[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 165 (Thursday, November 5, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1600]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 FUSION CENTER ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2015

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. MICHAEL T. McCAUL

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, November 2, 2015

  Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following exchange of letters 
between the Committee on Homeland Security and the Transportation and 
Infrastructure Committee, regarding H.R. 3598, for the record.

         House of Representatives, Committee on Transportation and 
           Infrastructure,
                                 Washington, DC, November 2, 2015.
     Hon. Michael T. McCaul,
     Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman McCaul: I write concerning H.R. 3598, the 
     ``Fusion Center Enhancement Act of 2015.'' This legislation 
     includes matters that I believe fall within the Rule X 
     jurisdiction of the Committee on Transportation and 
     Infrastructure.
       In order to expedite floor consideration of H.R. 3598, the 
     Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure agreed to 
     forgo action on this bill despite the fact that the 
     Parliamentarians were unable to fully litigate the 
     jurisdictional question. However, this was conditional on our 
     mutual understanding that forgoing consideration of the bill 
     would not prejudice the Committee with respect to the 
     appointment of conferees or to any future jurisdictional 
     claim over the subject matters contained in the bill or 
     similar legislation that fall within the Committee's Rule X 
     jurisdiction.
       I request that you please place a copy of this letter and 
     your response acknowledging our jurisdictional interest into 
     the Congressional Record.
           Sincerely,
                                                     Bill Shuster,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                               Committee on Homeland Security,

                                 Washington, DC, November 3, 2015.
     Hon. Bill Shuster,
     Chairman, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Shuster, Thank you for your interest in H.R. 
     3598, the ``Fusion Center Enhancement Act of 2015.'' I 
     appreciate your cooperation in refraining from requesting a 
     sequential referral on this bill in the interest of allowing 
     it to move expeditiously under suspension of the House Rules 
     on November 2, 2015. Because H.R. 3598 has now passed the 
     House, the Parliamentarians can no longer render an official 
     decision as to any jurisdictional claim the Transportation 
     and Infrastructure Committee may have had.
       I therefore acknowledge that the question of the 
     Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's jurisdictional 
     interest in a certain provision of H.R. 3598 has not been 
     fully adjudicated and that no final decision as to that point 
     was made. I further agree that the absence of a final 
     decision will not prejudice any claim the Transportation and 
     Infrastructure Committee may have with respect to this 
     legislation in the future.
       A copy of this letter will be entered into the 
     Congressional Record.
           Sincerely,
                                                Michael T. McCaul,
     Chairman.

                          ____________________