[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 105 (Tuesday, June 20, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H4976-H4978]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
REPORTING EFFICIENTLY TO PROPER OFFICIALS IN RESPONSE TO TERRORISM ACT
OF 2017
Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 625) to provide for joint reports by relevant Federal agencies to
Congress regarding incidents of terrorism, and for other purposes, as
amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 625
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 ``Reporting Efficiently to
Proper Officials in Response to Terrorism Act of 2017'' or
the ``REPORT Act''.
SEC. 2. DUTY TO REPORT.
(a) Duty Imposed.--Whenever an act of terrorism occurs in
the United States, it shall be the duty of the Secretary of
Homeland Security, the Attorney General, the Director of the
Federal Bureau of Investigation, and, as appropriate, the
head of the National Counterterrorism Center, to submit,
within one year of the completion of the investigation
concerning such act by the primary
[[Page H4977]]
Government agency conducting such investigation, an
unclassified report (which may be accompanied by a classified
annex) to Congress concerning such act.
(b) Content of Reports.--A report under this section
shall--
(1) include a statement of the facts of the act of
terrorism referred to in subsection (a), as known at the time
of the report;
(2) identify any gaps in national security that could be
addressed to prevent future acts of terrorism; and
(3) any recommendations for additional measures that could
be taken to improve homeland security, including potential
changes in law enforcement practices or changes in law, with
particular attention to changes that could help prevent
future acts of terrorism.
(c) Exception.--The duty established under subsection (a)
shall not apply in instances in which the Secretary of
Homeland Security, the Attorney General, the Director of the
Federal Bureau of Investigation, or the head of the National
Counterterrorism Center determines that the information
required to be reported could jeopardize an ongoing
investigation or prosecution. In such instances, the
Secretary shall notify Congress of such prior to the first
anniversary of the completion of the investigation described
in such subsection.
(d) Definition.--In this section, the term ``act of
terrorism'' has the meaning given such term in section 3077
of title 18, United States Code.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Katko) and the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson) 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 material 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, Congress has an obligation to ensure that our national
counterterrorism programs and policies are as effective as possible. At
every opportunity, we should assess gaps and weaknesses and work to
find opportunities for improvement.
For example, the committee's investigation into the 2013 tragic
Boston Marathon bombings revealed a series of weaknesses we have worked
to correct; and many of the recent attacks, including the San
Bernardino and Garland shootings, the Orlando Pulse nightclub attack,
and other small-scale plots have each prompted review, reflection, and
action.
The REPORT Act will provide valuable assistance in this work by
requiring the Department of Homeland Security, in coordination with
other Federal officials, to submit a report to Congress on incidents of
terrorism within 1 year of completion of the investigation.
Importantly, this report will provide Congress with the facts of the
incident, a review of security gaps, and recommendations to improve
homeland security efforts.
As the committee has learned over the years, it can often be a
challenge to obtain timely and comprehensive sharing of information by
the executive branch in the aftermath of a terrorist attack. While
perhaps understandable, the REPORT Act, offered by Congressman Aguilar,
will help ensure that Congress receives the information it needs. This
is a valuable addition, and I encourage my colleagues to support it.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Aguilar for introducing this
important legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as
I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 625, the Reporting Efficiently
to Proper Officials in Response to Terrorism Act of 2017.
Mr. Speaker, the REPORT Act creates an important new congressional
oversight process with respect to incidents of terrorism on U.S. soil.
H.R. 625 requires the Department of Homeland Security, the Department
of Justice, the FBI, and, as appropriate, the National Counterterrorism
Center, to submit an unclassified report, which may be accompanied by a
classified annex, to Congress within a year of the completion of an
investigation of an act of terrorism.
The report to Congress must outline the facts and information related
to the terrorist act but may also discuss national security gaps that
come to light in the investigation that may be addressed by changes in
law enforcement practices or changes in the law.
The gentleman from California (Mr. Aguilar), introduced the REPORT
Act to ensure that this body has the benefit of learning, long after
the press attention has moved to other matters, the facts surrounding
terrorist incidents.
The legislation is informed by the gentleman's experience as the
representative for San Bernardino, California, which, of course, was
the target of a vicious December 2015 attack that resulted in the death
of 14 innocent victims.
I would note that, in order to protect any ongoing investigation or
prosecution, the congressional notification can be waived if doing so
presents a danger of interference to any ongoing terrorist
investigation.
As a cosponsor of H.R. 625, I strongly believe that this legislation
will enhance our ability as Members of Congress to help heal our
communities after an attack and help prevent future terrorist attacks
to keep Americans safe.
I urge my House colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr.
Aguilar).
Mr. AGUILAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Reporting
Efficiently to Proper Officials in Response to Terrorism Act, or the
REPORT Act.
I introduced the REPORT Act a year after the San Bernardino terrorist
attack. Our community has seen more than its fair share of gun
violence, but this terrorist mass shooting claimed 14 lives, injured
another 22 people, and shook my community. In the days and weeks after,
we pledged to do all we could to prevent another attack like this from
happening ever again. This is what this bill seeks to do.
The REPORT Act requires the Department of Homeland Security to submit
a report to Congress when a terror attack occurs in the United States.
Under the bill, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination
with the United States Attorney General, the Federal Bureau of
Investigation, and the head of the National Counterterrorism Center
will produce a report detailing the attack and how to prevent future
attacks.
The idea is to have a uniform after-action report following a
terrorist attack here in the United States. There is currently no legal
requirement to create such a report. Specifically, this report will
include policy recommendations for lawmakers to make our communities
safer and to prevent the next San Bernardino, Boston, New York, or
Orlando.
Mr. Speaker, this is a bipartisan bill. It also has the support of
regional leaders in communities impacted by acts of terror. It has been
endorsed by my region's law enforcement community: San Bernardino
Police Chief Jarrod Burguan and Sheriff John McMahon. Chief Burguan and
Sheriff McMahon are my community's law enforcement leaders who led the
heroic response on December 2, 2015, and stopped the violent rampage,
preventing further loss of life.
The REPORT Act is a commonsense bill that will empower lawmakers with
the facts they need to create meaningful laws to thwart future attacks
of terror.
This bill is for the 14 killed and 22 injured in San Bernardino. It
is for my community. It is also for every American city touched by
these heinous acts of terrorism.
We can and must work together to protect our homeland, and I believe
this is a smart, bipartisan step to achieve that.
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance
of my time.
Mr. Speaker, in closing, H.R. 625 is an important piece of
legislation that has strong support on both sides of the aisle.
Effective communication and unity of effort is critical immediately
following a terrorist attack. It is our duty as Members of Congress to
give law enforcement space to do their investigation but then, when the
facts are known, to get them and then use that knowledge to inform
policymaking. H.R. 625 seeks to do just that. As such,
[[Page H4978]]
I encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 625.
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. 625, as
amended, and 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. 625, the Reporting
Efficiently to Proper Officials in Response to Terrorism Act of 2017,
or the ``REPORT Act.''
The REPORT Act bridges an information and preparedness gap that has
for too long clouded the information Congress receives about acts of
terrorism that happen in our homeland.
The REPORT Act requires the Secretary of Homeland Security, in
coordination with the Attorney General, the Director of the Federal
Bureau of Investigation, and, if appropriate, the head of the National
Counterterrorism Center, to submit an unclassified report to Congress,
within one year of the completion of an investigation of act of
terrorism in the United States.
This report will include a statement of the facts regarding the act
of terrorism; identify any possible national security gaps that could
prevent future acts of terrorism, and any recommendations for
additional homeland security improvement measures.
The report will help Congress to enact legislation to effectively
address security gaps in our national security efforts.
The REPORT Act fosters accountability, collaboration, and
preparedness.
Acts of terror and violence have been at the forefront of the
American collective memory for more than a decade now.
Americans have become accustomed to hearing about attacks all across
our homeland and around the world.
The Bookings Institute labeled 2016 as the year of the ``Lone Wolf''
terrorist.
Radicalized individuals acting on their own pose a strategic and
institutional threat to our national security.
This phenomenon requires us to think creatively and collectively to
be prepared to address the idiosyncratic aspects of this new wave of
terror.
The REPORT Act relies on our current security structure to prepare us
for the future.
Attacks such as the attack on LGBT people of color in Pulse, the
attacks in the City of San Bernardino, and recent attacks in London
highlight the importance of collaboration and sharing of knowledge to
prevent more attacks from happening.
This common sense bill relies on our current expertise to prepare for
the future.
Mr. Speaker, we share the responsibility with the President to keep
Americans safe and this bill is a step towards improving the way we go
about protecting the American people.
I support the REPORT Act and urge my colleagues to join me in
supporting this important legislation.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. 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. 625, 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.
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