[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 17, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H4269-H4271]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          IMPROVING FUSION CENTERS' ACCESS TO INFORMATION ACT

  Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 2169) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to enhance 
information sharing in the Department of Homeland Security State, 
Local, and Regional Fusion Center Initiative, and for other purposes, 
as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2169

       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 ``Improving Fusion Centers' 
     Access to Information Act''.

     SEC. 2. ENHANCED INFORMATION SHARING IN THE DEPARTMENT OF 
                   HOMELAND SECURITY STATE, LOCAL, AND REGIONAL 
                   FUSION CENTER INITIATIVE.

       Subsection (b) of section 210A of the Homeland Security Act 
     of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 124h) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (2), by inserting before the semicolon at 
     the end the following: ``and conduct outreach to such fusion 
     centers to identify any gaps in information sharing and 
     consult with other Federal agencies to develop methods to 
     address such gaps, as appropriate'';
       (2) by redesignating paragraphs (3) through (12) as 
     paragraphs (4) through (13), respectively; and
       (3) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following new 
     paragraph:
       ``(3) identify Federal databases and datasets, including 
     databases and datasets used, operated, or managed by 
     Department components, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 
     and the Department of the Treasury, that are appropriate, in 
     accordance with Federal laws and policies, to address any 
     gaps identified pursuant to paragraph (2), for inclusion in 
     the information sharing environment and coordinate with the 
     appropriate Federal agency to deploy or access such databases 
     and datasets;''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Katko) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Vela) each will 
control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.


                             General Leave

  Mr. KATKO. 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. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2169, the Improving Fusion 
Centers' Access to Information Act.
  In the years since 9/11, Congress and the executive branch have taken 
many steps to address information shortfalls and information-sharing 
shortfalls. However, we know that silos remain.
  The purpose of H.R. 2169 is to ensure that the Department of Homeland 
Security is truly serving as a State and local information-sharing 
advocate, as originally intended by the Homeland Security Act.
  This bill requires the DHS to regularly review information-sharing 
efforts with the National Network of Fusion Centers and then work with 
other Federal agencies to close any identified gaps.
  State and local fusion centers have grown in maturity and number 
during the last 16 years since 9/11. There are now 78 fusion centers 
within the national network. As the network has matured, fusion centers 
have established themselves as a critical conduit

[[Page H4270]]

for sharing terrorism, homeland security, and criminal information with 
Federal, State, local, tribal, and territorial partners. As the threat 
environment continues to evolve, it is vital they have access to the 
tools and information systems to stay ahead of threats to the homeland.
  Despite existing requirements for DHS to share intelligence and 
information with State and local entities, I have found that the 
Department does not regularly assess if fusion centers have access to 
necessary information or databases held by other Federal agencies. H.R. 
2169 addresses this deficiency by requiring the Secretary to conduct 
outreach to the fusion centers to identify information-sharing gaps and 
work with the appropriate Federal agencies to address these gaps.
  Additionally, the Secretary is required to identify Federal databases 
and datasets that should be included in the information-sharing 
environment and coordinate with the appropriate Federal agency to 
deploy such systems.
  H.R. 2169 includes input from the fusion centers, Department of 
Homeland Security, and other Federal agencies.
  Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter from the National 
Fusion Center Association, and I am pleased they have endorsed the 
bill.

                                                   National Fusion


                                           Center Association,

                                                   April 28, 2017.
     Re Support for H.R. 2169--Improving Fusion Centers' Access to 
         Information Act.

     Hon. John Katko,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Katko: On behalf of the National Fusion 
     Center Association (NFCA), I write in support of your 
     legislation--H.R. 2169--to enhance information sharing and 
     analysis among fusion centers and federal agencies by 
     encouraging appropriate fusion center access to federally 
     managed information systems. As you know, the National 
     Network of Fusion Centers (NNFC) is a focal point for 
     analytical collaboration and information sharing on threats 
     to public safety among federal, local, state, territorial, 
     and tribal public safety agencies.
       The NFCA has worked closely with DHS, the FBI, and other 
     partners to develop strong information sharing pathways. We 
     have made significant strides to improve daily working 
     relationships with our federal partners. The flow of 
     information from state and local public safety agencies to 
     appropriate federal agencies continues to improve, and the 
     same is true with information coming from federal agencies to 
     local and state jurisdictions. We are also seeing enhanced 
     analytical collaboration.
       Still, challenges remain that should be addressed. Your 
     legislation will provide important support in this effort by 
     encouraging improved access to data from federally managed 
     information systems that our analysts need to do their jobs 
     in the most effective manner possible. It is crucial for 
     Congress to consistently support a strong information sharing 
     environment, and this legislation would assist in that 
     effort.
       We appreciate your dedication to effective information 
     sharing and analysis and look forward to working with you to 
     move your legislation forward and accomplish our shared 
     mission of protecting America.
           Sincerely,
                                                        Mike Sena,
                                                        President.

  Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to report that H.R. 2169 is 
a very bipartisan bill that passed the Committee on Homeland Security 
unanimously.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the measure, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. VELA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2169, the Improving Fusion 
Centers' Access to Information Act of 2017.
  Mr. Speaker, today we consider H.R. 2169, a bill that seeks to 
authorize DHS' State, Local, and Regional Fusion Center Initiative. The 
bill requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to carry out outreach 
to identify gaps in information sharing.
  This measure highlights the importance of equipping fusion centers so 
that they can quickly adapt to the ever-evolving terrorist threat 
landscape. Congress has given particular attention to fusion centers 
and, in the 114th Congress, enacted measures to support fusion centers.
  Fusion centers operate as State and major urban area focal points for 
the receipt, analysis, gathering, and sharing of threat-related 
information between Federal, local, and private sector partners.
  I want to particularly highlight a provision of this bill focused on 
improving the interagency collaboration by requiring the DHS Secretary 
to consult with other Federal partners in order to develop new methods 
to address such gaps.
  DHS must continue to address and improve the Nation's fusion centers' 
capabilities in gathering, analyzing, and sharing threat-related 
information between partners on every level.

                              {time}  1545

  Mr. Speaker, in closing, I want to again express my support for this 
bill and thank Mr. Katko for his efforts in bringing this bill forward.
  We live in a time when the threats we face as a nation remain 
complex, and this bill is an important tool to ensure our law 
enforcement professionals have the resources and methods to prevent and 
deter terror threats.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, I once again urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2169.
  Before I close, I want to note that I routinely engage in bipartisan 
efforts on behalf of Homeland Security with Congressman Vela and 
others. The committee works in a very bipartisan manner to do what is 
best for this country to keep it safe, and this bill is one of those 
bills that helps keep our country safe.
  It is critical that we ensure the proper flow of information to all 
law enforcement agencies, that they properly use that information, and 
that they have access to it on a regular basis no matter whether they 
are a local police officer who is working at a fusion center or whether 
it is an FBI agent. Everyone should have access to that information 
because we are all on the same team to keep this country safe.
  I think our bipartisan efforts that we engage in with Homeland 
Security on a regular basis are a good example of the good things that 
happen in Congress. I am proud to be a part it, and I am proud to have 
Mr. Vela as my colleague on that as well.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Homeland 
Security Committee, I rise in support of H.R. 2169. the ``Improving 
Fusion Centers Access to Information Act of 2017,'' which would enhance 
information sharing in the Department of Homeland Security State, Local 
and Regional Fusion Center Initiative.
  This bill requires outreach to be conducted to fusion centers in 
order to identify gaps in information sharing and consultation with 
other Federal agencies to develop methods to address such gaps.
  Additionally, it requires the DHS Secretary to coordinate with the 
heads of other federal departments and agencies to provide operational 
and intelligence advice to fusion centers and support their efforts to 
operate efficiently and effectively.
  H.R. 2169 requires the Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis 
(I&A) to ensure fusion centers have access to Homeland Security 
information sharing centers and that DHS personnel are deployed to 
support fusion centers in a manner consistent with the department's 
mission and statutory limits.
  Fusion centers provide the means to local, state, and tribal law 
enforcement to bring together information from distributed federal and 
private sector sources for the purpose of collection, retention, 
analysis, and dissemination. The term fusion centers first coined by 
the Department of Defense (DOD) refer to the fusing of information for 
analysis purposes.
  The Houston Regional Intelligence Service Center is a Fusion Center.
  The mission of the Houston Regional Intelligence Service Center is to 
provide security to the Houston area by gathering, developing and 
sharing intelligence regarding the capabilities, intentions, and 
actions of terrorist groups and individuals which pose threats.
  Houston hosted the 51st Super Bowl earlier this year and the Houston 
Regional Intelligence Service Center was on duty for this major 
national event.
  This year's Super Bowl had:
  10,000--volunteers;
  140,000--visitors; and
  1 million--people who participated in at least one Super Bowl event.
  The Super Bowl took place free of incidents, which is a testament to 
the collaborative work of federal, state, and local law enforcement 
through the Houston Fusion Center.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill is not only good for our country, but it also 
will greatly benefit the citizens of Houston, Texas.

[[Page H4271]]

  If local law enforcement is given the proper resources, information, 
and intelligence, they will know how to properly handle terrorism 
threats.
  H.R. 2169 will strengthen our economy while keeping our fellow 
citizens safe.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in supporting H.R. 2169 
because the safety of citizens from potential threats is critical to 
the security of the homeland and strength of our economy.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Duncan of Tennessee). The question is on 
the motion offered by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Katko) that the 
House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2169, 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.

                          ____________________