[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 44 (Monday, March 21, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H1480-H1484]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         COUNTERTERRORISM SCREENING AND ASSISTANCE ACT OF 2016

  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 4314) to require a plan to combat international travel by 
terrorists and foreign fighters, accelerate the transfer of certain 
border security systems to foreign partner governments, establish 
minimum international border security standards, authorize the 
suspension of foreign assistance to countries not making significant 
efforts to comply with such minimum standards, and for other purposes, 
as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4314

       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 ``Counterterrorism Screening 
     and Assistance Act of 2016''.

     SEC. 2. FOREIGN PARTNER ENGAGEMENT PLAN.

       (a) Findings.--Consistent with the final report of the 
     Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 
     Representatives bipartisan ``Task Force on Combating 
     Terrorist and Foreign Fighter Travel'', Congress makes the 
     following findings:
       (1) It is important for the national security of the United 
     States to assist foreign partners in closing security gaps 
     which may allow terrorists and foreign fighters to travel 
     internationally, avoiding detection.
       (2) Building foreign partner capacity to combat terrorist 
     travel helps extend the United States security beyond its 
     border to mitigate threats before they reach the United 
     States.
       (3) United States Government departments and agencies have 
     spent billions of dollars to help foreign partners improve 
     their security against terrorist travel since the attacks of 
     September 11, 2001, including through the provision of 
     technical assistance, equipment, training, and other tools.
       (4) The lack of a United States Governmentwide, risk-based 
     approach increases the odds that systematic security gaps 
     abroad may persist and that United States response efforts 
     will not be maximized in order to close these gaps.
       (5) Failure to effectively coordinate capacity-building 
     activities also results in greater risk of overlap, waste, 
     and unnecessary duplication between the United States and 
     international programs.
       (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     the United States Government must ensure capacity-building 
     assistance is coordinated both among United States Government 
     departments and agencies as well as with foreign implementing 
     partners, and assistance should be prioritized for the 
     highest-risk countries for travel by terrorists and foreign 
     fighters.
       (c) Plan.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act and every two years thereafter at 
     the time of the President's budget submission to Congress 
     under section 1105 of title 31, United States Code, until 
     2022, the Secretary of State shall, in accordance with the 
     protection of intelligence sources and methods, develop and 
     submit to the appropriate congressional committees 
     unclassified and classified versions of a foreign partner 
     engagement plan which catalogues existing capacity-building 
     initiatives abroad to combat travel by terrorists and foreign 
     fighters and identifies areas for adjustment to align ongoing 
     efforts with risk-based priorities.

[[Page H1481]]

       (2) Coordination.--The plan required under paragraph (1) 
     shall be developed in coordination with all relevant United 
     States Government departments and agencies and in 
     consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, the 
     Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Defense, the 
     Attorney General, the Director of National Intelligence, and 
     the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
       (3) Contents.--The plan required under paragraph (1) 
     shall--
       (A) include an assessment of all countries and whether each 
     country is high-risk, medium-risk, or low-risk for travel by 
     terrorists and foreign fighters based on the minimum 
     standards described in section 4(b), as well as--
       (i) an identification of the number of flights that 
     originate from last points of departure in each country to 
     the United States;
       (ii) visa waiver program status or visa application and 
     denial rates for each country;
       (iii) recent threats, terrorist and foreign fighter travel 
     trends, and the overall terror threat environment in each 
     country; and
       (iv) other criteria as determined by the Secretary of State 
     and the Secretary of Homeland Security;
       (B) detail existing United States Government programs, 
     projects, and activities which are intended to or have the 
     substantial effect of building the capacity of such countries 
     to combat travel by terrorists and foreign fighters, 
     including estimated spending levels by country where 
     practicable; and
       (C) outline a plan for prioritizing United States 
     Government resources toward high-risk and medium-risk 
     countries, including--
       (i) identifying efforts which should be reformed, 
     consolidated, or eliminated; and
       (ii) detailing new programs, projects, or activities that 
     are requested, being planned, or are undergoing 
     implementation and associated costs.

     SEC. 3. SHARING SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT TO OBSTRUCT TRAVEL BY 
                   TERRORISTS AND FOREIGN FIGHTERS.

       (a) Border Security and Counterterrorism Screening Tools.--
       (1) In general.--Subject to subsection (d), the Secretary 
     of Homeland Security and the Secretary of State shall 
     accelerate the provision of appropriate versions of the 
     following systems to foreign governments:
       (A) U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Automated 
     Targeting System--Global.
       (B) The Department of State's Personal Identification 
     Secure Comparison and Evaluation System.
       (2) Prioritization.--The Secretary of Homeland Security and 
     the Secretary of State shall coordinate to prioritize the 
     provision of the systems specified in paragraph (1) to 
     countries determined to be high-risk and medium-risk in the 
     foreign partner engagement plan required under section 2.
       (b) Equipment Transfer.--
       (1) In general.--Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), the 
     Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the 
     Secretary of State, is authorized to provide, with or without 
     reimbursement, excess nonlethal equipment and supplies owned 
     by the Department of Homeland Security to a foreign 
     government.
       (2) Determination.--The Secretary of Homeland Security is 
     authorized to provide equipment and supplies pursuant to 
     paragraph (1) if the Secretary determines that the provision 
     of such equipment and supplies would--
       (A) further the homeland security interests of the United 
     States; and
       (B) enhance the recipient government's capacity to--
       (i) mitigate the risk or threat of terrorism, infectious 
     disease, or natural disaster;
       (ii) protect and expedite lawful trade and travel; or
       (iii) enforce intellectual property rights.
       (3) Limitation on transfer.--The Secretary of Homeland 
     Security may not--
       (A) provide any equipment or supplies that are designated 
     as items on the United States Munitions List pursuant to 
     section 38 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2778); 
     or
       (B) provide any vessel or aircraft pursuant to this 
     subsection.
       (4) Related training.--In conjunction with a provision of 
     equipment or supplies pursuant to paragraph (1), the 
     Secretary of Homeland Security may provide such equipment-
     related or supplies-related training and assistance as the 
     Secretary determines to be necessary.
       (5) Maintenance of transferred equipment.--The Secretary of 
     Homeland Security may provide for the maintenance of 
     transferred equipment or supplies through service contracts 
     or other means, with or without reimbursement, as the 
     Secretary determines appropriate.
       (6) Reimbursement of expenses.--The Secretary of Homeland 
     Security is authorized to collect payment from the recipient 
     government for the provision of training, shipping costs, 
     supporting materials, maintenance, supplies, or other 
     assistance in support of provided equipment or supplies under 
     this subsection.
       (7) Receipts credited as offsetting collections.--
     Notwithstanding section 3302 of title 31, United States Code, 
     any amount collected under this subsection--
       (A) shall be credited as offsetting collections, subject to 
     appropriations, to the account that finances the activities 
     and services for which the payment is received; and
       (B) shall remain available until expended for the purpose 
     of providing for the security interests of the homeland.
       (8) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this subsection may 
     be construed as affecting, augmenting, or diminishing the 
     authority of the Secretary of State.
       (9) Definition.--For the purposes of this section, the term 
     ``excess nonlethal equipment and supplies'' means equipment 
     and supplies the Secretary of Homeland Security has 
     determined is either not required for United States domestic 
     operations, or would be more effective to homeland security 
     if deployed for use outside of the United States.
       (c) Notification to Congress.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 15 days before providing 
     any systems or equipment or supplies under this section, the 
     Secretary of Homeland Security and Secretary of State shall 
     provide notification to the appropriate congressional 
     committees of such provision.
       (2) Contents.--A notification required under paragraph (1) 
     shall include the following:
       (A) The specific vulnerability that will be mitigated by 
     the provision of any systems or equipment or supplies under 
     this section.
       (B) An explanation as to why the recipient is unable or 
     unwilling to independently acquire such systems or equipment 
     or supplies.
       (C) An evacuation plan for any sensitive technologies in 
     case of emergency or instability in the country to which such 
     systems or equipment or supplies is being provided.
       (D) How the United States Government will ensure that such 
     systems or equipment or supplies are being maintained 
     appropriately and used as intended.
       (E) The total dollar value of such systems, equipment, and 
     supplies.
       (d) Rule of Construction.--
       (1) In general.--The authority provided under this section 
     shall be exercised in accordance with applicable provisions 
     of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.), the 
     Export Administration Regulations, or any other similar 
     provision of law.
       (2) Definition.--In this subsection, the term ``Export 
     Administration Regulations'' means--
       (A) the Export Administration Regulations as maintained and 
     amended under the authority of the International Emergency 
     Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) and codified in 
     subchapter C of chapter VII of title 15, Code of Federal 
     Regulations; or
       (B) any successor regulations.

     SEC. 4. ACTIONS WITH RESPECT TO FOREIGN COUNTRIES THAT FAIL 
                   TO MEET MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR SERIOUS AND 
                   SUSTAINED EFFORTS TO COMBAT TERRORIST AND 
                   FOREIGN FIGHTER TRAVEL.

       (a) Reports to Congress.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than April 30 of each year 
     through 2021, the Secretary of State, in coordination with 
     the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall submit to the 
     appropriate congressional committees a report with respect to 
     the status of efforts of foreign governments to combat 
     terrorist and foreign fighter travel. The report shall 
     include the following:
       (A) A list of those foreign countries, if any, to which the 
     minimum standards for serious and sustained efforts to combat 
     terrorist and foreign fighter travel as described in 
     subsection (b) are applicable and whose governments comply 
     with such standards.
       (B) A list of those foreign countries, if any, to which the 
     minimum standards for serious and sustained efforts to combat 
     terrorist and fighter travel as described in subsection (b) 
     are applicable and whose governments do not yet fully comply 
     with such standards but are making significant efforts to 
     bring themselves into compliance.
       (C) A list of those foreign countries, if any, to which the 
     minimum standards for serious and sustained efforts to combat 
     terrorist and foreign fighter travel as described in 
     subsection (b) are applicable and whose governments do not 
     fully comply with such standards and are not making 
     significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance.
       (D) A description for each foreign country identified in 
     subparagraphs (B) and (C) of the areas in which the 
     government of the foreign country does not meet the minimum 
     standards for serious and sustained efforts to combat 
     terrorist and foreign fighter travel as described in 
     subsection (b).
       (2) Form.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall be 
     submitted in unclassified form, but may contain a classified 
     annex, if necessary.
       (3) Inclusion in country reports on terrorism.--To the 
     maximum extent practicable, the Secretary of State, in 
     coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security, should 
     incorporate the report required by paragraph (1) into the 
     annual country reports on terrorism submitted pursuant to 
     section 140 of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, 
     Fiscal Years 1988 and 1989 (22 U.S.C. 2656f).
       (b) Minimum Standards Described.--The minimum standards for 
     serious and sustained efforts to combat terrorist and foreign 
     fighter travel applicable to the government of a foreign 
     country are the following:
       (1) The government of the country makes meaningful efforts 
     to identify and monitor terrorists and foreign fighters 
     operating within the territory of the country.
       (2) The government of the country regularly exchanges 
     substantive counterterrorism information with other foreign 
     governments, including the United States Government, through 
     bilateral or multilateral channels and international 
     organizations such as INTERPOL, and cooperates with

[[Page H1482]]

     other foreign governments in the investigation and 
     prosecution of terrorists and foreign fighters.
       (3) The government of the country implements effective 
     border controls or participates in an existing border-
     crossing control regime that has been determined by the 
     United States Government to employ effective border-crossing 
     oversight.
       (4) The government of the country has controls and systems 
     in place to prevent and report upon counterfeiting, forgery, 
     and, fraudulent use or possession of false, stolen or lost 
     identity papers and travel documents.
       (5) The government of the country collects air passenger 
     data and employs evidence-based traveler risk assessment and 
     screening procedures, including collection and analysis of 
     travel data.
       (6) The government of the country appropriately screens 
     travelers, including vetting of travelers at air, sea, and 
     land ports of entry, against counterterrorism and other 
     criminal databases, as appropriate.
       (7) The government of the country submits information to 
     INTERPOL databases and screens travelers against INTERPOL 
     databases at ports of entry and exit.
       (8) The government of the country has established and 
     implemented domestic laws criminalizing material support to 
     foreign terrorist organizations and has the ability and 
     willingness to prosecute cases involving such material 
     support to foreign terrorist organizations.
       (9) The government of the country takes measures to prevent 
     individuals in its territory from traveling abroad to enlist 
     with or provide material support to foreign terrorist 
     organizations.
       (10) The government of the country takes measures to ensure 
     a minimal level of corruption and likelihood that corruption 
     could impact the veracity of security and intelligence 
     reporting from the country, a minimal likelihood that such 
     corruption could adversely affect the legitimacy of national 
     identity papers of the country, and the country does not 
     shelter suspects from investigation and prosecution.
       (11) The government of a country is not determined to be a 
     high-risk program country under section 217(c)(12) of the 
     Immigration and Nationality Act (8. U.S.C. 1187(c)(12)).
       (c) Suspension of Assistance.--The Secretary of State, in 
     consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security and the 
     heads of other Federal agencies, as appropriate, is 
     authorized to suspend nonhumanitarian, nontrade-related 
     foreign assistance to any government of a foreign country if 
     the foreign country is identified in subparagraph (C) of 
     subsection (a)(1) in the most recent report submitted to the 
     appropriate congressional committees under such subsection.

     SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
     ``appropriate congressional committees'' means the Committee 
     on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, the Committee 
     on Foreign Relations, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the 
     Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
     Senate and the Committee on Homeland Security, the Committee 
     on the Judiciary, and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
     House of Representatives.
       (2) Foreign terrorist organization.--The term ``foreign 
     terrorist organization'' means an organization that is 
     designated as a foreign terrorist organization pursuant to 
     section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
     1189).
       (3) Nonhumanitarian, nontrade-related foreign assistance.--
     The term ``nonhumanitarian, nontrade-related foreign 
     assistance'' has the meaning given the term in section 103 of 
     the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 
     7102).

     SEC. 6. PROHIBITION ON ADDITIONAL FUNDING.

       No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to 
     carry out this Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Royce) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Bera) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce).


                             General Leave

  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include any extraneous material on H.R. 4314.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Let me begin by thanking Mr. Zeldin of New York for his work on H.R. 
4314, the Counterterrorism Screening and Assistance Act, as well as to 
thank the other members of the Committee on Homeland Security's 
bipartisan Task Force on Combating Terrorist and Foreign Fighter 
Travel.
  Under the leadership of Chairman McCaul and with the significant 
contributions of Mr. Katko of New York and the Foreign Affairs 
Committee, we unanimously approved this measure in January. Mr. 
Speaker, the reason we did goes back to a little bit of history.
  Al Qaeda planned the 9/11 attacks from Afghanistan because they had 
the capacity to do so--to plan an attack there on the United States. 
Now, ISIS controls significant territory. They control that territory 
in Syria, in Iraq, in Libya. As long as terrorist groups maintain these 
safe havens abroad, where they can work on new forms of munitions, 
bombing, and go through trial runs on how they carry out an attack, as 
a consequence, we are under a threat here on our homeland, much like 
the situation prior to 9/11.

                              {time}  1645

  The perpetrators of the horrific attack that we all saw on that 
coverage out of Paris that killed 130--those killed were European 
nationals. Those who did those murders had trained to fight in Syria. 
They had traveled by train. They returned to Europe through Greece and 
through Turkey.
  Despite the fact that many of those local attackers were known by 
authorities, they were still able to move across borders. They moved 
without detection. In some cases, they moved with those fraudulent 
passports from Syria.
  Given the high number of foreign fighters returning home from that 
ISIS stronghold in Syria and from the ISIS training camps in Iraq--and, 
frankly, from Libya as well, we have now heard--there is a recognized 
and urgent need for improved border security and information sharing 
between governments.
  This bill is a way to get there because this threat is not just 
limited, by the way, to us in the United States and to Europe.
  Earlier this month terrorists who had received training inside Libya 
were killed by Tunisian security forces during an attempted attack 
inside Tunisia.
  So these attacks now demonstrate how easy it has become for 
terrorists and for foreign fighters to move across open borders.
  This legislation makes several important changes to how border 
security is administered. It improves the tools deployed at the border. 
It increases the border security coordination between Allied states.
  It does it in the following way: This legislation requires the 
Departments of State and Homeland Security to produce an annual 
scorecard assessing the border security efforts of countries around the 
world.
  This is going to identify the weaknesses and areas for improvement 
abroad. It will also mandate a streamlining of our own efforts to 
assist partners overseas with their border security programs. The 
administration will then submit a plan to Congress for prioritizing 
U.S. assistance on this.
  This bill requires the establishment of minimum standards for border 
security on the part of our Allied states. Countries that fail to meet 
these minimum standards can have U.S. foreign assistance suspended, cut 
off, employing the same incentive already in place that we use today in 
order to force compliance against human trafficking overseas, against 
those states that commit human rights violations.
  Many of the Members here are familiar with how we leverage those 
states to force them to pass legislation and change the way in which 
they address these issues. We are going to deploy the same leverage 
here.
  So this bill reflects the recommendations made by our colleagues on 
the Homeland Security's bipartisan task force on combating terrorists 
and foreign fighter travel, which we have worked together on. The 
Foreign Affairs Committee has worked with the Homeland Security 
Committee on that.
  I again thank Mr. Lee Zeldin for his leadership and for his work to 
make our Nation safer against this terrorist threat.
  I reserve the balance of my time.

                                         House of Representatives,


                                   Committee on the Judiciary,

                                    Washington, DC, March 3, 2016.
     Hon. Ed Royce,
     Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Royce: I am writing with respect to H.R. 
     4314, the ``Counterterrorism Screening and Assistance Act of 
     2016,'' which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
     Affairs and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary. As 
     a result of your having consulted with us on provisions in 
     H.R. 4314

[[Page H1483]]

     that fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on 
     the Judiciary, I agree to discharge our Committee from 
     further consideration of this bill so that it may proceed 
     expeditiously to the House floor for consideration.
       The Judiciary Committee takes this action with our mutual 
     understanding that by foregoing consideration of H.R. 4314 at 
     this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction over subject 
     matter contained in this or similar legislation, and that our 
     Committee will be appropriately consulted and involved as 
     this bill or similar legislation moves forward so that we may 
     address any remaining issues in our jurisdiction. Our 
     Committee also reserves the right to seek appointment of an 
     appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate 
     conference involving this or similar legislation, and asks 
     that you support any such request.
       I would appreciate a response to this letter confirming 
     this understanding with respect to H.R. 4314, and would ask 
     that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be 
     included in the Congressional Record during Floor 
     consideration of H.R. 4314.
           Sincerely,
                                                    Bob Goodlatte,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                                 Committee on Foreign Affairs,

                                   Washington, DC, March 16, 2016.
     Hon. Bob Goodlatte,
     Chairman, House Committee on the Judiciary,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for consulting with the 
     Committee on Foreign Affairs on H.R. 4314, the 
     Counterterrorism Screening and Assistance Act of 2016, and 
     for agreeing to be discharged from further consideration of 
     that bill.
       I agree that your forgoing further action on this measure 
     does not in any way diminish or alter the jurisdiction of the 
     Committee on the Judiciary, or prejudice its jurisdictional 
     prerogatives on this bill or similar legislation in the 
     future. I would support your effort to seek appointment of an 
     appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate 
     conference involving this legislation.
       I will seek to place our letters on H.R. 4314 into the 
     Congressional Record during floor consideration of the bill. 
     I appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation and 
     look forward to continuing to work with your Committee as 
     this measure moves through the legislative process.
           Sincerely,
                                                   Edward R. Royce
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                               Committee on Homeland Security,

                                   Washington, DC, March 18, 2016.
     Hon. Ed Royce,
     Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Royce: I am writing to you concerning the 
     jurisdictional interest of the Committee on Homeland Security 
     in H.R. 4314, the ``Counterterrorism Screening and Assistance 
     Act of 2016.'' The bill contains provisions that fall within 
     the jurisdiction of the Committee on Homeland Security.
       I recognize and appreciate the desire to bring this 
     legislation before the House of Representatives in an 
     expeditious manner, and accordingly, the Committee on 
     Homeland Security will forego consideration of this bill. The 
     Committee takes this action with the mutual understanding 
     that by foregoing action at this time we do not waive any 
     jurisdiction over subject matter contained in this or similar 
     legislation.
       This waiver is also given with the understanding that the 
     Committee on Homeland Security expressly reserves its 
     authority to seek conferees on any provision within its 
     jurisdiction during any House-Senate conference on this or 
     any similar legislation, and requests your support for such a 
     request.
       I ask that a copy of this letter and your response be 
     included in the Congressional Record during consideration of 
     this bill on the House floor.
           Sincerely,
                                                Michael T. McCaul,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                                 Committee on Foreign Affairs,

                                   Washington, DC, March 18, 2016.
     Hon. Michael McCaul,
     Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for consulting with the 
     Committee on Foreign Affairs on H.R. 4314, the 
     Counterterrorism Screening and Assistance Act of 2016, and 
     for agreeing to be discharged from further consideration of 
     that bill.
       I agree that your forgoing further action on this measure 
     does not in any way diminish or alter the jurisdiction of the 
     Committee on Homeland Security, or prejudice its 
     jurisdictional prerogatives on this bill or similar 
     legislation in the future. I would support your effort to 
     seek appointment of an appropriate number of conferees to any 
     House-Senate conference involving this legislation.
       I will seek to place our letters on H.R. 4314 into the 
     Congressional Record during floor consideration of the bill. 
     I appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation and 
     look forward to continuing to work with your Committee as 
     this measure moves through the legislative process.
           Sincerely,
                                                  Edward R. Royce,
                                                         Chairman.

  Mr. BERA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I 
rise in support of this measure.
  Let me thank Chairman Royce for his leadership on the Foreign Affairs 
Committee and, also, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Zeldin) for 
bringing this bill forward.
  Violence in recent months has shown us that the threat of violent 
extremism isn't isolated to particular countries or regions. More and 
more we see the danger posed by terrorists and foreign fighters when 
they can cross borders unimpeded.
  So the United States, along with our allies and partners, need to do 
whatever we can to stop those dangerous individuals as they cross from 
country to country. This bill would help us move in that direction.
  Here at home, this legislation would ramp up coordination among 
government agencies dealing with this problem. I would call on the 
administration for a specific plan laying out how we are going to meet 
this challenge.
  Around the world, it would help governments by speeding the transfer 
of software and technology we can use to track people entering a 
country, to collect biometric data, and to figure out what sort of 
risks they might present. It would prioritize the sharing of specific 
border security systems with foreign partners.
  It would put a particular focus on countries where this danger is 
particularly acute. It would establish minimum standards for 
international border security and makes it clear that governments that 
don't take this problem seriously are putting their American foreign 
assistance at risk. This legislation provides commonsense steps to 
ensure our own security and that of our allies and partners.
  I again thank Mr. Zeldin for all his hard work. I am pleased to 
support this bill, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Zeldin). He is a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. 
He is also the author of this bill.
  Again, we appreciate the expertise he has brought in crafting this 
legislation as it relates to border security because of his experience, 
his distinguished career in the U.S. Army and, also, as an intelligence 
officer, a former prosecutor in the Army, and a military magistrate.
  Mr. ZELDIN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman of the House Foreign 
Affairs Committee as well as his great staff for all of their 
incredible assistance in making sure that this legislation not only 
came to the House floor for a vote, but came to the House floor for a 
vote swiftly and, fortunately, with very strong bipartisan support.
  So I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, especially to 
Chairman Royce and to Chairman McCaul as well of the House Homeland 
Security Committee, for all of their efforts.
  I rise today in support of my bill, the Counterterrorism Screening 
and Assistance Act of 2016. This legislation is about protecting 
America's security at home and abroad.
  Foreign fighter movement is a very serious challenge that has 
resulted in the well-recognized need for improved border security 
around the world and better information sharing between governments.
  The horrific terror attacks in Paris that killed over 100 people 
showed us just how easy it is for terrorists to move undetected across 
borders.
  This attack was largely carried out by European nationals, many of 
whom traveled to train and fight in Syria and then later returned to 
Europe through Greece and Turkey.
  Although local authorities already knew some of the attackers, they 
were still able to move across borders without detection and, in some 
cases, using fraudulent passports.
  It is essential that the United States work with the international 
community to monitor and stop the movement of terrorists abroad.
  Additionally, this legislation helps us counter the spread of 
infectious diseases like Zika. With the recent outbreak of the 
mosquito-borne Zika virus which has spread at rapid rates across South 
America, Central America, and the Caribbean, and the number of Zika 
cases among travelers visiting or returning to the United States, we 
must take action now.

[[Page H1484]]

  As evidenced with the Ebola outbreak in 2013, which decimated 
populations across Western Africa, if the proper effort is not 
implemented proactively, the consequences can be truly devastating.
  The Counterterrorism Screening and Assistance Act recently passed the 
House Foreign Affairs Committee unanimously with bipartisan support.
  This bill would establish international border security standards to 
close security gaps that currently exist that allow terrorists and 
foreign fighters to travel internationally.
  These standards would be developed in coordination with all relevant 
U.S. Government departments and agencies in consultation with the 
Secretary of Defense, Attorney General, Director of National 
Intelligence, and Director of the FBI.
  Our resources would be utilized in the most efficient way possible, 
with a special focus on high-risk and medium-risk countries to boost 
security.
  A reporting system would also be established to monitor efforts of 
foreign governments to combat terrorism and foreign fighter travel and 
to suspend foreign assistance to countries not making significant 
efforts to comply.
  Furthermore, the bill would put in place a monitoring system that 
would screen for infectious diseases to contain and prevent any 
potential outbreaks, which will help quarantine viruses by authorizing 
the Secretary of Homeland Security to provide the necessary equipment 
and supplies to mitigate the risk or threat of infectious diseases such 
as Zika, a disease that has caused widespread alarm as it has continued 
to spread across the global community.
  I also thank Congressman John Katko for his assistance as well.
  The Counterterrorism Screening and Assistance Act of 2016 is a 
bipartisan measure long overdue to not only protect our homeland from 
terrorism, but also ensure the U.S. is always prepared to combat the 
spread of any infectious diseases.
  I strongly encourage my colleagues in Congress to join me in this 
important effort to address a serious national security threat and vote 
today to pass the Counterterrorism Screening and Assistance Act of 2016 
to keep America safe.
  Mr. BERA. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas 
(Mr. Poe).
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this commonsense 
legislation.
  Thousands of Europeans who have traveled to fight alongside ISIS and 
other terrorist groups throughout the world pose a serious threat to 
our national security.
  One of the problems is making sure that those terrorists who go fight 
in Iraq, Syria, and other places don't go back to their home countries 
in Europe undetected because, once a person gets in Europe, it is 
easier for Europeans to travel to the United States from Europe than it 
is from some other countries. Terrorists often travel through a number 
of countries before they get home, and some of these countries have 
very good border security and others not so good.
  The United States has the technology to help our friends and our 
allies track down these bad guys. But our bureaucracy, of course, has 
gotten in the way of national security. This bill expedites the 
process, cutting through the red tape and giving our partners the tools 
they need to track terrorist travel throughout the world and in their 
countries.
  Terrorist travel is not a problem we can solve by ourselves. We must 
stop terrorists before they show up in America. We must work with our 
partners overseas.
  I strongly support this legislation.
  And that is just the way it is.
  Mr. BERA. Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers, and I urge my 
colleagues to support this measure.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, again I thank the Congressman from New York, Major Lee 
Zeldin, for authoring this bill.
  Let me also again express my appreciation for the cooperation of 
Ranking Member Engel and to commend his work and, also, that of our 
colleague from California (Mr. Bera), on this legislation.
  The 9/11 Commission states in their report to the Congress on 
recommendations: ``The U.S. Government cannot meet its own obligations 
to the American people to prevent the entry of terrorists without a 
major effort to collaborate with other governments. We should do more 
to exchange terrorist information with trusted allies, and raise U.S. 
and global border security standards for travel and for border crossing 
over the medium and long term through extensive international 
cooperation.''
  This bill does that. It adds another component, and that is as it 
relates to the collateral benefit, which will come through trying to 
prevent infectious diseases borne by these exotic vectors, like these 
mosquitoes that bring the Zika virus or like Ebola.
  So this bill, H.R. 4314, increases collaboration with our allies 
through improved information sharing, tightened border security 
screening methods overseas, and the Department of State and Department 
of Homeland Security are required to accelerate the delivery of certain 
border security systems and prioritizing delivery to countries deemed 
to be at high or medium risk for foreign fighter or terrorist travel.

                              {time}  1700

  It also establishes minimum border security standards. The Department 
of State and the Department of Homeland Security are required to submit 
an annual report to us in Congress detailing how countries are meeting 
the minimum border security standards established there.
  The annual report will not only assess partner country efforts over 
the previous 12 months, but it is also going to identify those areas 
that are most necessary for improvement. Countries that don't meet 
border security standards could have their nonhumanitarian, nontrade-
related U.S. assistance suspended, cut off. Suspension of assistance is 
meant to ensure that countries take the necessary steps to improve 
their border security.
  I again want to thank Mr. Zeldin and other members of the Committee 
on Homeland Security's bipartisan Task Force on Combating Terrorist and 
Foreign Fighter Travel and all the bipartisan cosponsors for their 
support for this bill, which deserves our unanimous support.
  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 California (Mr. Royce) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 4314, 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. ROYCE. 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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