[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.

                          ____________________