[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 146 (Tuesday, September 27, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H5952-H5954]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1515
           GAINS IN GLOBAL NUCLEAR DETECTION ARCHITECTURE ACT

  Mr. RATCLIFFE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 5391) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to enhance 
certain duties of the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office, and for other 
purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5391

       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 ``Gains in Global Nuclear 
     Detection Architecture Act''.

     SEC. 2. DUTIES OF THE DOMESTIC NUCLEAR DETECTION OFFICE.

       Section 1902 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 
     592) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c); and
       (2) by inserting after subsection (a) the following new 
     subsection:
       ``(b) Implementation.--In carrying out paragraph (6) of 
     subsection (a), the Director of the Domestic Nuclear 
     Detection Office shall--
       ``(1) develop and maintain documentation, such as a 
     technology roadmap and strategy, that--
       ``(A) provides information on how the Office's research 
     investments align with--
       ``(i) gaps in the enhanced global nuclear detection 
     architecture, as developed pursuant to paragraph (4) of such 
     subsection; and
       ``(ii) research challenges identified by the Director; and
       ``(B) defines in detail how the Office will address such 
     research challenges;
       ``(2) document the rational for prioritizing and selecting 
     research topics; and
       ``(3) develop a systematic approach, which may include 
     annual metrics and periodic qualitative evaluations, for 
     evaluating how the outcomes of the Office's individual 
     research projects collectively contribute to addressing the 
     Office's research challenges.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Ratcliffe) and the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Richmond) 
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 am pleased to be considering H.R. 5391, the Gains in 
Global Nuclear Detection Architecture Act of 2016.
  H.R. 5391 directs the Department of Homeland Security's Domestic 
Nuclear Detection Office, or DNDO, to develop and maintain 
documentation that provides information on how the Office's research 
investments align with gaps in the Global Nuclear Detection 
Architecture as well as the research challenges identified by the DNDO 
Director.
  This bill further directs DNDO to document the rationale for 
selecting research topics and to develop a systematic approach for 
evaluating how the outcomes of the Office's individual research 
projects collectively contribute to addressing these research 
challenges.
  Mr. Speaker, as the attacks in Paris, Brussels, and Turkey have 
shown, ISIS is accelerating its attacks on innocent people throughout 
the world. Individuals in this country have been inspired by ISIS to 
commit heinous acts and crimes on our soil, murdering 49 innocent souls 
in Orlando, Florida, and 14 more in San Bernardino, California.
  Just this summer, 6 men were convicted in Tbilisi, Georgia, of trying 
to sell uranium-238; and in January, three members of a criminal group 
were detained for trying to sell cesium-137--both of which could be 
used to make a dirty bomb.
  Mr. Speaker, we must absolutely ensure that terrorists never get 
their hands on radioactive materials, and this bill will enhance DNDO's 
ability to provide radiation detection devices specifically aimed at 
preventing terrorists from being able to obtain enough radioactive 
material to construct a dirty bomb.
  This bill will ensure that the research topics DNDO chooses to invest 
in to enhance our ability to detect smuggled nuclear materials are 
aligned with the gaps that have been identified in the Global Nuclear 
Detection Architecture, a multi-agency framework for

[[Page H5953]]

detecting, analyzing, and reporting on nuclear and other radioactive 
materials that are out of regulatory control. Requiring DNDO to 
document the rationale for choosing research topics will ensure that 
the most important gaps in the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture 
are addressed.
  Mr. Speaker, I am happy to support this measure today. I would like 
to thank my colleague, Mr. Richmond, and his team for the terrific work 
they have done to bring this legislation to the floor today. I believe 
that this bill will better enable this country to detect the smuggling 
of nuclear materials and will support the very critical mission of 
preventing ISIS and other terrorists from carrying out a nuclear or 
radiological attack on American soil. I urge my colleagues to support 
the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. RICHMOND. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5391, the Gains in Global 
Nuclear Detection Architecture Act. My bipartisan bill was approved 
unanimously by the Committee on Homeland Security on June 8. I 
appreciate the support of my ranking member, Mr. Thompson, and my 
colleagues across the aisle, Mr. Ratcliffe and Chairman McCaul, in my 
efforts to advance this legislation.
  In nuclear smuggling detection, we rely on the critical triad of 
intelligence, law enforcement, and technology. The Department of 
Homeland Security deploys detection technologies in maritime and border 
operations based on intelligence indicators and places them in the 
hands of well-trained DHS personnel.
  At DHS, the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office, or DNDO, is 
responsible for the coordination of Federal efforts to detect and 
protect against attempts to import, possess, store, develop, or 
transport radioactive materials that may be used as weapons against our 
Nation.
  DNDO, with its interagency partners, coordinates the U.S. Global 
Nuclear Detection Architecture, or GNDA, which is a framework for 
detecting, analyzing, and reporting on the smuggling of nuclear and 
radioactive materials.
  In April 2015, the Government Accountability Office issued a report 
that looked at how DNDO manages its roughly $350 million research and 
development program. The GAO concluded that DNDO needed to do a better 
job of documenting the rationale for selecting the 189 research and 
development projects that it funds and how these projects align with 
the research challenges and identified gaps, especially gaps or 
vulnerabilities identified in the GNDA.
  Subsequently, I introduced the Gains in Global Nuclear Detection 
Architecture Act to, among other things, help certify that the 
planning, selection, and future funding of nuclear detection research 
and development projects are targeted towards identified gaps in the 
GNDA. Such documentation is essential to confirm that DNDO is making 
the right research investments to keep the Nation secure.
  I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, how much time do I have remaining?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Louisiana has 17\1/2\ 
minutes remaining.
  Mr. RICHMOND. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the gentleman 
for his legislation. It is very, very astute and a very important 
initiative, the Gains in Global Nuclear Detection Architecture Act. 
Again, I thank the chairman of the subcommittee as well for his 
leadership. He is a fellow Texan. We meet each other on several 
committees, but we have the opportunity to work together on these 
important issues.

  Let me just briefly say how important this is. This is a fill-in-the-
gap initiative. And the gap can be dangerous. It can be devastating. 
What it ensures is that we develop and maintain documentation that 
provides information on how the Office's research investment aligns 
with gaps in the enhanced Global Nuclear Detection Architecture and 
with research challenges identified by the Director, and that defines 
in detail how the Office will address such research challenges.
  I have real life, if you will, examples, in the community that I come 
from. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the maritime 
border has 95,000 miles of shoreline and 361 seaports. One of those 
happens to be the Port of Houston.
  Ocean transportation accounts for 95 percent of cargo tonnage that 
moves in and out of the country with 8,588 commercial vessels making 
82,044 port calls in 2015. In my community alone, Houston, Texas, has a 
25-mile maritime line.
  In the Port of Houston, as we were ranked one of the first in foreign 
tonnage with 46 percent of market share by tonnage, we know what 
challenges come about in the potential of cargo being, if you will, 
exploited by putting in dangerous elements dealing with nuclear 
equipment.
  So the idea of Homeland Security focusing on, as this legislation 
says, gains in Global Nuclear Detection Architecture, is crucial to 
supporting the Nation's ports, securing the Nation's tonnage, and 
securing the Nation.
  The Securing the Cities Act was legislation that related to the idea 
of nuclear detection and interdiction of radiological materials. Just 
last year, the city of Houston was awarded an initial Securing the 
Cities grant of $3.5 million as the initial installment of a $30 
million grant payable over 5 years.
  This is a very important aspect of nuclear detection. This 
legislation is a great partner to filling in the gap. The grant that we 
received in Houston was funded through the Urban Area Security 
Initiative Grant Program, which I cosponsored and truly believe is a 
major element of protection for our cities around the Nation.
  This is, again, a potentially devastating impact if some nuclear 
materials were able to come into a port, come into an airport, come 
into our communities. I ask my colleagues to support H.R. 5391, Gains 
in Global Nuclear Detection Architecture Act, to be able to provide 
more security to the United States of America.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in strong support of H.R. 5391, the 
Gains in Global Nuclear Detection Architecture Act, which will address 
the threat of nuclear weapons or unapproved material materials from 
entering the country.
  I thank my colleague on the Homeland Security Congressman Cedric 
Richmond for authoring this bill, which requires the Department of 
Homeland Security (DHS) Domestic Nuclear Detection Office, when 
conducting research and development to generate and improve 
technologies to detect and prevent the illicit entry, transport, 
assembly, or potential use within the United States of a nuclear 
explosive device or fissile or radiological material, to: develop and 
maintain documentation that provides information on how the Office's 
research investments align with gaps in the enhanced global nuclear 
detection architecture and with research challenges identified by the 
Director, and that defines in detail how the Office will address such 
research challenges; document the rational for prioritizing and 
selecting research topics; and develop a systematic approach for 
evaluating how the outcomes of the Office's individual research 
projects collectively contribute to addressing its research challenges.
  As a senior member of the Homeland Security Committee, and Ranking 
Member of the Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, 
Homeland Security, and Investigations, and serving as a member of this 
body representing the Houston area, which is home to one of our 
nation's busiest ports this topic is of great concern to me.
  According to the U.S. Department of Transportation the U.S. maritime 
border covers 95,000 miles of shoreline with 361 seaports.
  Ocean transportation accounts for 95 percent of cargo tonnage that 
moves in and out of the country, with 8,588 commercial vessels making 
82,044 port calls in 2015.
  The Port of Houston is a 25-mile-long complex of diversified public 
and private facilities located just a few hours' sailing time from the 
Gulf of Mexico.
  In 2012 ship channel-related businesses contribute 1,026,820 jobs and 
generate more than $178.5 billion in statewide economic impact.
  In 2014, the Port of Houston was ranked among U.S. ports: 1st in 
foreign tonnage, Largest Texas port with 46% of market share by tonnage 
and 95% market share in containers by total TEUS in 2014, Largest Gulf 
Coast container port, handling 67% of U.S. Gulf Coast container traffic 
in 2014, 2nd ranked U.S. port in terms of total foreign cargo value 
(based on U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of Census).

[[Page H5954]]

  The Government Accountability Office (GAO), reports that this port, 
and its waterways, and vessels are part of an economic engine handling 
more than $700 billion in merchandise annually.
  The Port of Houston houses approximately 100 steamship lines offering 
services that link Houston with 1,053 ports in 203 countries.
  The Port of Houston has $15 billion petrochemical complex, the 
largest in the nation and second largest worldwide.
  These statistics clearly communicate the potential for a terrorist 
attack using nuclear or radiological material may in some estimations 
be low, but should an attack occur the consequences would be 
catastrophic, and for this reason we cannot be lax in our efforts to 
deter, detect and defeat attempts by terrorists to perpetrate such a 
heinous act of terrorism.
  DHS plays an essential role in domestic defense against the potential 
smuggling of a weapon of mass destruction in a shipping container or 
the use of a bomb-laden small vessel to carry out an attack at a port.
  I was pleased to have been one of the lead sponsors of the ``Securing 
the Cities Act,'' when it was introduced in 2006 and reauthorized in 
2010 and 2015.
  The ``Securing the Cities Act,'' mandated that DHS's Director for 
Domestic Nuclear Detection to create a Securing the Cities program.
  The purpose of the ``Securing the Cities Program'' mandated by the 
legislation is to:
  1. Assist state, local, tribal, and territorial governments in 
creating and implementing, or perfecting existing structures for 
coordinated and integrated detection and interdiction of nuclear or 
other radiological materials that are out of regulatory control;
  2. Support the creation of a region-wide operating capability to 
identify and report on nuclear and other radioactive materials out of 
operational control;
  3. Provide resources to improve detection, analysis, communication, 
and organization to better integrate state, local, tribal, and 
territorial property into federal operations;
  4. Facilitate the establishment of protocol and processes to 
effectively respond to threats posed by nuclear or radiological 
materials being acquired or used by terrorists; and
  5. Designate participating jurisdictions from among high-risk urban 
areas and other cities and regions, as appropriate, and notify Congress 
at least three days before designating or changing such jurisdictions.
  The 18th Congressional District of Texas, which I represent, is 
centered in the Houston area, the 4th largest city in the United States 
and home to over 2 million residents.
  Last year the City of Houston was awarded an initial ``Securing the 
Cities'' grant of $3.5 million by the Department of Homeland Security 
(DHS), as the initial installment of a $30 million grant payable over 5 
years.
  This grant is funded through the Urban Area Security Initiative Grant 
Program, which I co-sponsored and have strongly supported throughout my 
tenure on the Homeland Security Committee.
  The grant funding enables the City of Houston and its partners to 
work with DHS's Domestic Nuclear Office to build a robust, regional 
nuclear detection capability for law enforcement and first responder 
organizations.
  This is an important joint local and federal effort to increase the 
ability of major urban cities to detect and protect against 
radiological and nuclear threats.
  The DHS Domestic Nuclear Detection Office provides equipment and 
assistance to regional partners in conducting training and exercises to 
further their nuclear detection capabilities and coordinate with 
federal operations.
  Unfortunately, the age of terrorism makes this a more dangerous and 
uncertain time than the decades following World War II when nation/
state nuclear arsenals were being created.
  Nuclear threats are more perilous than what our nation faced during 
the Cold War because these threats come from non-state actors who often 
do not have the same level of concern for the wellbeing of their people 
who may face the consequences of a nuclear attack against the United 
States.
  This is why this legislation is needed to address the real threat of 
loose nuclear material and the possibility that it might find its way 
into the hands of terrorist or criminals.
  It is important that we remain constantly vigilant on the issue of 
nuclear threats that are present in our world today.
  H.R. 5391, is an essential tool to add to the work being done by DHS 
to deter, detect, mitigate and defend against domestic nuclear threats.
  I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support H.R. 
5391.
  Mr. RICHMOND. Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers, and I yield 
myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, my bill, H.R. 5391, would help verify that DHS carefully 
prioritizes research and development projects to actually close 
identified vulnerability gaps in the Global Nuclear Detection 
Architecture.
  Across the Federal Government, our goal is to prevent nuclear 
terrorism by making it an excessively difficult undertaking for our 
adversaries. Getting research and development right at DNDO is critical 
to that effort.
  I would urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5391.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. RATCLIFFE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  I, once again, would like to commend and congratulate my friend, the 
gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Richmond), for this very important 
national security bill.
  I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5391.
  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 Texas (Mr. Ratcliffe) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 5391, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________