[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 70 (Tuesday, April 25, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H2828-H2829]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HOMELAND SECURITY FOR CHILDREN ACT
Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 1372) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to ensure
that the needs of children are considered in homeland security
planning, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1372
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 ``Homeland Security for
Children Act''.
SEC. 2. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR STRATEGY,
POLICY, AND PLANS.
Paragraph (6) of section 709(c) of the Homeland Security
Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 349(c)) is amended by inserting ``,
including feedback from organizations representing the needs
of children,'' after ``stakeholder feedback''.
SEC. 3. TECHNICAL EXPERT AUTHORIZED.
Paragraph (2) of section 503(b) of the Homeland Security
Act (6 U.S.C. 313(b)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (G), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in subparagraph (H), by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
``(I) identify and integrate the needs of children into
activities to prepare for, protect against, respond to,
recover from, and mitigate against the risk of natural
disasters, acts of terrorism, and other manmade disasters,
including catastrophic incidents, including by appointing a
technical expert, who may consult with relevant outside
organizations and experts, as necessary, to coordinate such
integration, as necessary.''.
SEC. 4. REPORT.
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of
this Act and annually thereafter for five years, the Under
Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans of the Department
of Homeland Security shall submit to the Committee on
Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of
the Senate a report describing the efforts the Department has
undertaken to review and incorporate feedback from
organizations representing the needs of children into
Department policy in accordance with paragraph (6) of section
709(c) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (as added by
section 2 of this Act), including information on the
following:
(1) The designation of any individual responsible for
carrying out such paragraph (6).
(2) Any review, formal or informal, of Department policies,
programs, or activities to assess the suitability of such
policies, programs, or activities for children and where
feedback from organizations representing the needs of
children should be reviewed and incorporated.
(3) Any review, change, modification, or promulgation of
Department policies, programs, or activities to ensure that
such policies, programs, or activities are appropriate for
children.
(4) Coordination with organizations or experts outside the
Department pursuant to such paragraph (6) conducted to inform
any such review, change, modification, or promulgation of
such policies, programs, or activities.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Donovan) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) 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
may 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 such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1372, the Homeland
Security for Children Act.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are about 74 million
children in the United States, and while we are constantly making
progress to achieve national resilience in the face of the next
emergency, we must continue to ensure special consideration is made to
integrate emergency planning at the Department of Homeland Security
that addresses the unique needs of children when emergencies arise. I
want to thank Mr. Payne for introducing H.R. 1372, which will ensure
such consideration is made.
Recently, the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and
Communications held a series of hearings focused on the progress and
the future of achieving national preparedness in the face of events
like Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy. Among the child safety
efforts made in the last 10 years, FEMA created the National Emergency
Child Locator Center within the National Center for Missing & Exploited
Children to ensure the swift reunification of children should a major
emergency displace communities.
Mr. Speaker, I know this personally, having been an elected official
on Staten Island during the tragedy in lower Manhattan in September of
2001. All three bridges from Staten Island to New Jersey were closed,
the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge was closed, and ferry service was stopped
from Staten Island to Manhattan. We had many of our residents stuck at
work in Manhattan. Their children were on Staten Island and could not
be reached when being released from school.
I know Mr. Payne can comment on this as well, but I just want to
publicly thank him, because I experienced that myself.
The subcommittee heard from weather-tested first responders who,
among other important issues, stressed the importance of integrating
the needs of children into emergency planning, reminding us that, after
all, children are not just mini-adults.
While DHS and FEMA have taken steps to elevate the safety of our most
important populations, DHS can still do more to ensure Department
policies, programs, and activities to prepare for, protect against,
respond to, recover from, and mitigate against disasters, and also
consider the needs of children throughout our impacted communities.
By authorizing a children's needs technical expert at FEMA, as H.R.
1372 seeks to do, we can make certain that the needs of children are
integrated into emergency preparedness, protection, response, recovery,
and mitigation activities.
Further, H.R. 1372 will require DHS's Office of Strategy, Policy, and
Plans to appropriately consider the needs of children throughout
Departmental activities and report such efforts to Congress.
H.R. 1372 provides peace of mind that the future of our most
treasured assets, our children, are safe in the face of emergencies.
Additionally, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that this
legislation would not have a significant impact on the Federal budget.
I want to thank Chairman Shuster of the Committee on Transportation
and Infrastructure and Chairman Barletta of the Transportation and
Infrastructure's Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public
Buildings, and Emergency Management for working with the Committee on
Homeland Security to see that this legislation receives timely
consideration on the House floor.
As chairman of the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response,
and Communications, I am committed to ensuring FEMA has resources at
its disposal to meet its mission of safeguarding a more resilient
nation.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my fellow 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. 1372, the
``Homeland Security for Children Act.'' This 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. 1372, the
Committee on Transportation
[[Page H2829]]
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 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 16, 2017.
Hon. Bill Shuster,
Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Shuster: Thank you for your letter regarding
H.R. 1372, the ``Homeland Security for Children Act''. I
appreciate your support in bringing this legislation before
the House of Representatives, and accordingly, understand
that the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure will
waive further consideration of the bill.
The Committee on Homeland Security concurs with the mutual
understanding that by foregoing a action on 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. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1372, the Homeland
Security for Children Act.
Mr. Speaker, children are not tiny adults, as was stated, but too
often that is how the Federal policy treats them when there is not a
deliberate effort to do otherwise.
The Department of Homeland Security, through its components,
interacts with children regularly, and its policies have a direct
impact on them. That is why I introduced H.R. 1372, the Homeland
Security for Children Act.
H.R. 1372 would make integrating the unique needs of children a
priority at the Department of Homeland Security. The bill directs the
DHS Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans to solicit and
incorporate feedback from children's organizations into Department-wide
policies and activities.
Additionally, H.R. 1372 would formally authorize the existing
children's technical expert position at the Federal Emergency
Management Agency. The position was established by former Administrator
Fugate in response to a March 2015 recommendation by the FEMA National
Advisory Council.
At the time, the National Advisory Council had concluded that FEMA
had made progress integrating the unique needs of children into
disaster plans since Hurricane Katrina, despite the fact that it did
not have a technical lead to emphasize and address children's issues.
As a result, State and local governments and emergency managers were
unaware of guidance related to children's needs at the State and local
level, leaving children vulnerable.
According to Save the Children, 80 percent of the National Commission
on Children and Disasters' recommendations from 2010 still remain open.
Whatever progress has been made in integrating the needs of children in
disasters, it is clear there is still work left to be done.
H.R. 1372 will ensure FEMA and DHS has the expertise necessary to do
its part to ensure the unique needs of children are integrated into
relevant activities, plans, and policies.
The legislation has been endorsed by Save the Children, and former
Administrator Fugate has said he supports efforts to authorize the
children's needs technical expert at FEMA.
Mr. Speaker, the Homeland Security for Children Act is commonsense,
bipartisan legislation that will ensure that the needs of the most
vulnerable among us are adequately integrated into homeland security
and disaster policies planning.
I would like to just state, Mr. Speaker, that this bill has been a
long time coming. I was just reminded of its importance by a program
that I watched on television the other day about the tornadoes in
Oklahoma, where we lost 7 children in a school building that fell. It
showed the disarray in the rest of the parents being able to be
reunited with their children. This is a timely bill.
Before I yield back, I would like to thank Transportation and
Infrastructure Committee Chairman Shuster and Ranking Member DeFazio
for agreeing to exchange letters to expedite consideration of H.R. 1372
on the floor.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I once again urge my colleagues to support
H.R. 1372, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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. 1372, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________