[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 153 (Tuesday, October 20, 2015)]
[House]
[Pages H6988-H6989]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SECURING THE CITIES ACT OF 2015
Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 3493) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to
establish the Securing the Cities program to enhance the ability of the
United States to detect and prevent terrorist attacks and other high
consequence events utilizing nuclear or other radiological materials
that pose a high risk to homeland security in high-risk urban areas,
and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 3493
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 ``Securing the Cities Act of
2015''.
SEC. 2. SECURING THE CITIES PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Title XIX of the Homeland Security Act of
2002 (6 U.S.C. 591 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end
the following new section:
``SEC. 1908. SECURING THE CITIES PROGRAM.
``(a) Establishment.--The Director for Domestic Nuclear
Detection shall establish the `Securing the Cities' (`STC')
program to enhance the ability of the United States to detect
and prevent terrorist attacks and other high consequence
events utilizing nuclear or other radiological materials that
pose a high risk to homeland security in high-risk urban
areas. Through such program the Director shall--
``(1) assist State, local, tribal, and territorial
governments in designing and implementing, or enhancing
existing, architectures for coordinated and integrated
detection and interdiction of nuclear or other radiological
materials that are out of regulatory control;
``(2) support the development of a region-wide operating
capability to detect and report on nuclear and other
radioactive materials out of operational control;
``(3) provide resources to enhance detection, analysis,
communication, and coordination to better integrate State,
local, tribal, and territorial assets into Federal
operations;
``(4) facilitate alarm adjudication and provide subject
matter expertise and technical assistance on concepts of
operations, training, exercises, and alarm response
protocols;
``(5) communicate with, and promote sharing of information
about the presence or detection of nuclear or other
radiological materials among appropriate Federal, State,
local, tribal, and territorial governments, in a manner that
ensures transparency with the jurisdictions served by such
program; and
``(6) provide any other assistance the Director determines
appropriate.
``(b) Designation of Jurisdictions.--In carrying out the
program under subsection (a), the Director shall designate
jurisdictions from among high-risk urban areas under section
2003, and other cities and regions, as appropriate.
``(c) Congressional Notification.--The Director shall
notify the Committee on Homeland Security and the Committee
on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and
the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate not later than
three days before the designation of new jurisdictions under
subsection (b) or other changes to participating
jurisdictions.
``(d) GAO Report.--Not later than one year after the date
of the enactment of this section, the Comptroller General of
the United States shall submit to the congressional
committees specified in subsection (c) an assessment,
including an evaluation of the effectiveness, of the STC
program under this section.
``(e) Prohibition on Additional Funding.--No funds are
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section. This
section shall be carried out using amounts otherwise
appropriated or made available for such purpose.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section
1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by
inserting after the item relating to section 1907 the
following new item:
``Sec. 1908. Securing the Cities program.''.
SEC. 3. MODEL EXERCISES.
Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of
this Act, the Director for Domestic Nuclear Detection of the
Department of Homeland Security shall report to the Committee
on Homeland Security and the Committee on Appropriations of
the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs and the Committee on
Appropriations of the Senate on the feasibility of the
Director developing model exercises to test the preparedness
of jurisdictions participating in the Securing the Cities
program under section 1908 of the Homeland Security Act of
2002 (as added by section 2 of this Act) in meeting the
challenges that may be posed by a range of nuclear and
radiological threats.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Donovan) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Higgins) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York (Mr. Donovan).
General Leave
Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
and include any extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New York?
There was no objection.
Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
[[Page H6989]]
I rise today in support of H.R. 3493, the Securing the Cities Act of
2015.
In April 2010, the President stated: ``The single biggest threat to
U.S. security, both short-term, mid-term and long-term, would be the
possibility of a terrorist organization obtaining a nuclear weapon.''
Since that time, the threat to our cities from nuclear terrorism has
not abated. The rise of ISIS and the resurgence of al Qaeda have only
increased the likelihood that radiological material will fall into the
hands of those who wish to harm America.
Just last week, the Associated Press reported that the FBI foiled an
attempt by smugglers in Eastern Europe to sell nuclear material to
Middle Eastern extremist groups. That report stated that, in the past 5
years, the FBI has disrupted four other attempts by smugglers from the
former Soviet Union to sell nuclear materials to criminal
organizations.
These events only reinforce the testimony delivered before the House
Committee on Homeland Security last month by Commissioner William
Bratton of the New York City Police Department. In that testimony, the
commissioner described the current terrorist threat to Manhattan as the
highest it has ever been, and he specifically referenced the danger of
illicit nuclear material entering the city.
Thankfully, since the attacks of September 11, 2001, this Congress,
successive administrations, and local law enforcement have partnered to
build the capability to guard against this risk.
In particular, the Department of Homeland Security initiated the
Securing the Cities program within the Domestic Nuclear Detection
Office. The Securing the Cities program provided training, equipment,
and other resources to State and local law enforcement in high-risk
urban areas to prevent a terrorist group from carrying out an attack
using a radiological or nuclear device.
The Securing the Cities program began in 2006 as a pilot program in
the New York City region, which included Jersey City and Newark. Since
2007, the New York City region has purchased nearly 14,000 radiation
detectors and has trained nearly 20,000 personnel.
The pilot program has been so successful, it was expanded to the Los
Angeles-Long Beach region in fiscal year 2012, the national capital
region in fiscal year 2014, and just last week the cities of Houston
and Chicago were announced as the fiscal year 2015 and 2016 recipients.
H.R. 3493 would authorize the Securing the Cities program, which has
proven its utility as a pilot program. With continued authorization, we
can assure that the extraordinary capability built by local law
enforcement in conjunction with DHS does not become a hollow
capability, unable to be effectively used at the critical moment.
I would like to thank my colleagues who have helped bring this
authorization to the floor, especially Chairman McCaul of the Homeland
Security Committee, and my good friend Pete King, and also my friend
from Texas Representative Jackson Lee.
I urge all Members to join me in supporting this bill.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HIGGINS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume,
and rise in support of H.R. 3493, Securing the Cities Act of 2015.
Mr. Speaker, the Securing the Cities program is a grant and technical
assistance program administered by the Department of Homeland
Security's Domestic Nuclear Detection Office. Since its inception
nearly a decade ago, the Securing the Cities program has provided
thousands of first responders with the tools they need to detect
radiological and nuclear threats.
Started as a pilot project in 2006 in the New York City, Newark, and
New Jersey metropolitan areas, the program has grown to include Los
Angeles and Long Beach in 2012, and the Washington, D.C., Federal
district in 2014. This year, the program has identified Houston and
Chicago as high-priority areas for expanding the program.
Under the program, the initial grant award is generally used for
planning and analysis at a regional level, with subsequent grants going
towards equipment, training, and exercises. Importantly, through the
Securing the Cities program, the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office is
able to channel subject-matter expertise, training coordination, and
technical support to all the identified high-risk metropolitan areas.
H.R. 3493, like the bill I introduced that will be next to be
considered, is targeted at bolstering the security of our communities
from the threat of a nuclear attack. As such, Mr. Speaker, I urge
support of H.R. 3493.
We have an opportunity today to take action to bolster our defense
against rogue actors and terrorists who would seek to detonate a
nuclear device on U.S. soil. The disclosure in recent weeks of a
thwarted plot by Moldovan operatives to provide smuggled nuclear
materials to terrorist organizations with ambition to attack the United
States has crystallized the need for action. Today, we can take such
action. By approving H.R. 3493 and authorizing the Securing the Cities
program, we will be enhancing the Nation's ability to detect and
prevent a radiological and nuclear attack in cities facing the highest
risk.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I once again urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3493,
the Securing the Cities Act of 2015.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Donovan) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 3493, 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. DONOVAN. 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.
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