[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 50 (Wednesday, March 22, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H2303-H2304]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TERRORIST AND FOREIGN FIGHTER TRAVEL EXERCISE ACT OF 2017
Ms. McSALLY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 1302) to require an exercise related to terrorist and
foreign fighter travel, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1302
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 ``Terrorist and Foreign
Fighter Travel Exercise Act of 2017''.
SEC. 2. EXERCISE ON TERRORIST AND FOREIGN FIGHTER TRAVEL.
(a) In General.--In addition to, or as part of exercise
programs currently carried out by the Department of Homeland
Security, to enhance domestic preparedness for and collective
response to terrorism, promote the dissemination of homeland
security information, and test the security posture of the
United States, the Secretary of Homeland Security, through
appropriate offices and components of the Department and in
coordination with the relevant Federal departments and
agencies, shall, not later than one year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, develop and conduct an exercise
related to the terrorist and foreign fighter threat.
(b) Exercise Requirements.--The exercise required under
subsection (a) shall include--
(1) a scenario involving--
(A) persons traveling from the United States to join or
provide material support or resources to a terrorist
organization abroad; and
(B) terrorist infiltration into the United States,
including United States citizens and foreign nationals; and
(2) coordination with relevant Federal departments and
agencies, foreign governments, and State, local, tribal,
territorial, and private sector stakeholders.
(c) Report.--Not later than 60 days after the completion of
the exercise required under subsection (a), the Secretary of
Homeland Security shall, consistent with the protection of
classified information, submit an after-action report to the
Committee on Homeland Security of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate presenting the initial
findings of such exercise, including any identified or
potential vulnerabilities in United States defenses and any
legislative changes requested in light of the findings. The
report shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may
include a classified annex.
(d) Definition.--In this section, the term ``material
support or resources'' has the meaning given such term in
section 2339A of title 18, United States Code.
SEC. 3. EMERGING THREATS IN THE NATIONAL EXERCISE PROGRAM.
Subparagraph (A) of section 648(b)(2) of the Post-Katrina
Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 (6 U.S.C. 748(b)(2))
is amended--
(1) in clause (v), by striking ``and'' at the end; and
(2) by adding after clause (vi) the following new clause:
``(vii) designed, to the extent practicable, to include
exercises addressing emerging terrorist threats, such as
scenarios involving United States citizens departing the
United States to enlist with or provide material support or
resources to terrorist organizations abroad or terrorist
infiltration into the United States, including United States
citizens and foreign nationals; and''.
SEC. 4. NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS AUTHORIZED.
No additional funds are authorized to carry out the
requirements of this Act and the amendments made by this Act.
Such requirements shall be carried out using amounts
otherwise authorized.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Arizona (Ms. McSally) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Correa)
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 within 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. 1302, the Terrorist and
Foreign Fighter Travel Exercise Act.
This legislation furthers the efforts that I and several of my
colleagues on the House Homeland Security Committee engaged in last
Congress as members of the bipartisan Task Force on Combating Terrorist
and Foreign Fighter Travel. For 6 months, our task force investigated
our security vulnerabilities and the threat posed by ISIS. Our work
produced 32 key findings and over 50 recommendations to make Americans
safer.
In our findings, the task force found that the growing complexity and
changing nature of the foreign fighter phenomenon may be creating
unseen gaps in our defenses. Yet, it has been years since any large-
scale stress test has been conducted on U.S. Government protection and
prevention programs against terrorist travel.
The last major government exercise on terrorist travel occurred in
2009 when the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, conducted
an exercise focused on the aftermath of a national terrorist event
outside of the United States and how to prevent subsequent efforts by
the terrorists to enter the United States and carry out additional
attacks. The objective of the exercise was to determine how government
agencies at all levels would respond in such an environment.
However, the threat environment has changed considerably and relying
on information gathered during an exercise that took place nearly a
decade ago is simply unacceptable and puts American lives at risk.
The exercise conducted in 2009 also focused primarily on terrorists
attempting to infiltrate the United States. However, our task force
found that officials today should be just as concerned about Americans
leaving the country to train overseas with terrorist groups as foreign
fighters and then come back.
The ability of these hardened fighters to return to the United States
is a legitimate security threat to the homeland. Catching individuals
who are looking to join the ranks and train with ISIS and other
terrorist organizations prior to their initial departure is equally
important and should be a goal for law enforcement as well.
As such, H.R. 1302 would require that the executive branch conduct an
exercise to evaluate the Nation's preparedness against all phases of
foreign fighter planning and travel. Carrying out such attacks would be
beneficial in understanding how partners at all levels of government
and abroad are currently responding to these scenarios.
We must take decisive action to defeat the threat of ISIS and other
terrorist organizations. The findings of the exercise required by this
legislation will identify weaknesses at home and abroad that may be
exploited by terrorists and foreign fighters, particularly to
infiltrate the United States to conduct attacks. These findings will
also be provided to Congress and Federal law enforcement and
intelligence officials to provide information on how we can best
address these weaknesses.
Passage of the Terrorist and Foreign Fighter Travel Exercise Act
today represents continued action by this body to fight against ISIS
and ensure we keep Americans safe. I urge all Members to join me in
supporting this commonsense, bipartisan bill.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to join me in supporting this bill,
and I reserve the balance of my time.
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of
Representatives,
Washington, DC, March 10, 2017.
Hon. Michael T. McCaul,
Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman McCaul: I write concerning H.R. 1302, the
``Terrorist and Foreign Fighter Travel Exercise Act of
2017.'' This
[[Page H2304]]
legislation includes matters that fall within the Rule X
jurisdiction of the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure.
In order to expedite Floor consideration of H.R. 1302, the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure will forgo
action on this bill. However, this is conditional on our
mutual understanding that forgoing consideration of the bill
does not prejudice the Committee with respect to the
appointment of conferees or to any future jurisdictional
claim over the subject matters contained in the bill or
similar legislation that fall within the Committee's Rule X
jurisdiction. I appreciate you working with us on the base
text of the bill and request you urge the Speaker to name
members of the Committee to any conference committee named to
consider such provisions.
Please place a copy of this letter and your response
acknowledging our jurisdictional interest in the
Congressional Record during House Floor consideration of the
bill. I look forward to working with the Committee on
Homeland Security as the bill moves through the legislative
process.
Sincerely,
Bill Shuster,
Chairman.
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on Homeland Security,
Washington, DC, March 15, 2017.
Hon. Bill Shuster,
Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Shuster: Thank you for your letter regarding
H.R. 1302, the ``Terrorist and Foreign Fighter Travel
Exercise Act of 2017''. I appreciate your support in bringing
this legislation before the House of Representatives, and
accordingly, understand that the Committee on Transportation
and Infrastructure will not seek a sequential referral on the
bill.
The Committee on Homeland Security concurs with the mutual
understanding that by foregoing a sequential referral of this
bill at this time, the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure does not waive any jurisdiction over the
subject matter contained in this bill or similar legislation
in the future. In addition, should a conference on this bill
be necessary, I would support your request to have the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure represented on
the conference committee.
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, Committee on Homeland Security.
Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise in support of H.R. 1302, the Terrorist and Foreign Fighter
Travel Exercise Act of 2017.
Every day, communities across this country are confronted by evolving
threats. Since the beginning of the year, we have seen a number of bomb
threats against Jewish Community Centers. A year and a half ago, a 21-
year-old White gunman hoping to start a race war opened fire at the
Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, killing nine of its
parishioners. The year 2015 went on record as the year with most
threats, reports of harassments, and vandalism against mosques in the
United States.
In light of the emboldened White nationalist, anti-Semitic, and
antigovernment movements, as well as ongoing threats from abroad, we
must ensure that our first responders are prepared to respond to the
evolving threats to our great country.
This bill will direct FEMA's national exercise program to design
scenarios that include emerging terrorist threats. To be clear, the
legislation does not require FEMA's national exercise program to focus
exclusively on terrorist threats, but, rather, seeks to ensure that
FEMA continues to develop exercises that are responsive to threats as
they may emerge.
The bill also requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to carry
out exercises related to terrorist threats domestically and abroad.
H.R. 1302 was passed unanimously and approved by the Committee on
Homeland Security earlier this month and the full House in the last
Congress, in July 2016.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1302 is commonsense legislation that will prepare
first responders, as well as State and local government partners, for
the challenges that lie ahead.
At this time, when first responder programs are slated for the
chopping block under the administration's budget blueprint, it is more
important than ever that Congress stand together to support them.
Exercises like the ones authorized under this legislation contribute to
our preparedness.
As such, I urge Members to support this bill once again.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. McSALLY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr.
Correa) on the Committee on Homeland Security for supporting this bill,
and I urge the rest of my colleagues to support H.R. 1302.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the House
Committee on Homeland Security I rise in support of H.R. 1302,
Terrorist and Foreign Fighter Travel Exercise Act of 2017 to require an
exercise to terrorist and foreign fighter travel.
This bipartisan bill would expand the scope of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency's National Exercise Program by requiring additional
scenarios to address emerging terrorist threats.
Among the scenarios to be included are those involving U.S. citizens
enlisting with or providing support to terrorists organizations abroad,
as well as terrorist infiltration in the United States.
A nationwide exercise would be held within a year of enactment to
evaluate the threat of individuals traveling from the United States to
join a terrorist organization.
The exercise would also test scenarios involving terrorist
infiltration into the U.S. by United States citizens and foreign
nationals.
DHS would coordinate with other federal departments, foreign
governments, state and local governments, and the private sector to
conduct the exercise.
The growing complexity of the threat may be creating unseen gaps in
our defenses, yet it has been years since any large-scale ``stress
test'' has been conducted against terrorist travel.
Federal officials suspect that Todd Wolfe, an American citizen from
Texas, planned to fly his family to Europe where he would meet up with
an ISIS handler and take them all to Syria.
In March of 2014, Hanad Abdullahi Mohallim, an American from
Minnesota, entered Syria at Tel Abyad and recruited other fellow
Somali-Americans in Minnesota to leave the United States and join ISIS.
Also in 2014, Abdi Nur left the U.S. for Syria to join ISIS. He was
later reported to have attempted to recruit other men here in the U.S.
to join the terrorist organization.
We need to be gravely concerned about Americans leaving the country
to train overseas with terrorist organizations who then return to the
United States as foreign fighters.
I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 1302.
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. 1302.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Ms. McSALLY. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not
present.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.
____________________