[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 99 (Tuesday, June 21, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H3988-H3990]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              LEVERAGING EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES ACT OF 2016

  Mr. RATCLIFFE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 5389) to encourage engagement between the Department of 
Homeland Security and technology innovators, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5389

       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 ``Leveraging Emerging 
     Technologies Act of 2016''.

     SEC. 2. INNOVATION ENGAGEMENT.

       (a) Innovation Engagement.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of Homeland Security--
       (A) shall engage with innovative and emerging technology 
     developers and firms, including technology-based small 
     businesses and startup ventures, to address homeland security 
     needs; and
       (B) may identify geographic areas in the United States with 
     high concentrations of such innovative and emerging 
     technology developers and firms, and may establish personnel 
     and office space in such areas, as appropriate.
       (2) Engagement.--Engagement under paragraph (1) may include 
     innovative and emerging technology developers or firms with 
     proven technologies, supported with outside investment, with 
     potential applications for the Department of Homeland 
     Security.
       (3) Co-location.--If the Secretary of Homeland Security 
     determines that it is appropriate to establish personnel and 
     office space in a specific geographic area in the United 
     States pursuant to paragraph (1)(B), the Secretary shall co-
     locate such personnel and office space with other existing 
     assets of--
       (A) the Department of Homeland Security, where possible; or
       (B) Federal facilities, where appropriate.
       (4) Oversight.--Not later than 30 days after establishing 
     personnel and office space in a specific geographic area in 
     the United States pursuant to paragraph (1)(B), the Secretary 
     of Homeland Security shall inform Congress about the 
     rationale for such establishment, the anticipated costs 
     associated with such establishment, and the specific goals 
     for such establishment.
       (b) Strategic Plan.--Not later than six months after the 
     date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary of 
     Homeland Security shall develop, implement, and 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 Department of Homeland 
     Security-wide strategy to proactively engage with innovative 
     and emerging technology developers and firms, including 
     technology-based small businesses and startup ventures, in 
     accordance with subsection (a). Such strategy shall--
       (1) focus on sustainable methods and guidance to build 
     relationships, including with such innovative and emerging 
     technology developers and firms in geographic areas in the 
     United States with high concentrations of such innovative and 
     emerging technology developers and firms, and in geographic 
     areas outside such areas, to establish, develop, and enhance 
     departmental capabilities to address homeland security needs;
       (2) include efforts to--
       (A) ensure proven innovative and emerging technologies can 
     be included in existing and future acquisition contracts;
       (B) coordinate with organizations that provide venture 
     capital to businesses, particularly small businesses and 
     startup ventures, as appropriate, to assist the 
     commercialization of innovative and emerging technologies 
     that are expected to be ready for commercialization in the 
     near term and within 36 months; and
       (C) address barriers to the utilization of innovative and 
     emerging technologies and the engagement of small businesses 
     and startup ventures in the acquisition process;
       (3) include a description of how the Department plans to 
     leverage proven innovative and emerging technologies to 
     address homeland security needs; and
       (4) include the criteria the Secretary plans to use to 
     determine an innovative or technology is proven.
       (c) 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 
Texas (Mr. Ratcliffe) and the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.


                             General Leave

  Mr. RATCLIFFE. 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 materials on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. RATCLIFFE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support and I am very pleased that the House 
is considering H.R. 5389, the Leveraging Emerging Technologies Act of 
2016. H.R. 5389 encourages engagement between the Department of 
Homeland Security and technology innovators, including tech startups.
  This important bill requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to 
proactively engage with innovative and emerging technology developers 
and firms to address homeland security needs. More specifically, H.R. 
5389 provides the Secretary authority to identify geographic areas in 
the United States where high concentrations of innovative and emerging 
technology developers and firms exist and to establish personnel and 
office space in these areas to more effectively collaborate with these 
technology hubs.
  The Federal Government needs to do a better job working with the 
private sector, and this bill will support that goal by requiring the 
Secretary to develop and implement a targeted strategy to proactively 
engage innovative and emerging technology developers and firms. The 
Secretary must use this strategic plan to address and to reduce 
barriers to leveraging innovative and emerging technologies and the 
small business and startup ventures that create those technologies by 
incorporating them into the Department's acquisition process.
  In order to keep pace, the Department of Homeland Security recently 
established an office in Silicon Valley to encourage engagement and 
communication with the innovative technology developers in that area. 
Although a vital technology hub, Silicon Valley is not the only 
technology hub in the United States. For that reason, the Department 
should not be limited to a single geographic area from which to 
identify emerging and innovative technologies.
  Mr. Speaker, we are all learning that cybersecurity is national 
security. The Nation is under constant cyber attack from nation-states, 
from criminal groups, and from terrorist organizations, and, with each 
passing day, the attacks and tools that they are using are becoming 
more sophisticated. Requiring the Department to consider strategically 
how it will engage these technology developers will strengthen the 
Department's ability to access innovative and emerging technologies in 
order to combat these evolving threats.
  I am happy to support this measure today and believe it will move us 
toward further addressing homeland security needs by supporting 
technology innovation.
  Before I close, I include in the Record an exchange between the 
chairman of the Committee on Science,

[[Page H3989]]

Space, and Technology and the chairman of the Committee on Homeland 
Security.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to join me in supporting this bill, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.

         House of Representatives, Committee on Science, Space, 
           and Technology,
                                    Washington, DC, June 20, 2016.
     Hon. Michael T. McCaul,
     Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, House of 
         Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing concerning H.R. 5389, the 
     ``Leveraging Emerging Technologies Act of 2016,'' which your 
     Committee reported on June 8, 2016.
       H.R. 5389 contains provisions within the Committee on 
     Science, Space, and Technology's Rule X jurisdiction. As a 
     result of your having consulted with the Committee and in 
     order to expedite this bill for floor consideration, the 
     Committee on Science, Space, and Technology will forego 
     action on the bill. This is being done on the basis of our 
     mutual understanding that doing so will in no way diminish or 
     alter the jurisdiction of the Committee on Science, Space, 
     and Technology with respect to the appointment of conferees, 
     or to any future jurisdictional claim over the subject 
     matters contained in the bill or similar legislation.
       I would appreciate your response to this letter confirming 
     this understanding, and would request that you include a copy 
     of this letter and your response in the Committee Report and 
     in the Congressional Record during the floor consideration of 
     this bill. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
           Sincerely,
                                                      Lamar Smith,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                               Committee on Homeland Security,

                                    Washington, DC, June 20, 2016.
     Hon. Lamar Smith,
     Chairman, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Smith: Thank you for your interest in H.R. 
     5389, the ``Leveraging Emerging Technologies Act of 2016.'' I 
     appreciate your cooperation in allowing this legislation to 
     move expeditiously before the House of Representatives on 
     June 21, 2016. I understand that the Committee on Science, 
     Space, and Technology, to the extent it may have a 
     jurisdictional claim, will not seek a sequential referral on 
     the bill; and therefore, there has been no formal 
     determination as to its jurisdiction by the Parliamentarian. 
     While we are not prepared to recognize the jurisdiction of 
     the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology over this 
     bill, we do appreciate your cooperation in this matter.
       The Committee on Homeland Security concurs with the mutual 
     understanding that the absence of a decision on this bill at 
     this time does not prejudice any claim the Committee on 
     Science, Space, and Technology may have held or may have on 
     similar legislation in the future.
       I will insert copies of this exchange in the Congressional 
     Record during consideration of this bill on the House floor. 
     I thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
           Sincerely,
                                                Michael T. McCaul,
                                                         Chairman.

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5389, the Leveraging Emerging 
Technologies Act of 2016.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to cosponsor H.R. 5389, a bipartisan bill 
that directs the Department of Homeland Security to engage, in an 
unprecedented fashion, with developers of innovative and emerging 
technologies.
  When it comes to tackling vexing homeland security challenges, 
Washington does not have the monopoly on groundbreaking, forward-
thinking ideas. H.R. 5389 specifically directs the Secretary of 
Homeland Security to engage with innovative and emerging technology 
developers to help tackle the rapidly expanding list of homeland 
security technology needs.
  To encourage such engagement, the bill authorizes DHS to establish 
personnel and office space in diverse geographical areas around the 
United States that have high concentrations of technology developers 
and firms to nurture relationships.
  In April 2015, the Department announced that it was establishing a 
Silicon Valley office to cultivate relationships with technology 
innovators, particularly nontraditional performers, such as small 
startups, investors, incubators, and accelerators. The establishment of 
this office is in furtherance of DHS' homeland security innovation 
program, whose goal is to generate innovation in hubs around the Nation 
and the world to solve DHS' most difficult technology challenges.
  Over the past year, through these programs, DHS has reached out to 
technology innovators and other stakeholders at regional events held in 
Boston, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, New Orleans, Chicago, Louisville, 
and Austin.
  To ensure that DHS pursues outreach to innovators and related 
stakeholders in a thoughtful manner, H.R. 5389 also directs DHS, within 
6 months, to develop and submit to Congress a Department-wide strategy 
for such engagement. Importantly, the bill specifically calls for DHS 
to include ways to effectively engage with technology-based small 
businesses and startup ventures in the strategy.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. H.R. 
5389 was unanimously approved by the Committee on Homeland Security on 
June 8. It recognizes that DHS depends on technology to carry out its 
missions and for the Department to effectively identify, support, and 
procure innovative technology. DHS must nurture and maintain robust and 
direct relationships with technology developers.
  Two features of the strategy required under this act that I would 
like to highlight are that it directs DHS to give attention to 
fostering engagement with developers that may be located outside a 
recognized regional technology hub, and coordinate with venture capital 
organizations to help emerging technology developers, including small 
businesses and startup ventures, commercialize technologies that 
address a rapidly growing list of homeland security needs.
  I also join my colleague from Texas in supporting this legislation. 
Mr. Speaker, I urge support of H.R. 5389.
  I yield back the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1515

  Mr. RATCLIFFE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Mississippi 
for cosponsoring this bill and for his leadership in this area.
  I, once again, urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5389.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Homeland 
Security Committee, I rise in support of H.R. 5389, the ``Leveraging 
Emerging Technologies Act of 2016,'' which requires the Secretary of 
Homeland Security to engage with innovative and emerging technology 
developers, including technology-based small businesses and startup 
ventures that can help tackle the rapidly expanding list of homeland 
security technology needs.
  H.R. 5389 helps to protect America's computer and communications 
networks, which security experts believe represent the nation's most 
critical national security challenge, including internet functions and 
connected critical infrastructure such as air traffic control, the U.S. 
electrical grid, and nuclear power plants.
  H.R. 5389 authorizes DHS to establish personnel and office space in 
diverse geographic areas around the United States that have high 
concentrations of technology developers and firms.
  The bill also directs DHS, within 6 months, to develop and submit to 
Congress a Department-wide strategy to engage with innovative and 
emerging technology companies.
  Importantly, the bill specifically requires the Secretary to include 
in that strategy ways to effectively integrate technology-based small 
businesses and startup ventures.
  Importantly, the bill also requires the DHS Secretary to coordinate 
with those in the venture capital industry to assist in the development 
of technologies that are ready for commercialization and use in the 
Homeland Security Enterprise.
  Since its founding, the Department of Homeland Security has overcome 
many challenges as an organization but much more progress must be made 
regarding effective inter-operable communication between the federal, 
state, and local agencies.
  Although not a panacea, H.R. 5389 is a step in the right direction 
because it will help improve DHS' overall functions so that it can more 
effectively protect our people.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important 
legislation.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Ratcliffe) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 5389.
  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. RATCLIFFE. 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.

[[Page H3990]]

  

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