the price paid for the procurement of untrained 
     canines, including by utilizing an expanded pool of breeds, 
     procuring canines from domestic breeders, and acquiring 
     canines from animal shelters, rescue societies, and other 
     not-for-profit entities.

                              {time}  1645

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Mississippi (Mr. Thompson) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Olson) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Mississippi.


                             General Leave

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent 
that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and 
extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on the bill under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Mississippi?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to 
include in the Record an exchange of letters between the distinguished 
chairman of the Committee on Science and Technology and myself.

                                              Committee on Science


                                               and Technology,

                                 Washington, DC, January 15, 2009.
     Hon. Bennie G. Thompson,
     Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, Ford House Office 
         Building, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman, I am writing to you concerning the 
     jurisdictional interest of the Committee on Science and 
     Technology in H.R. 549, the National Bombing Prevention Act 
     of 2009. H.R. 549 was introduced by Congressman Peter T. King 
     on January 15, 2009. H.R. 549 is identical to the reported 
     version of H.R. 4749 from the 110th Congress.
       H.R. 549 implicates the Committee on Science and 
     Technology's jurisdiction over Homeland Security research and 
     development under Rule X(1)(o)(14) of the House Rules. The 
     Committee on Science and Technology acknowledges the 
     importance of H.R. 549 and the need for the legislation to 
     move expeditiously. Therefore, while we have a valid claim to 
     jurisdiction over this bill, I agree not to request a 
     sequential referral. This, of course, is conditional on our 
     mutual understanding that nothing in this legislation or my 
     decision to forgo a sequential referral waives, reduces, or 
     otherwise affects the jurisdiction of the Committee on 
     Science and Technology, and that a copy of this letter and of 
     your response will be included in the Congressional Record 
     when the bill is considered on the House Floor.
       The Committee on Science and Technology also expects that 
     you will support our request to be conferees during any 
     House-Senate conference on H.R. 549 or similar legislation.
       Thank you for your attention to this matter.
           Sincerely,
                                                      Bart Gordon,
     Chairman.
                                  ____



                               Committee on Homeland Security,

                                 Washington, DC, January 15, 2009.
     Hon. Bart Gordon,
     Chairman, Committee on Science and Technology, Rayburn Bldg., 
         House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter regarding H.R. 
     549, the ``National Bombing Prevention Act of 2009,'' 
     introduced by Congressman Peter T. King on January 15, 2009.
       I appreciate your willingness to work cooperatively on this 
     legislation. I acknowledge that H.R. 549 contains provisions 
     that fall under the jurisdictional interests of the Committee 
     on Science and Technology. I appreciate your agreement to not 
     seek a sequential referral of this legislation and I 
     acknowledge that your decision to forgo a sequential referral 
     does not waive, alter, or otherwise affect the jurisdiction 
     of the Committee on Science and Technology.
       Further, I recognize that your Committee reserves the right 
     to seek appointment of conferees on the bill for the portions 
     of the bill that are within your jurisdiction and I agree to 
     support such a request.
       I will ensure that this exchange of letters is included in 
     the Congressional Record during floor consideration of H.R. 
     549, the ``National Bombing Prevention Act of 2009.'' I look 
     forward to working with you on this legislation and other 
     matters of great importance to this nation.
           Sincerely,
                                               Bennie G. Thompson,
                                                         Chairman.

  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill and yield myself such 
time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, explosives remain the preferred weapon of choice by 
terrorists around the world. Yet, in the immediate aftermath of the 
September 11 attacks, the Bush administration placed a disproportionate 
level of attention on unconventional emerging threats such as chemical, 
biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons of mass destruction.
  Despite the issuance 2 years ago of HSPD 19, which is entitled 
``Combating Terrorist Use of Explosives in the United States,'' the 
focus needed to address the conventional explosives has been sorely 
lacking.
  Time and again, we have seen terrorists use explosives against the 
United States and our overseas interests. We have also seen them used 
to deadly effect against some of our closest allies,

[[Page H904]]

including Britain, Spain and, most recently, India.
  Because explosives, be they homemade or military grade, are 
relatively easy to obtain and use in an improvised explosives device, a 
focused and coordinated approach is needed.
  Passage of H.R. 549, the National Bombing Prevention Act of 2009, is 
a critical step to putting us on a path to developing such an approach.
  Specifically, this bill, a reintroduced version of H.R. 4749 from 
last Congress, which passed the House overwhelmingly on June 18 of last 
year, establishes the Office of Bomb Prevention at the Department of 
Homeland Security.
  I wish to thank the gentleman from Long Island, the ranking member of 
the Committee on Homeland Security, Mr. King, for authoring this 
legislation, and I am proud to once again be an original cosponsor.
  This is a straightforward, bipartisan bill that authorizes the Office 
of Bombing Prevention in law and sets forth its responsibilities for 
coordinating Federal efforts to deter, detect, prevent, protect 
against, and respond to terrorist explosive attacks in the United 
States.
  To do so, the office is required to conduct analysis of the Federal, 
State, local, and tribal government capabilities; and maintain a 
national database of the capabilities of bomb squads, explosive 
detection canine teams, tactics teams, and public safety dive teams 
around the Nation.
  Additionally, the bill requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to 
develop a national strategy to prevent and prepare for terrorist 
explosive attacks in the United States.
  The bill authorizes $10 million for fiscal year 2010 and $25 million 
annually for the following 3 years.
  I strongly urge passage of this important homeland security 
legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  This bill authorizes the Office of Bombing Prevention within the 
Department of Homeland Security. In previous Congresses, it passed on 
suspension with bipartisan support.
  This office will provide the necessary analysis and coordination of 
our Nation's bomb prevention capability to best protect our citizens 
from the threat posed by explosive materials.
  We only need to look at terrorist activities overseas to understand 
that conventional and improvised explosive devices are a terrorist's 
weapon of choice to target military and civilians.
  Within the United States, we have been subject to our own share of 
explosive attacks, including the 1993 World Trade Center bombings, the 
1995 Oklahoma City bombing, the Centennial Olympic Park bombing, and 
others.
  State and local authorities have developed the capabilities to 
respond to potential explosive threats and to neutralize them. Yet 
without the office established in this bill, there would be no analysis 
of our nationwide capability to respond to explosive threats, or where 
gaps exist in training, equipment, and personnel against a national 
baseline. This analysis will assist State and local officials in 
applying for homeland security grants to fill these gaps.
  Further, this legislation will authorize the office to continue to 
promote information sharing and IED security awareness through advanced 
bomb prevention techniques and usable information.
  The office uses a secure Web site, known as ``TRIPwire,'' to provide 
to bomb prevention officials across the country access to current 
terrorist IED tactics, techniques and procedures, along with expert 
analysis and reports, making it a one-stop shop for actionable 
information.
  I previously mentioned our troops' experience with IEDs in Iraq and 
Afghanistan. This legislation instructs the Secretary of Homeland 
Security to work closely with the Department of Defense to take 
advantage of what our troops have learned on the battlefield, both in 
tactics and technology, to improve the capability of our first 
responders here at home.
  Preventing a bomb from going off should involve more than just those 
first responders attempting to neutralize the threat once the bomb has 
been placed. Education and awareness programs regarding the threat of 
IEDs are also a piece of this legislation, providing information on 
explosive precursors to merchants who can recognize suspicious 
purchases.
  The continued need for the Office of Bombing Prevention is clear. It 
is important to note that this office is not designed to replace 
existing elements of counter-explosive expertise already found in the 
Federal Government, but to assist and coordinate State, local, and 
tribal capability. In fact, the National Tactical Officers Association 
supports this legislation.
  By supporting H.R. 549, we take another step in upholding our 
responsibility to protect the lives and livelihood of American 
citizens.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I don't have any additional 
speakers for the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf).
  Mr. WOLF. I thank the gentleman for yielding the time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 549, the National Bombing 
Prevention Act of 2009. However, I have some concerns about language 
included in this bill regarding the enhancement of explosives detection 
canine resources and capabilities. I'm concerned and worried that this 
provision could unintentionally harm established Federal canine 
training facilities and even weaken existing training standards.
  Currently, the Customs and Border Protection agency runs two world-
class canine training facilities under its Canine Enforcement Program, 
in addition to a USDA facility in Florida. One of these facilities is 
located in my congressional district in Front Royal, Virginia, in what 
is viewed as the Shenandoah Valley. I strongly encourage Members to 
visit this exceptional program, staffed by dedicated Federal employees, 
before making any comprehensive reforms to this model program.
  The Canine Enhancement Program already serves the needs of the 
Department of Homeland Security and other Federal agencies. It is so 
highly regarded that many of our closest international allies--and I 
was out there. Egypt had their people out there training and many 
others--send their canine program officials to the Front Royal facility 
for training.
  Mr. Speaker, rather than reinventing a program that already 
demonstrates exceptional results, I hope that we can work with the 
Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection to 
address these issues as this legislation moves forward.
  Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Iowa (Mr. King).
  Mr. KING of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and 
am privileged to address you, Mr. Speaker, and to rise in support of 
H.R. 549, the National Bombing Prevention Act.
  This is something that certainly arises out of 9/11, when we watched 
in horror as the twin towers burned, the Pentagon was attacked, and the 
plane was crashed in Pennsylvania. It's changed the focus of this 
Nation. It's changed the priorities that we have.
  One would think that government would simply look at this and make 
sure that all the gaps are filled, that we were able to analyze 
capabilities and maintain a database, identify those gaps. The list of 
the things in this bill goes on.
  I'm looking at the risk to America and the energy that brings this 
bill to the floor, Mr. Speaker, and I think about this country in the 
broad terms. What do we need to do to take America to the next level of 
our destiny? How do we nurture the things that protect us? And how do 
we enhance the components that improve us?
  And I can't help but reflect, Mr. Speaker, as I stand here that we 
are unanimous in our support in protecting the American people. We 
disagree sometimes on the tactics--and I don't think we much disagree 
on these tactics--but I think that there are greater risks out there to 
America that cry out for an urgent approach rather than H.R. 549, the 
National Bombing Prevention Act.
  Some of those greater risks come from overseas. They come on our 
American military that are today in harm's way in Iraq and Afghanistan, 
the whole backdrop of that. We have

[[Page H905]]

poured a significant amount of resources in, and we've seen great 
success in Iraq in particular. We have a tough battle to fight in 
Afghanistan. That's the habitat that breeds the people that would like 
to penetrate through our shield.
  That's something we cannot always see but it's a tangible enemy 
because we have seen the results of that tangible enemy.
  Mr. Speaker, I can't watch this bill move through debate without 
raising the issue of the intangible enemy that we have, the enemy that 
we have from within, the enemy that creeps up on us and sneaks up on 
us, and the one that causes us to revert to security and trying to find 
a safer future. Whenever we see a bump along in our economy, when we 
see the stock market take a dip, when we see some unemployment numbers 
that go up, the first thing that happens is those who have been lying 
in wait for an economic disaster pounce upon that as an argument that 
the free markets are not the solution, that a managed economy is the 
solution.
  And we're in the middle of a pivotal debate in America today, Mr. 
Speaker, and that pivotal debate rests not so much on the physical 
security of the American people, as it does the economic opportunity of 
the American people.
  And in the name of economic security, we are watching trillions of 
dollars being invested in programs that have not shown any pattern of 
being successful. There was a $150 billion stimulus plan not quite a 
year ago and then a $700 billion stimulus plan that came out before the 
election, the bailout plan as it's commonly known, and now we're 
looking at perhaps a $900 billion stimulus that has with it at least 
$347 billion in interest attached to it over the next 10 years which 
takes us to $1.3 trillion.
  Just add the $700 billion on from the bailout from last fall, and 
we're at $2 trillion, $2 trillion in debt and burden which is just one 
leg of a multi-legged stool as we know from President Obama that has to 
be constructed by that approach.
  And I will submit that as much as we'd like to provide for the safety 
and the security of the American people--and I will continue to support 
and work together hand-in-hand across the aisle on those issues--I do 
oppose the idea that government can spend money better than people can, 
and I oppose the idea that creating new government programs and 
spending trillions of dollars. And this one-leg of a multi-legged stool 
is a $2 trillion leg, Mr. Speaker.
  How many more trillion dollars before we get all the legs built on 
this stool that may look like a centipede and our debt may look like 
it's insurmountable into the future?
  We've got to revert to the things that made this Nation great, the 
foundations of the American exceptionalism. And those foundations have 
been--and if we're to have a future will be--the free markets, the 
markets, the free enterprise system, and our faith in those markets. 
And at some point, we have to look back at history and understand that 
no matter how deep we can dig into the old ``New Deal'' of the 1930s, 
that the best that can be said for it was it may have slowed and 
diminished the depths to which we sunk during the Great Depression, but 
the tradeoff was that it delayed the recovery.

                              {time}  1700

  And now we are looking at a new, uber, new, new deal that's coming, 
that is multitrillions of dollars, that may or may not diminish the 
depths, but it will certainly delay the recovery.
  So that is my greatest fear for America, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate 
your attention.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I urge members to 
support this bill.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I strongly support H.R. 549, and believe that 
authorizing the Office of Bombing Prevention will greatly enhance our 
Nation's preparedness and response to arguably the most likely method 
of terrorist attack.
  In addition to authorizing the Office to develop a strategic vision 
and establish the capabilities level around the Nation, the bill 
provides support for efforts to research explosives detection and 
mitigation.
  It is important to note, Mr. Speaker, that an informed public is a 
prepared public. In this spirit, the bill also directs the Office to 
develop and implement a public awareness campaign that can reach the 
private sector, as well as ordinary citizens.
  Again, I'd like to commend Ranking Member King for bringing forth 
this important bipartisan legislation, and I urge immediate passage of 
H.R. 549.
  Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 549, the 
National Bombing Prevention Act of 2009, and am pleased that the House 
has moved quickly early in the 111th Congress to act on this important 
legislation. On January 15, 2009, I introduced H.R. 549, which 
authorizes the Office of Bombing Prevention within the Department of 
Homeland Security. In the previous Congress, the full House passed 
similar legislation by bipartisan voice vote on June 18, 2008.
  The Office of Bombing Prevention will provide much needed analysis 
and coordination of our Nation's bomb-prevention capacity. This will 
inform State and local governments on how to best protect our citizens 
from the threat posed by improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The 
terrorist attacks in Iraq and Afghanistan; the attacks in London in 
2007 and 2005; the Madrid bombings in 2004; and the countless other 
bombing attacks around the world serve as reminders that terrorist 
organizations utilize IEDs to target civilians and military personnel.
  Within the United States, we have been subject to our own share of 
explosive attacks, including the 1993 World Trade Center bombings; the 
1995 Oklahoma City bombing; the Centennial Olympic Park bombing; and 
others. State and local bomb squads across the country have formed and 
trained to respond to these types of threats. But at the national 
level, there is no analysis of our nationwide capability to respond to 
explosive threats, or to identify where gaps exist in training, 
equipment, and personnel against a national baseline. The Office 
authorized by this bill gives us that ability.
  This analysis will also assist State and local officials in applying 
for homeland security grants to fill these gaps. Further, the bill 
requires the Office to continue to share information with State and 
local officials and promote IED security awareness. This information is 
distributed through a secure website, known as ``TRIPwire,'' which 
provides to appropriate law enforcement officials access to current IED 
tactics, techniques and procedures--updated in light of new events and 
as terrorists change their methods. ``TRIPwire'' includes analysis and 
reports by experts making it a ``one-stop shop'' for actionable 
information.
  Information sharing with law enforcement is only one part of 
preventing an IED attack within the United States. Another key 
component of the Office of Bombing Prevention authorized in this bill 
is the establishment of an awareness program for the public regarding 
the threat of IEDs. This program will educate merchants, for example, 
on types of materials that are explosive pre-cursors, so that sellers 
can watch for, and recognize, suspicious purchases.
  Recognizing that our military has developed invaluable expertise in 
recognizing and countering IEDs, this legislation instructs the 
Secretary of Homeland Security to work closely with the Department of 
Defense to leverage lessons learned by our troops in combat. Adapting 
appropriate tactics and technology from overseas will improve the 
capability of our first responders here at home.
  The Office of Bombing Prevention has been in existence at the 
Department of Homeland Security since 2005, but has not yet been 
authorized by statute. The continued need for the Office of Bombing 
Prevention is clear. While there are many Federal agencies that bring 
expertise and roles to countering an explosive threat, this Office 
provides a unique role to assist and assess State, local, and tribal 
capability.
  By supporting H.R. 549, we take another step in upholding our 
responsibility to protect the lives and livelihood of American 
citizens. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this bill.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of 
my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 549, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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