[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 16 (Tuesday, January 31, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H784-H785]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
BORDER SECURITY TECHNOLOGY ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2017
Ms. McSALLY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 505) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to
strengthen accountability for deployment of border security technology
at the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes, as
amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 505
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 ``Border Security Technology
Accountability Act of 2017''.
SEC. 2. BORDER SECURITY TECHNOLOGY ACCOUNTABILITY.
(a) In General.--Subtitle C of title IV of the Homeland
Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 231 et seq.) is amended by
adding at the end the following new section:
``SEC. 434. BORDER SECURITY TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM MANAGEMENT.
``(a) Planning Documentation.--For each border security
technology acquisition program of the Department that is
determined to be a major acquisition program, the Secretary
shall--
``(1) ensure that each such program has a written
acquisition program baseline approved by the relevant
acquisition decision authority;
``(2) document that each such program is meeting cost,
schedule, and performance thresholds as specified in such
baseline, in compliance with relevant departmental
acquisition policies and the Federal Acquisition Regulation;
and
``(3) have a plan for meeting program implementation
objectives by managing contractor performance.
``(b) Adherence to Standards.--The Secretary, acting
through the Under Secretary for Management and the
Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, shall
ensure border security technology acquisition program
managers who are responsible for carrying out this section
adhere to relevant internal control standards identified by
the Comptroller General of the United States. The
Commissioner shall provide information, as needed, to assist
the Under Secretary in monitoring proper program management
of border security technology acquisition programs under this
section.
``(c) Plan.--The Secretary, acting through the Under
Secretary for Management, in coordination with the Under
Secretary for Science and Technology and the Commissioner of
U.S. Customs and Border Protection, shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a plan for testing and
evaluation, as well as the use of independent verification
and validation resources, for border security technology so
that new border security technologies are evaluated through a
series of assessments, processes, and audits to ensure
compliance with relevant departmental acquisition policies
and the Federal Acquisition Regulation, as well as the
effectiveness of taxpayer dollars.
``(d) Major Acquisition Program Defined.--In this section,
the term `major acquisition program' means a Department
acquisition program that is estimated by the Secretary to
require an eventual total expenditure of at least
$300,000,000 (based on fiscal year 2017 constant dollars)
over its life cycle cost.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents of the
Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by inserting after
the item relating to section 433 the following new item:
``Sec. 434. Border security technology program management.''.
SEC. 3. PROHIBITION ON ADDITIONAL AUTHORIZATION OF
APPROPRIATIONS.
No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to
carry out this Act and the amendments made by this Act. This
Act and such amendments shall be carried out using amounts
otherwise authorized for such purposes.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Arizona (Ms. McSally) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr.
Keating) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Arizona.
General Leave
Ms. McSALLY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to
include any extraneous material in the Record.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Arizona?
There was no objection.
Ms. McSALLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 505, the Border Security
Technology Accountability Act.
This bill seeks to improve the management of border security
technology projects, safeguard taxpayer dollars, and increase
accountability for some of the Department of Homeland Security's
largest acquisition programs.
As a subcommittee chair with responsibility for the entire 2,000-mile
Southern border, and as a Member whose district in southern Arizona
represents 80 miles of the border, I have spent countless hours meeting
with border residents, local law enforcement, ranchers, and men and
women who tirelessly patrol the border every day.
I know firsthand that when our border technology projects lack the
proper oversight and accountability, it is bad for taxpayers, those who
defend our border, and those who live along our border.
That is why this bill is so important.
The Government Accountability Office has repeatedly included DHS
acquisition management activities on its high-risk list, demonstrating
that these programs are highly susceptible to waste, fraud, abuse, or
mismanagement.
{time} 1515
The Secure Border Initiative, also known as SBInet, is a prime
example of acquisition mismanagement. Initial plans developed in 2005
and 2006 call for SBInet to extend across the entire U.S.-Mexico land
border; however, SBInet deployment in Arizona was fraught with
mismanagement, including a failure to adequately set requirements so
the system would meet the needs of its users: our border patrol agents.
After spending nearly $1 billion of taxpayers' money with minimal
results, DHS canceled SBInet in 2011, showing the high cost of failing
to properly oversee new border acquisitions. With a renewed focus from
the administration and this Congress on improving border security, this
bill helps ensure Americans' dollars are used as efficiently and
effectively as possible. It requires that border security technology
programs at the Department have an acquisition program baseline: a
critical document that lays out what a program will do, what it will
cost, and when it will be completed.
The bill also requires programs to adhere to internal control
standards and have a plan for testing and evaluation, as well as the
use of independent verification and validation resources. Being proper
stewards of our limited resources requires that programs are on time,
on budget, and follow sound management procedures. We cannot afford to
waste another minute or another dollar. We must put into place strong,
effective technology programs to secure our border.
I urge all Members to join me in supporting these basic commonsense
cost-control mechanisms so that we can responsibly secure our border.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise in support of H.R. 505.
I would like to thank the gentlewoman from Arizona (Ms. McSally) for
her work on this bill.
Over the past several years, the Government Accountability Office has
examined various Department of Homeland Security programs and concluded
that the Department has not followed standard best practices for
acquisitions management. Though DHS has taken steps to improve its
performance, there remains specific deficiencies in how it carries out
major acquisitions.
When a DHS acquisition program falls short in terms of effectiveness
or efficiency, this not only risks undermining that program, but also
risks wasting the limited homeland security dollars that are available
to us. We owe it to the American public not to repeat our mistakes.
This bill is intended to strengthen accountability for the
acquisition and use of border security technology by the Department of
Homeland Security. This bill would require all major acquisitions for
border security technology to have written documentation of costs,
schedule, and performance thresholds and demonstrate that the program
is meeting these thresholds.
The bill also requires coordination and submission to Congress of a
plan for testing and evaluation, as well as the use of independent
verification and validation of resources for border security
technology.
Addressing border security technology acquisitions is an important
step toward bettering acquisitions and
[[Page H785]]
management overall. We owe it to the American taxpayer to make sure we
are managing these investments wisely and preventing wasteful spending.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 505 aims to focus and improve the way we invest and
manage border security technology by providing a specific framework for
accountability and oversight on behalf of the American taxpayer. I urge
my colleagues to support this bill.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. McSALLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I once again urge my colleagues to support H.R. 505 to
have transparency, accountability, and efficiency of vital border
security technology projects.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from Arizona (Ms. McSally) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 505, 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.
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