[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 101 (Tuesday, June 23, 2015)]
[House]
[Pages H4576-H4578]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         CBRN INTELLIGENCE AND INFORMATION SHARING ACT OF 2015

  Ms. McSALLY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2200) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to 
establish chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear intelligence 
and information sharing functions of the Office of Intelligence and 
Analysis of the Department of Homeland Security and to require 
dissemination of information analyzed by the Department to entities 
with responsibilities relating to homeland security, and for other 
purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2200

       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 ``CBRN Intelligence and 
     Information Sharing Act of 2015''.

     SEC. 2. CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL, RADIOLOGICAL, AND NUCLEAR 
                   INTELLIGENCE AND INFORMATION SHARING.

       (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:

     ``SEC. 210G. CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL, RADIOLOGICAL, AND NUCLEAR 
                   INTELLIGENCE AND INFORMATION SHARING.

       ``(a) In General.--The Office of Intelligence and Analysis 
     of the Department of Homeland Security shall--
       ``(1) support homeland security-focused intelligence 
     analysis of terrorist actors, their claims, and their plans 
     to conduct attacks involving chemical, biological, 
     radiological, and nuclear materials against the Nation;
       ``(2) support homeland security-focused intelligence 
     analysis of global infectious disease, public health, food, 
     agricultural, and veterinary issues;
       ``(3) support homeland security-focused risk analysis and 
     risk assessments of the homeland security hazards described 
     in paragraphs (1) and (2), including the transportation of 
     chemical, biological, nuclear, and radiological materials, by 
     providing relevant quantitative and nonquantitative threat 
     information;
       ``(4) leverage existing and emerging homeland security 
     intelligence capabilities and structures to enhance 
     prevention, protection, response, and recovery efforts with 
     respect to a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear 
     attack;
       ``(5) share information and provide tailored analytical 
     support on these threats to State, local, and tribal 
     authorities as well as other national biosecurity and 
     biodefense stakeholders and other Federal agencies, as 
     appropriate; and
       ``(6) perform other responsibilities, as assigned by the 
     Secretary.
       ``(b) Coordination.--Where appropriate, the Office of 
     Intelligence and Analysis shall coordinate with other 
     relevant Department components, including the National 
     Biosurveillance Integration Center, others in the 
     Intelligence Community, including the National Counter 
     Proliferation Center, and other Federal, State, local, and 
     tribal authorities, including officials from high-threat 
     areas, State and major urban area fusion centers, and local 
     public health departments, as appropriate, and enable such 
     entities to provide recommendations on optimal information 
     sharing mechanisms, including expeditious sharing of 
     classified information, and on how they can provide 
     information to the Department.
       ``(c) Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(1) The term `appropriate congressional committees' means 
     the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 
     Representatives and any committee of the House of 
     Representatives or the Senate having legislative jurisdiction 
     under the rules of the House of Representatives or Senate, 
     respectively, over the matter concerned.
       ``(2) The term `Intelligence Community' has the meaning 
     given that term in section 3(4) of the National Security Act 
     of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 401a(4)).
       ``(3) The term `national biosecurity and biodefense 
     stakeholders' means officials from the Federal, State, local, 
     and tribal authorities and individuals from the private 
     sector who are involved in efforts to prevent, protect 
     against, respond to, and recover from a biological attack or 
     other phenomena that may have serious health consequences for 
     the United States, including infectious disease outbreaks.''.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section 
     1(b) of such Act is amended by adding at the end of the items 
     relating to such subtitle the following:

``Sec. 210G. Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear 
              intelligence and information sharing.''.
       (c) Report.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, the 
     Secretary of Homeland Security shall report to the 
     appropriate congressional committees on--
       (A) the intelligence and information sharing activities 
     under subsection (a) and of all relevant entities within the 
     Department of Homeland Security to counter the threat from 
     attacks using chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear 
     materials; and
       (B) the Department's activities in accordance with relevant 
     intelligence strategies.
       (2) Assessment of implementation.--The report shall 
     include--
       (A) a description of methods established to assess progress 
     of the Office of Intelligence and Analysis in implementing 
     the amendment made by subsection (a); and
       (B) such assessment.
       (3) Termination.--This subsection shall have no force or 
     effect after the end of the 5-year period beginning on the 
     date of the enactment of this Act.

     SEC. 3. DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION ANALYZED BY THE 
                   DEPARTMENT TO STATE, LOCAL, TRIBAL, AND PRIVATE 
                   ENTITIES WITH RESPONSIBILITIES RELATING TO 
                   HOMELAND SECURITY.

       Section 201(d)(8) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 
     U.S.C. 121(d)(8)) is amended by striking ``and to agencies of 
     State'' and all that follows and inserting ``to State, local, 
     tribal, and private entities with such responsibilities, and, 
     as appropriate, to the public, in order to assist in 
     preventing, deterring, or responding to acts of terrorism 
     against the United States.''.

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


                             General Leave

  Ms. McSALLY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and to include any extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

[[Page H4577]]

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Arizona?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. McSALLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as the chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security's 
Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications, I 
rise today in support of H.R. 2200, the CBRN Intelligence and 
Information Sharing Act of 2015.
  We know that terrorists have long strived to employ chemical, 
biological, radiological, and nuclear--or CBRN--materials in their 
attacks. ISIS and other terror organizations have attempted to use 
chemical weapons, and experts suggest that terrorist interest in 
utilizing chemical agents has increased. In fact, reports indicate that 
ISIS may be currently using chemical weapons in Syria and Iraq.
  Since the procedures and equipment required to develop biological 
weapons are the same as those used for legitimate research purposes and 
are readily available, it is imperative that intelligence information 
related to bio threats is appropriately analyzed and shared with those 
who would be on the front lines of response in the event of a 
biological attack.
  Furthermore, events such as the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013 
illustrated the need for better information sharing between Federal and 
local officials.
  H.R. 2200 will enhance intelligence analysis and information sharing 
to fill this need and will work to ensure that State and local 
officials get the actionable intelligence information necessary to stop 
or mitigate a CBRN attack.
  This legislation considers information garnered from the Subcommittee 
on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications hearings on the 
threat of chemical and biological terrorism. During two hearings 
earlier this year, we heard from numerous stakeholders that information 
sharing with appropriate State and local officials and emergency 
response providers about these threats is critical.
  Specifically, this budget neutral bill requires the Office of 
Intelligence and Analysis at DHS to support homeland security focused 
intelligence analysis of CBRN threats, including emerging infectious 
diseases, working in coordination with the Department's National 
Biosurveillance Integration Center and the intelligence community.
  As information and intelligence is only useful if it is shared with 
those who can take action, such as State, local, tribal, and private 
entities, H.R. 2200 directs the Office of Intelligence and Analysis to 
not only share information with these partners, but also engage with 
them and get their feedback on mechanisms for two-way sharing of 
information.
  Finally, H.R. 2200 directs the Secretary of DHS to report annually 
for 5 years on the Department's intelligence and information sharing 
activities to counter the threat from weapons of mass destruction and 
DHS's activities in accordance with relevant intelligence strategies.
  The House passed nearly identical bills during the 112th and 113th 
Congresses with bipartisan support.
  I urge Members to join me in supporting this bill, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  I rise in strong support of H.R. 2200, the CBRN Intelligence and 
Information Sharing Act.
  Mr. Speaker, in the years following the September 11 attacks, 
Congress worked to address many of the preparedness gaps identified by 
the 9/11 Commission, including the threat posed by weapons of mass 
destruction. Pursuant to the 9/11 Commission's recommendations, 
Congress established the Weapons of Mass Destruction, or WMD 
Commission.
  In 2008, the WMD Commission issued a series of recommendations to 
counter the proliferation of WMDs and build a more robust national 
capability to respond to such attacks.

                              {time}  1715

  Subsequently, the WMD Commission and its legacy organization, the WMD 
Center, issued a series of report cards evaluating the Federal 
Government's progress in implementing the WMD Commission's 
recommendations. Unfortunately, each report card found that the Federal 
Government was not acting quickly enough.
  In the years since the WMD Center issued its final bio-response 
report card in 2011, WMD threats have continued to evolve. What we know 
now is that the threats posed by WMDs are more dynamic and that our 
enemies are growing more agile. H.R. 2200 focuses on an important 
aspect of our Nation's ability to prevent, to prepare for, and to 
respond to a WMD attack--information sharing.
  At the full committee and subcommittee levels, the Committee on 
Homeland Security has devoted significant time and resources to 
assessing Federal activities to address the threat of WMDs. I have 
heard one message consistently from the witnesses who have come before 
us: we need to improve coordination and information sharing with State 
and local governments and emergency responders. Situational awareness 
is essential to ensuring a robust response to a CBRN incident and to 
saving lives; and I appreciate Emergency Preparedness, Response, and 
Communications Subcommittee Chairwoman McSally's efforts to improve 
CBRN threat-related intelligence and information sharing.
  If we learned anything from the 9/11 attacks, it is that information 
sharing saves lives. From putting desperate pieces of information 
together, to stopping an attack, to ensuring that first responders are 
equipped to respond safely and effectively, information sharing plays 
an essential role in complete situational awareness. H.R. 2200 will 
improve the way we use information related to evolving threats posed by 
chemical, biological, nuclear, and radiological agents. I urge my 
colleagues to support H.R. 2200.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. McSALLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I, once again, urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan 
legislation that will enhance the sharing of CBRN-related threat 
information.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HIGGINS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2200, the CBRN 
Intelligence and Information Sharing Act of 2015.
  I would like to begin by thanking my colleague, Martha McSally, for 
her work on this important bill.
  This bipartisan piece of legislation would direct the Department of 
Homeland Security to analyze terrorist intentions with respect to 
chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear material, and share this 
information with state, local and federal entities.
  The bill includes my amendment, which was accepted in Committee, to 
require DHS to assess the specific risks presented by transporting 
these materials, addressing a key concern in Western New York.
  The Department of Energy plans to begin shipping highly-enriched 
uranium liquid from Canada to South Carolina next year. This material, 
which is far more radioactive than spent nuclear fuel, would be shipped 
in casks that have never been certified to carry highly-enriched 
uranium liquid.
  The Department proposes to transport this waste across the Northern 
Border at the Peace Bridge, the second busiest crossing for cargo and 
the busiest crossing for passengers on the Northern Border.
  The Peace Bridge crosses the Niagara River which connects two Great 
Lakes, the contamination of which could endanger the world's largest 
fresh water supply.
  The nuclear casks would then proceed from the Peace Bridge through 
downtown Buffalo, a high-density urban area.
  The Department of Energy approved this route nearly twenty years ago, 
and it reflects the pre-nine-eleven mindset on the threat and 
consequences of terrorism.
  The legislation before us today would allow the Department of Energy 
to reconsider the wisdom of transporting dangerously radioactive 
material through high-risk areas like Buffalo.
  Again, I want to thank my colleague, Martha McSally, for her work and 
leadership on this issue and urge passage of this bill.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Homeland 
Security Committee, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2200, the ``CBRN 
Intelligence and Information Sharing Act of 2015.''
  I support this bipartisan legislation which amends the Homeland 
Security Act of 2002 to direct the Office of Intelligence and Analysis 
of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to: (1) support homeland 
security-focused intelligence analysis of terrorist actors, their 
claims, and their plans to conduct attacks involving chemical, 
biological, radiological, and

[[Page H4578]]

nuclear materials against the nation and of global infectious disease, 
public health, food, agricultural, and veterinary issues; (2) support 
homeland security-focused risk analysis and risk assessments of such 
homeland security hazards by providing relevant quantitative and no 
quantitative threat information; (3) leverage homeland security 
intelligence capabilities and structures to enhance prevention, 
protection, response, and recovery efforts with respect to a chemical, 
biological, radiological, or nuclear attack; and (4) share information 
and provide tailored analytical support on these threats to state, 
local, and tribal authorities as well as other national biosecurity and 
biodefense stakeholders.
  I am pleased that H.R. 2200 incorporates an amendment by 
Congresswoman McSally that directs the department to establish 
chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) intelligence and 
information sharing functions of the Office of Intelligence and 
Analysis of the Department of Homeland Security and to require 
dissemination of information analyzed by the Department to entities 
with responsibilities relating to homeland security.
  The Nation's chemical facilities represent a terrorist target that 
must be protected.
  It is my hope that this bill will improve upon current legislation 
authorizing the Department of Homeland Security to regulate security 
practices at the Nation's chemical facilities.
  Mr. Speaker, it is clear that we must equip ourselves to be able to 
detect attacks of a CBRN nature.
  H.R. 2200 ensures a standardized communication platform for need to 
know industries dealing with such sensitive information.
  There is no room for error when it comes to our nation's security.
  I urge all of my colleagues to join me in voting to pass, H.R. 2200, 
the ``CBRN Intelligence and Information Sharing Act of 2015.''
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Arizona (Ms. McSally) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 2200, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas 
and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

                          ____________________