[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 48 (Monday, March 20, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H2215-H2216]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1615
 QUADRENNIAL HOMELAND SECURITY REVIEW TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS ACT OF 2017

  Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1297) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to make 
technical corrections to the requirement that the Secretary of Homeland 
Security submit quadrennial homeland security reviews, and for other 
purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1297

       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 ``Quadrennial Homeland 
     Security Review Technical Corrections Act of 2017''.

     SEC. 2. TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS TO QUADRENNIAL HOMELAND 
                   SECURITY REVIEW.

       (a) In General.--Section 707 of the Homeland Security Act 
     of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 347) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)(3)--
       (A) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``and'' after the 
     semicolon at the end;
       (B) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (D); 
     and
       (C) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following new 
     subparagraph:
       ``(C) representatives from appropriate advisory committees 
     established pursuant to section 871, including the Homeland 
     Security Advisory Council and the Homeland Security Science 
     and Technology Advisory Committee, or otherwise established, 
     including the Aviation Security Advisory Committee 
     established pursuant to section 44946 of title 49, United 
     States Code; and'';
       (2) in subsection (b)--
       (A) in paragraph (2), by inserting before the semicolon at 
     the end the following: ``based on the risk assessment 
     required pursuant to subsection (c)(2)(B)'';
       (B) in paragraph (3)--
       (i) by inserting ``, to the extent practicable,'' after 
     ``describe''; and
       (ii) by striking ``budget plan'' and inserting ``resources 
     required'';
       (C) in paragraph (4)--
       (i) by inserting ``, to the extent practicable,'' after 
     ``identify'';
       (ii) by striking ``budget plan required to provide 
     sufficient resources to successfully'' and inserting 
     ``resources required to''; and
       (iii) by striking the semicolon at the end and inserting 
     the following: ``, including any resources identified from 
     redundant, wasteful, or unnecessary capabilities or 
     capacities that may be redirected to better support other 
     existing capabilities or capacities, as the case may be; 
     and'';
       (D) in paragraph (5), by striking ``; and'' and inserting a 
     period; and
       (E) by striking paragraph (6);
       (3) in subsection (c)--
       (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``December 31 of the 
     year'' and inserting ``60 days after the date of the 
     submission of the President's budget for the fiscal year 
     after the fiscal year'';
       (B) in paragraph (2)--
       (i) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``description of the 
     threats to'' and inserting ``risk assessment of'';
       (ii) in subparagraph (C), by inserting ``, as required 
     under subsection (b)(2)'' before the semicolon at the end;
       (iii) in subparagraph (D)--

       (I) by inserting ``to the extent practicable,'' before ``a 
     description''; and
       (II) by striking ``budget plan'' and inserting ``resources 
     required'';

       (iv) in subparagraph (F)--

       (I) by inserting ``to the extent practicable,'' before ``a 
     discussion''; and
       (II) by striking ``the status of'';

       (v) in subparagraph (G)--

       (I) by inserting ``to the extent practicable,'' before ``a 
     discussion'';
       (II) by striking ``the status of'';
       (III) by inserting ``and risks'' before ``to national 
     homeland''; and
       (IV) by inserting ``and'' after the semicolon at the end;

       (vi) by striking subparagraph (H); and
       (vii) by redesignating subparagraph (I) as subparagraph 
     (H);
       (C) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and
       (D) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following new 
     paragraph:
       ``(3) Documentation.--The Secretary shall retain and, upon 
     request, provide to Congress the following documentation 
     regarding each quadrennial homeland security review:
       ``(A) Records regarding the consultation carried out the 
     pursuant to subsection (a)(3), including--
       ``(i) all written communications, including communications 
     sent out by the Secretary and feedback submitted to the 
     Secretary through technology, online communications tools, 
     in-person discussions, and the interagency process; and
       ``(ii) information on how feedback received by the 
     Secretary informed each such quadrennial homeland security 
     review.
       ``(B) Information regarding the risk assessment required 
     under subsection (c)(2)(B), including--
       ``(i) the risk model utilized to generate such risk 
     assessment;
       ``(ii) information, including data used in the risk model, 
     utilized to generate such risk assessment;
       ``(iii) sources of information, including other risk 
     assessments, utilized to generate such risk assessment; and
       ``(iv) information on assumptions, weighing factors, and 
     subjective judgments utilized to generate such risk 
     assessment, together with information on the rationale or 
     basis thereof.'';
       (4) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e); and
       (5) by inserting after subsection (c) the following new 
     subsection:
       ``(d) Review.--Not later than 90 days after the submission 
     of each report required under subsection (c)(1), the 
     Secretary shall provide to the Committee on Homeland Security 
     of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland 
     Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate information 
     on the degree to which the findings and recommendations 
     developed in the quadrennial homeland security review that is 
     the subject of such report were integrated into the 
     acquisition strategy and expenditure plans for the 
     Department.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this Act shall 
     apply with respect to a quadrennial homeland security review 
     conducted after December 31, 2021.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Rutherford) and the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Mrs. 
Watson Coleman) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.


                             General Leave

  Mr. RUTHERFORD. 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 Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1297, the Quadrennial 
Homeland Security Review Technical Corrections Act of 2017.
  Congress mandated through the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/
11 Commission Act of 2007 that the Department of Homeland Security 
conduct a quadrennial Homeland Security review every 4 years. This 
review is intended to outline DHS' vision and strategy to effectively 
implement its mission to protect the homeland. Given the threats that 
we face from terrorists, it is vital that DHS has a sound strategy to 
help keep the American public safe.
  Last year, the Government Accountability Office reported on 
opportunities for DHS to improve the QHSR process, and the GAO made 
four recommendations for executive action. This legislation leverages 
GAO's findings to enhance the QHSR and make it better.
  Specifically, this legislation requires DHS to conduct a risk 
assessment to

[[Page H2216]]

better inform the QHSR, and the bill also mandates that the DHS 
maintain a paper trail of communications related to the QHSR. This 
should allow Congress and watchdogs to conduct more effective oversight 
of DHS.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from New Jersey for introducing 
this legislation, and I urge all Members to join me in supporting this 
commonsense legislation.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise in support of H.R. 1297.
  The Department of Homeland Security's mission is complex and diverse. 
Not only is DHS charged with preventing terrorism, but it is the lead 
Federal agency for immigration enforcement, emergency management, 
cybersecurity, and border, maritime, and transportation security.
  Given the breadth of DHS' responsibilities, it is essential that its 
limited resources be aligned with its mission to meet the ever-changing 
threat landscape. As such, the Quadrennial Homeland Security Review, 
which DHS undertakes every 4 years, is a critical tool to ensure that 
the Department is positioned to effectively carry out its multifaceted 
mission.
  To date, DHS has issued two such reviews and is expected to release 
its third such review in 2018. My legislation seeks to make refinements 
to the law to address weaknesses identified by the Government 
Accountability Office in the prior reviews.
  Specifically, my bill seeks to ensure more robust consultation with 
Homeland Security stakeholders, including State and local governments 
and academic institutions.
  It also seeks to ensure that DHS undertakes and documents our risk 
analysis to inform its policy positions. GAO emphasized that 
documentation of the review process, including the risk analysis, is 
essential to ensuring the repeatability of the review process.
  Last Congress, this House unanimously approved this measure in July 
2016; however, the Senate did not act on the bill. Last week the 
Committee on Homeland Security, on a bipartisan basis, voted to 
favorably report this measure to the House.
  My legislation is intended to ensure that the Quadrennial Homeland 
Security Review is a driving vision for the Department of Homeland 
Security. By enacting this legislation, Congress can guard against it 
becoming a paperwork exercise that fails to influence the Department's 
policies, programs, and priorities.
  Given the criticalness of the DHS mission and the increasingly scarce 
availability of resources, it is essential that DHS produce a risk-
informed review that takes into account the diverse views of its 
Homeland Security partners.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge the passage of H.R. 1297, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate Mrs. Watson 
Coleman on a very commonsensical bill here that is really going to help 
protect tax dollars and help keep our country safe.
  Mr. Speaker, I once again urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 
1297, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Rutherford) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1297.
  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. RUTHERFORD. 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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