[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 16 (Tuesday, January 31, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H785-H786]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         CBRN INTELLIGENCE AND INFORMATION SHARING ACT OF 2017

  Ms. McSALLY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 677) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish 
chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear intelligence and 
information sharing functions of the Office of Intelligence and 
Analysis of the Department of Homeland Security and to require 
dissemination of information analyzed by the Department to entities 
with responsibilities relating to homeland security, and for other 
purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 677

       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 ``CBRN Intelligence and 
     Information Sharing Act of 2017''.

     SEC. 2. CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL, RADIOLOGICAL, AND NUCLEAR 
                   INTELLIGENCE AND INFORMATION SHARING.

       (a) In General.--Subtitle A of title II of the Homeland 
     Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 121 et seq.) is amended by 
     adding at the end the following new section:

     ``SEC. 210G. CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL, RADIOLOGICAL, AND NUCLEAR 
                   INTELLIGENCE AND INFORMATION SHARING.

       ``(a) In General.--The Office of Intelligence and Analysis 
     of the Department of Homeland Security shall--
       ``(1) support homeland security-focused intelligence 
     analysis of terrorist actors, their claims, and their plans 
     to conduct attacks involving chemical, biological, 
     radiological, or nuclear materials against the United States;
       ``(2) support homeland security-focused intelligence 
     analysis of global infectious disease, public health, food, 
     agricultural, and veterinary issues;
       ``(3) support homeland security-focused risk analysis and 
     risk assessments of the homeland security hazards described 
     in paragraphs (1) and (2), including the transportation of 
     chemical, biological, nuclear, and radiological materials, by 
     providing relevant quantitative and nonquantitative threat 
     information;
       ``(4) leverage existing and emerging homeland security 
     intelligence capabilities and structures to enhance 
     prevention, protection, response, and recovery efforts with 
     respect to a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear 
     attack;
       ``(5) share information and provide tailored analytical 
     support on these threats to State, local, and tribal 
     authorities, other Federal agencies, as well as relevant 
     national biosecurity and biodefense stakeholders, as 
     appropriate; and
       ``(6) perform other responsibilities, as assigned by the 
     Secretary.
       ``(b) Coordination.--Where appropriate, the Office of 
     Intelligence and Analysis shall coordinate with other 
     relevant Department components, including the National 
     Biosurveillance Integration Center, other agencies within in 
     the intelligence community, including the National Counter 
     Proliferation Center, and other Federal, State, local, and 
     tribal authorities, including officials from high-threat 
     urban areas, State and major urban area fusion centers, and 
     local public health departments, as appropriate, and enable 
     such entities to provide recommendations on optimal 
     information sharing mechanisms, including expeditious sharing 
     of classified information, and on how such entities can 
     provide information to the Department.
       ``(c) Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(1) Intelligence community.--The term `intelligence 
     community' has the meaning given such term in section 3(4) of 
     the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 401a(4)).
       ``(2) National biosecurity and biodefense stakeholders.--
     The term `national biosecurity and biodefense stakeholders' 
     means officials from Federal, State, local, and tribal 
     authorities and individuals from the private sector who are 
     involved in efforts to prevent, protect against, respond to, 
     and recover from a biological attack or other phenomena that 
     may have serious health consequences for the United States, 
     including infectious disease outbreaks.''.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section 
     1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by 
     inserting after the item relating to section 201F the 
     following new item:

``Sec. 210G. Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear 
              intelligence and information sharing.''.

       (c) Report.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, the 
     Secretary of Homeland Security shall report to the 
     appropriate congressional committees on--
       (A) the intelligence and information sharing activities 
     under section 210G of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (as 
     added by subsection (a) of this section) and of all relevant 
     entities within the Department of Homeland Security to 
     counter the threat from attacks using chemical, biological, 
     radiological, or nuclear materials; and
       (B) the Department's activities in accordance with relevant 
     intelligence strategies.
       (2) Assessment of implementation.--The reports required 
     under paragraph (1) shall include--
       (A) an assessment of the progress of the Office of 
     Intelligence and Analysis of the Department of Homeland 
     Security in implementing such section 210G; and
       (B) a description of the methods established to carry out 
     such assessment.
       (3) Termination.--This subsection shall terminate on the 
     date that is five years after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act.
       (4) Definition.--In this subsection, the term ``appropriate 
     congressional committees'' means the Committee on Homeland 
     Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
     Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and 
     any committee of the House of Representatives or the Senate 
     having legislative jurisdiction under the rules of the House 
     of Representatives or Senate, respectively, over the matter 
     concerned.

     SEC. 3. DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION ANALYZED BY THE 
                   DEPARTMENT TO STATE, LOCAL, TRIBAL, AND PRIVATE 
                   ENTITIES WITH RESPONSIBILITIES RELATING TO 
                   HOMELAND SECURITY.

       Paragraph (8) of section 201(d) of the Homeland Security 
     Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 121(d)) is amended by striking ``and to 
     agencies of State'' and all that follows through the period 
     at the end and inserting ``to State, local, tribal, and 
     private entities with such responsibilities, and, as 
     appropriate, to the public, in order to assist in preventing, 
     deterring, or responding to acts of terrorism against the 
     United States.''.

  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 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include any extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  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. 677, the CBRN 
Intelligence and Information Sharing Act of 2017.
  We know that terrorist groups have long sought to employ chemical, 
biological, radiological, and nuclear, or CBRN, materials in their 
attacks. In his 2016 Worldwide Threat Assessment, Director of National 
Intelligence James Clapper noted that weapons of mass destruction 
continue to pose a threat to the United States, whether from North 
Korea's nuclear tests or the dual-use nature of biological materials 
that make threats difficult to detect.
  In addition, last year, the Organisation for the Prohibition of 
Chemical Weapons completed a year-long investigation that found both 
Syria and ISIS have used chemical weapons. ISIS' interest in using 
weapons of mass destruction material in its attack against the West is 
also well documented.
  H.R. 677 will enhance intelligence analysis and information sharing 
and will work to ensure that State and

[[Page H786]]

local officials get the actionable intelligence information necessary 
to stop or mitigate a CBRN attack.
  As the previous chairwoman of the Emergency Preparedness, Response, 
and Communications Subcommittee, I held a number of hearings on the 
threat posed by terrorist attacks using CBRN agents. Many national 
security experts, first responders, and members of the law enforcement 
community have testified to the need of increased information sharing 
with appropriate State and local officials and emergency responders.
  This budget-neutral bill seeks to address these findings. It requires 
the Office of Intelligence and Analysis at DHS to support homeland 
security-focused intelligence analysis of CBRN threats, including 
emerging infectious diseases. It directs the Office of Intelligence and 
Analysis to share information with State, local, tribal, and private 
entities and get their feedback to improve two-way sharing of 
information. Finally, H.R. 677 directs the Secretary of DHS to report 
annually for 5 years on the Department's intelligence and information 
sharing activities and DHS' activities in accordance with relevant 
intelligence strategies.
  The House passed a nearly identical bill I introduced last Congress 
by a vote of 420-2. I urge Members to join me in supporting this bill.
  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. 677, the CBRN Intelligence and Information 
Sharing Act of 2017.
  Mr. Speaker, last Congress, the Committee on Homeland Security held 
several hearings to evaluate Federal, State, and local capabilities to 
prevent, identify, and respond to a chemical, biological, radiological, 
or nuclear attack, a CBRN threat.
  Although the State and local stakeholders we heard from were 
generally aware of the evolving CBRN threat, there was a consistent 
message from everyone who testified--from public health professionals 
to emergency managers, to first responders--improved information 
sharing would make our communities safer.
  H.R. 677 would facilitate improved CBRN information sharing by 
directing DHS to analyze CBRN-related terrorist threats and share 
relevant threat information with Federal, State, and local 
stakeholders. These activities will both improve situational awareness 
at all levels of government and help DHS grant recipients better target 
their limited grant dollars to address this particular threat.
  The CBRN Intelligence and Information Sharing Act passed the House 
overwhelmingly last Congress, and I urge my colleagues to support the 
measure once again.
  Information sharing is at the core of our ability to prevent, thwart, 
and respond to threats posed by bad actors. H.R. 677 would facilitate 
information sharing in the CBRN space where the threats are constantly 
evolving. This commonsense legislation costs next to nothing but will 
reap significant benefits.
  I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 677.
  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. 677, 
this legislation that will enhance the sharing of CBRN-related threat 
information.
  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. 677.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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