[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.

                          ____________________