[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 147 (Tuesday, September 12, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H7229-H7232]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1215
JOINT COUNTERTERRORISM AWARENESS WORKSHOP SERIES ACT OF 2017
Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass
the bill (H.R. 3284) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to
establish a Joint Counterterrorism Awareness Workshop Series, and for
other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 3284
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 ``Joint Counterterrorism
Awareness Workshop Series Act of 2017''.
SEC. 2. JOINT COUNTERTERRORISM AWARENESS WORKSHOP SERIES.
(a) In General.--Title V of the Homeland Security Act (6
U.S.C. 311 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following new section:
[[Page H7230]]
``SEC. 529. JOINT COUNTERTERRORISM AWARENESS WORKSHOP SERIES.
``(a) In General.--The Administrator, in consultation with
the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center and the
Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, shall
establish a Joint Counterterrorism Awareness Workshop Series
(in this section referred to as the `Workshop Series') to
address emerging terrorist threats and to enhance the ability
of State and local jurisdictions to prevent, protect against,
respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks.
``(b) Purpose.--The Workshop Series established under
subsection (a) shall include the following components:
``(1) Reviewing existing preparedness, response, and
interdiction plans, policies, and procedures related to
terrorist attacks of the participating jurisdictions and
identifying gaps in such plans, operational capabilities,
response resources, and authorities.
``(2) Identifying Federal, State, and local resources
available to address the gaps identified in accordance with
paragraph (1).
``(3) Providing assistance, through training, exercises,
and other means, to build or sustain, as appropriate, the
capabilities to close such identified gaps.
``(4) Examining the roles and responsibilities of
participating agencies and respective communities in the
event of a terrorist attack.
``(5) Improving situational awareness and information
sharing among all participating agencies in the event of a
terrorist attack.
``(6) Identifying and sharing best practices and lessons
learned from each Workshop Series established under
subsection (a).
``(c) Designation of Participating Cities.--The
Administrator shall select jurisdictions to host a Workshop
Series from those cities that--
``(1) are currently receiving, or that previously received,
funding under section 2003; and
``(2) have requested to be considered.
``(d) Workshop Series Participants.--Individuals from State
and local jurisdictions and emergency response providers in
cities designated under subsection (c) shall be eligible to
participate in the Workshop Series, including the following:
``(1) Senior elected and appointed officials.
``(2) Law enforcement.
``(3) Fire and Rescue.
``(4) Emergency management.
``(5) Emergency Medical Services.
``(6) Public health officials.
``(7) Private sector representatives.
``(8) Other participants as deemed appropriate by the
Administrator.
``(e) Reports.--
``(1) Workshop series report.--The Administrator, in
consultation with the Director of the National
Counterterrorism Center, the Director of the Federal Bureau
of Investigation, and officials from the city in which a
Workshop Series is held, shall develop and submit to all of
the agencies participating in such Workshop Series a report
after the conclusion of each such Workshop Series that
addresses the following:
``(A) Key findings about lessons learned and best practices
from each such Workshop Series.
``(B) Potential mitigation strategies and resources to
address gaps identified during each such Workshop Series.
``(2) Annual reports.--Not later than one year after the
date of the enactment of this section and annually thereafter
for the next five years, the Administrator, in consultation
with the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center and
the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 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 comprehensive summary
report of the key themes, lessons learned, and best practices
identified during the Workshop Series held during the
previous year.
``(f) Authorization.--There is authorized to be
appropriated $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 through
2022 to carry out this section.''.
(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 528 the
following new item:
``Sec. 529. Joint Counterterrorism Awareness Workshop Series.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Fitzpatrick) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms.
Barragan) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
General Leave
Mr. FITZPATRICK. 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
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
There was no objection.
Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, as we gather this week and mark the 16th anniversary of
the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, we remember the nearly
3,000 innocent people lost in that heinous act--including 18 from my
home of Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
Additionally, we honor the more than 400 first responders who
perished and the countless more whose long-term health was impacted
because of their courageous action. Each of us in this Chamber has
heard stories of those brave firefighters, police officers, and EMTs
who ran toward the danger and chaos on that Tuesday morning and made
the ultimate sacrifice in the service of their community and their
country. Today we remember them, and we recommit to recognize their
efforts and those efforts of all first responders around our Nation.
Mr. Speaker, since 9/11, we have seen the devastating impact of
coordinated terrorist attacks on civilian targets. In these cases,
first responders--including local police, fire, and emergency medical
personnel--are the main response force. It is critical that these men
and women have the training and tools to operate in these planned
attacks.
That is why I have introduced H.R. 3284, the Joint Counterterrorism
Awareness Workshop Series Act of 2017, to authorize a vital workshop
series allowing State and local jurisdictions to prepare for
coordinated terrorist attacks.
H.R. 3284, as amended, authorizes the Joint Counterterrorism
Awareness Workshop Series for 5 years and delineates the activities
that are required to be part of each workshop, including a review of
current plans, policies and procedures, and an examination of the roles
and responsibilities of each participating agency.
H.R. 3284 ensures that the whole community--from government
officials, law enforcement, fire, EMS, and public health officials to
the private sector--participates in the workshop.
Additionally, Mr. Speaker, this bill allows the FEMA Administrator to
select jurisdictions to participate in such workshops from
jurisdictions that currently receive, or previously received, Urban
Area Security Initiative funding and have requested to host a workshop.
Finally, H.R. 3284 requires the participants to develop a summary
report after each workshop that includes the key findings and
strategies to mitigate the identified gaps.
I introduced this bill with bipartisan support, and I am proud to
have the backing of two first responder organizations that I trust when
working on this type of legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter of support from the
International Association of Fire Chiefs and a letter of support from
the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association.
International Association
of Fire Chiefs,
Fairfax, VA, July 21, 2017.
Hon. Brian K. Fitzpatrick,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Representative Fitzpatrick: On behalf of the nearly
12,000 fire and emergency service leaders of the
International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), I express
our support for H.R. 3284, your legislation to authorize the
Joint Counterterrorism Awareness Workshop Series (JCTAWS).
These multidisciplinary exercises help local jurisdictions
prepare for the threat of complex, coordinated terrorist
attacks.
The terrorist threat continues to evolve. As terrorist
incidents in Mumbai in 2008, Paris in 2015, and Brussels in
2016 demonstrate, complex, coordinated terror attacks using
multiple teams and a variety of tactics are a growing threat
that local jurisdictions will have to address. Local
jurisdictions must be prepared to respond to multiple
incidents at the same time involving active shooter
incidents, explosives and the use of fire as a weapon.
The JCTAWS exercises provide an environment where local
fire service, law enforcement, emergency medical service,
private sector and other disciplines can plan for joint
response to these incidents. The JCTAWS allows federal, state
and local partners to collaboratively evaluate their options
and learn how to best protect their communities. The
exercises also bring together resources from the U.S.
Department of Homeland Security, the National
Counterterrorism Center, and the Federal Bureau of
Investigation to leverage the strengths of these major
agencies. After a jurisdiction hosts a JCTAWS exercise, key
findings are communicated to the participants as well as
mitigation strategies and resources to address gaps in
preparedness.
The IAFC endorses this legislation and thanks you for
authorizing funding for this critical exercise program. We
look forward
[[Page H7231]]
to working with you to pass this legislation this year.
Sincerely,
Fire Chief John D. Sinclair,
President and Chairman of the Board.
____
Federal Law Enforcement
Officers Association,
Washington, DC.
FLEOA Commends Fitzpatrick, Murray, Donovan for First Responders Bill
Washington, DC.--The Federal Law Enforcement Officers
Association (FLEOA) applauds Representatives Brian
Fitzpatrick (PA-08), Stephanie Murray (FL-07), Dan Donovan
(NY-11), and the members of the House Homeland Security
Committee for expanding the training and collaboration of
emergency first responders through introduction of H.R. 3284,
the Joint Counterterrorism Awareness Workshop Series (JCTAWS)
Act of 2017. FLEOA is the non-partisan, not-for-profit
professional organization representing more than 26,000
federal officers and agents from over 65 agencies.
FLEOA President Nathan Catura stated, ``The horrific damage
and loss of life caused by terrorists 16 years ago reminds us
of the devastation into which first responders insert
themselves on a regular basis. Whenever state, local,
federal, and tribal first responders react as one unified
team, the public benefits in countless ways.''
``As a former federal agent, Congressman Fitzpatrick knows
the benefits H.R. 3284 will have by expanding the unified
training and communication of responders,'' Catura continued.
``It is because of the previous JCTAWS training and the
additional training H.R. 3284 will generate that the public
safety community has made considerable progress since the 9/
11 attacks.''
Mr. FITZPATRICK. Throughout our Nation's history, our first
responders have always stood for peace, security, and ordered liberty
that make our communities great and our country strong. For this we are
eternally grateful. As we remember those who gave their lives on
September 11, we, unfortunately, recall that the threats of coordinated
terrorist attacks are not going away. Today it remains critical that
our first responders have the resources and the tools needed to protect
our communities. The Joint Counterterrorism Awareness Workshop Series
is one of these vital tools.
Mr. Speaker, as a first responder myself, I am proud to work with the
House Committee on Homeland Security's Subcommittee on Emergency
Preparedness, Response, and Communications on moving this meaningful
legislation, and I urge all Members to join me in supporting our first
responders by voting ``yes.''
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3284, the Joint
Counterterrorism Awareness Workshop Series Act of 2017.
Mr. Speaker, in a crisis like the attacks of September 11, 2001, our
Nation's first responders--police officers, firefighters, and emergency
medical personnel--take on enormous responsibilities. They contain the
situation, care for the injured, and keep people safe while putting
their own lives at risk. These weighty responsibilities are central in
terrorism-related crises.
Today there is an appreciation of the importance of the whole-of-
Nation response where efforts among diverse stakeholders, including
nontraditional first responders, are well coordinated and thoroughly
planned.
The Joint Counterterrorism Awareness Workshop Series is a program
where one-day events are hosted across the country that bring people
together who play a critical role in keeping their city's residents
safe during a terrorist attack. The multicity series is a collaborative
effort among Federal, State, local and private sector entities that
empowers cities to provide the best response to an organized,
coordinated, and multisite terrorist attack.
One of these workshops was conducted in Los Angeles, near my
district. I represent the Port of Los Angeles--America's port. It
touches every congressional district and faces a variety of threats
that require coordinated preparation and response from Federal, State,
and local agencies.
Enactment of H.R. 3284, the Joint Counterterrorism Awareness Workshop
Series Act, would codify this important program in law. Specifically,
H.R. 3284 requires the FEMA Administrator, in consultation with the
Directors of the National Counterterrorism Center and the Federal
Bureau of Investigation, to establish a Joint Counterterrorism Workshop
Series.
Importantly, this bill requires that, at the conclusion of each
event, the FEMA Administrator, in consultation with the NCTC and FBI
Directors and officials from the participant city hosting the workshop
series, provide all participants with an after-action report that
includes key findings about lessons learned and best practices from the
event, and potential mitigation strategies and resources to address
gaps identified during the event.
I strongly support this counterterrorism training program, and I
believe that Congress should show its support for the program by
enacting this legislation. I urge my House colleagues to support this
bipartisan legislation.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3284 is an important piece of legislation that has
strong support on both sides of the aisle. It empowers officials and
individuals on the local level to come together to make their
communities more secure.
This workshop series helps address new, evolving terrorist threats.
It also enhances the ability of State and local jurisdictions to
prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from terror attacks
here in the homeland.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3284, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I, once again, urge my colleagues to
support H.R. 3284, and 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. 3284, ``Joint
Counterterrorism Awareness Workshop Series Act of 2017.''
This bipartisan bill would formally authorize the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) to hold counterterrorism workshops with state
and local officials in order to address emerging terrorist threats and
to enhance the ability of state and local jurisdictions to prevent,
protect against, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks.
The coordination program under the measure would include:
1. Reviewing existing preparedness, response, and interdiction plans,
policies, and procedures related to terrorist attacks of the
participating jurisdictions and identifying gaps in such plans,
operational capabilities, response resources, and authorities;
2. Identifying Federal, State, and local resources available to
address the gaps identified;
3. Providing assistance, through training, exercises, and other
means, to build or sustain, as appropriate, the capabilities to close
such identified gaps;
4. Examining the roles and responsibilities of participating agencies
and respective communities in the event of a terrorist attack;
5. Improving situational awareness and information sharing among all
participating agencies in the event of a terrorist attack; and
6. Identifying and sharing best practices and lessons learned from
each Workshop Series.
I would like to take the time to thank FEMA for their response to
Hurricane Harvey and their efforts with Hurricane Irma.
Since Hurricane Harvey, 617,000 individuals have registered for
assistance through FEMA with 13,585 interactions with survivors taking
place. FEMA is an integral part of security for survivors of
catastrophes. By providing these workshops, we will continue to provide
security when our country is most vulnerable.
The bill would authorize $1 million a year from fiscal year 2018
through 2022 to establish the Joint Counterterrorism Awareness Workshop
Series.
This workshop series is intended to help local jurisdictions prevent
and respond to coordinated terrorist attacks.
This bill would authorize funding for five years instead of the one-
year authorization in the committee-approved version and would modify
FEMA's reporting requirements.
The series would provide training and other resources to close gaps
in local counterterrorism preparedness plans, and to improve
coordination among state and local agencies.
Participants would include state and local officials, law enforcement
officers, first responders, public health personnel, and private-sector
representatives.
The most chaotic times for first responders are in response to
natural disasters, leaving little to no resources to respond to a
potential terror attack.
Those who seek to do our nation harm can take advantage of the lack
of available first responders trained to handle counterterrorism during
a natural disaster, such as Hurricane Harvey and the flooding that took
place in Houston.
During Hurricane Harvey, Texas first responders were facing double
effort with both a hurricane and flood; preventing proper response to a
homeland security event should it have happened.
[[Page H7232]]
It is important to include in their training, a resource for first
responders to learn how to manage a terror threat during a catastrophic
event such as Hurricane Harvey.
It is imperative to provide these resources to local law enforcement
agencies in order to protect the United States when it is most
vulnerable.
I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3284.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fitzpatrick) that the House suspend
the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3284, 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. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
____________________