[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 50 (Wednesday, March 22, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H2307-H2308]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ACQUISITION INNOVATION ACT
Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 1365) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require
certain acquisition innovation, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1365
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 ``Department of Homeland
Security Acquisition Innovation Act''.
SEC. 2. ACQUISITION INNOVATION.
(a) In General.--Title VII of the Homeland Security Act of
2002 (6 U.S.C. 341 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end
the following new section:
``SEC. 710. ACQUISITION INNOVATION.
``The Under Secretary for Management may--
``(1) designate an individual within the Department to
manage acquisition innovation efforts of the Department;
``(2) test emerging acquisition best practices to carrying
out acquisitions, consistent with the Federal Acquisition
Regulation and Department acquisition management directives,
as appropriate;
``(3) develop and distribute best practices and lessons
learned regarding acquisition innovation throughout the
Department;
``(4) establish metrics to measure the effectiveness of
acquisition innovation efforts with respect to cost,
operational efficiency of the acquisition program (including
timeframe for executing contracts), and collaboration with
the private sector, including small businesses; and
``(5) determine impacts of acquisition innovation efforts
on the private sector by--
``(A) engaging with the private sector, including small
businesses, to provide information and obtain feedback on
procurement practices and acquisition innovation efforts of
the Department;
``(B) obtaining feedback from the private sector on the
impact of acquisition innovation efforts of the Department;
and
``(C) incorporating such feedback, as appropriate, into
future acquisition innovation efforts of the Department.''.
(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 709 the
following new item:
``Sec. 710. Acquisition innovation.''.
(c) Information.--Not later than 90 days after the date on
which the Secretary of Homeland Security submits the annual
budget justification for the Department of Homeland Security
for each of fiscal years 2018 through 2022, the Secretary
shall, if appropriate, provide information to the Committee
on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of
the Senate on the activities undertaken in the previous
fiscal year in furtherance of section 710 of the Homeland
Security Act, as added by subsection (a) of this Act, on the
following:
(1) Emerging acquisition best practices that were tested
within the Department during such year.
(2) Efforts to distribute best practices and lessons
learned within the Department, including through web-based
seminars, training, and forums, during such year.
(3) Utilization by components throughout the Department of
best practices distributed by the Under Secretary of
Management pursuant to paragraph (3) of such section 710.
(4) Performance as measured by the metrics established
under paragraph (4) of such section 710.
(5) Outcomes of efforts to distribute best practices and
lessons learned within the Department, including through web-
based seminars, training, and forums.
(6) Any impacts of the utilization of innovative
acquisition mechanisms by the Department on the private
sector, including small businesses.
(7) The criteria used to identify specific acquisition
programs or activities to be included in acquisition
innovation efforts and the outcomes of such programs or
activities.
(8) Recommendations, as necessary, to enhance acquisition
innovation in the Department.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Donovan) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Correa) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.
General Leave
Mr. DONOVAN. 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 New York?
There was no objection.
Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1365, the Department of
Homeland Security Acquisition Innovation Act.
The bill allows DHS to designate a senior official to manage
acquisition innovation efforts; test, develop, and distribute
acquisition best practices throughout the Department; and establish
performance metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of these efforts.
Republican amendments at the committee markup strengthened the
underlying bill by encouraging DHS to obtain feedback from the private
sector and incorporate this feedback into future efforts.
As we have seen from numerous watchdog reports, the Federal
Government's acquisition and contracting process is broken, cumbersome,
and bureaucratic. DHS must continue to innovate to ensure the private
sector can best support our critical homeland security needs. The
Department has recently taken positive steps in using new contracting
tools and collaborating with industry. This legislation supports those
efforts and encourages their continued use.
I commend Oversight and Management Efficiency Subcommittee Ranking
Member Correa for all of his hard work on this legislation.
I urge all Members to join me in supporting this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise in support of H.R. 1365, the Department of Homeland Security
Acquisition Innovation Act.
When the Department of Homeland Security was established in 2002, it
was understood that the mission of safeguarding the American people
would be
[[Page H2308]]
a complex one. Today, 15 years later, the ever-changing nature of the
terrorist threat and its landscape has demanded that DHS be more
innovative. In the past 3 years, the Department has actively worked to
carry out its procurement process in new and innovative ways.
The Acquisition Innovations in Motion program, launched in 2015, is a
framework for coordinated industry engagement in which opportunities,
challenges, and strategies are discussed to identify acquisition
solutions and foster greater efficiency and effectiveness.
A key component of this program is a Procurement Innovation Lab
called PIL. PIL is a virtual testing environment that experiments with
innovative techniques to assess whether they can be effectively
integrated into DHS' procurement process. To date, PIL is credited with
reducing award times, the integration of existing flexibilities that
are in use in other portions of the Federal Government, and improved
acquisition training.
Results, case studies, and lessons learned from the PIL process are
regularly shared throughout DHS through webinars and the internal web
portal. These activities facilitate a continuous learning culture that
enhances the DHS mission of support.
I introduced this bill, H.R. 1365, to institutionalize DHS'
acquisition innovation efforts by authorizing such activity by the
Under Secretary of Management. Specifically, my legislation authorizes
robust testing, development, and distribution of best practices and
acquisitions throughout the Department, as well as performance metrics
to measure the effectiveness of such efforts.
Enactment of this bill will help ensure that this successful
acquisition management technique continues. This bill was unanimously
approved by the Committee on Homeland Security earlier this month.
Mr. Speaker, DHS' approach to acquisitions not only accommodates the
Department's unique mission, but it supports our responsibility to the
management of taxpayer dollars.
This bill codifies a pathway to developing and implementing
innovative approaches that serve the Department's acquisition
challenges through collaboration and efficiency. To that end, it is
vital that DHS continue to drive towards a more effective procurement
process in support of its vital mission.
Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 1365, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I once again urge my colleagues to support
H.R. 1365, as amended.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the cost estimate on
H.R. 1365:
March 22, 2017.
Hon. Michael McCaul,
Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, House of
Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 1365, the
Department of Homeland Security Acquisition Innovation Act.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Mark
Grabowicz.
Sincerely,
Keith Hall.
Enclosure.
H.R. 1365
Department of Homeland Security Acquisition Innovation Act
As ordered reported by the House Committee on Homeland Security on
March 8, 2017
H.R. 1365 would authorize the Department of Homeland
Security (DHS) to promote the use of innovation in its
acquisition programs. The legislation would direct DHS to
provide information annually to the Congress on activities
related to innovative acquisition practices. Based on
information from DHS, CBO estimates that implementing H.R.
1365 would cost less than $500,000 annually; such spending
would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
Enacting the legislation would not affect direct spending
or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not
apply. CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 1365 would not
increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of
the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2028.
H.R. 1365 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and
would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal
governments.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Mark Grabowicz.
The estimate was approved by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy
Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Homeland
Security Committee, I rise in support of H.R. 1365, the ``Department of
Homeland Security Acquisition Innovation Act'' which authorizes the DHS
to expand the use of acquisition innovation.
This bipartisan bill will guarantee new acquisition methods and
practices are considered to ensure taxpayers get the most for their
money.
This bill would permit DHS's undersecretary for management to:
1. Designate an official to manage acquisition innovation;
2. Test and develop best practices that are consistent with
acquisition rules and directives;
3. Measure how innovation in acquisition processes have affected
cost, operational efficiency, the timeframe for executing contracts,
and collaboration with small businesses and other private-sector
companies; and
4. Obtain and incorporate feedback from the private sector.
From fiscal 2018 through 2022, DHS would provide Congress with
information on acquisition innovation activities during the previous
fiscal year, including:
1. Best practices that were tested, used and distributed, including
through web-based seminars, trainings and forums;
2. Effects on the private sector, including small businesses;
3. Criteria to indemnify acquisition programs that would be
appropriate for innovation; and
4. Recommendations for enhancing innovation at DHS.
Innovation is the American way and this bill makes sure the
Department of Homeland Security finds new ways to do its job
effectively and efficiently.
At the Tenth Annual Border Security Expo in Texas, officials from the
Department of Homeland Security observed some of the latest innovations
that can help to protect our border. This included 3D holographic
images, portable biometric testing kits, and underground seismic signal
detectors.
In Texas, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents deter, detect,
and interdict smuggling along the Texas/Mexico border through the
deployment of an integrated network of detection and communication
technologies.
In 2016, the Texas of Department of Public Safety provided direct
assistance to U.S. Customs and Border Protection in the arrest of over
37,000 criminals deemed a high threat risk.
Frontline personnel securing our borders, protecting our airports,
and defending our shores must have the tools to successfully accomplish
their mission.
I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 1365.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Donovan) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 1365, as amended.
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. DONOVAN. 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.
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