[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 147 (Tuesday, September 12, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H7245-H7246]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
FEDERAL INFORMATION RESOURCE TO STRENGTHEN TIES WITH STATE AND LOCAL
LAW ENFORCEMENT ACT OF 2017
Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 2442) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require an
annual report on the Office for State and Local Law Enforcement, as
amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 2442
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 ``Federal Information Resource
to Strengthen Ties with State and Local Law Enforcement Act
of 2017'' or the ``FIRST State and Local Law Enforcement
Act''.
SEC. 2. ANNUAL REPORT ON OFFICE FOR STATE AND LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT.
Section 2006(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6
U.S.C. 607(b)) is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (6); and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following new
paragraph (5):
``(5) Annual report.--For each of fiscal years 2018 through
2022, the Assistant Secretary for State and Local Law
Enforcement shall submit to the Committee on Homeland
Security and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs and the Committee on the Judiciary of
the Senate a report on the activities of the Office for State
and Local Law Enforcement. Each such report shall include,
for the fiscal year covered by the report, a description of
each of the following:
``(A) Efforts to coordinate and share information regarding
Department and component agency programs with State, local,
and tribal law enforcement agencies.
``(B) Efforts to improve information sharing through the
Homeland Security Information Network by appropriate
component agencies of the Department and by State, local, and
tribal law enforcement agencies.
``(C) The status of performance metrics within the Office
of State and Local Law Enforcement to evaluate the
effectiveness of efforts to carry out responsibilities set
forth within the subsection.
``(D) Any feedback from State, local, and tribal law
enforcement agencies about the Office, including the
mechanisms utilized to collect such feedback.
``(E) Efforts to carry out all other responsibilities of
the Office of State and Local Law Enforcement.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Hurd) and the gentlewoman from New York (Miss Rice) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.
General Leave
Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in 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 Texas?
There was no objection.
Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2442, the Office for State and
Local Law Enforcement Information Sharing Review Act, introduced by the
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
The Office for State and Local Law Enforcement is authorized in
section 2006(b) of the Homeland Security Act and is located within the
DHS Office of Partnership and Engagement. The office largely serves as
a source of information on DHS resources available to State and local
law enforcement partners, as well as a point of contact for questions
regarding DHS policies and programs.
This bill requires a report on the activities of Office of State and
Local Law Enforcement within the Department of Homeland Security. The
report must include how the office is working to improve information
sharing between DHS and law enforcement agencies, an overview of the
performance metrics used by the office to measure success, feedback
from State and local stakeholders, and an overview of ongoing
activities.
This reporting requirement will ensure the office is continually
identifying areas for improvement in the Department's information-
sharing efforts with State and locals, and coordinating with relevant
DHS component agencies to close these gaps.
I applaud the gentlewoman from Texas for including a sunset on the
reporting requirement after 5 years. While the information gathered
through this report will be valuable for congressional oversight, it is
important that we do not continue to require never-ending reporting
requirements from the Department.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this measure, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
House of Representatives,
Committee on the Judiciary,
Washington, DC, September 5, 2017.
Hon. Michael T. McCaul,
Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman McCaul, I write with respect to H.R. 2442,
the ``Federal Information Resource to Strengthen Ties with
State and Local Law Enforcement Act.'' As a result of your
having consulted with us on provisions within H.R. 2442 that
fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on the
Judiciary, I forego any further consideration of this bill so
that it may proceed expeditiously to the House floor for
consideration.
The Judiciary Committee takes this action with our mutual
understanding that by foregoing consideration of H.R. 2442 at
this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction over subject
matter contained in this or similar legislation and that our
committee will be appropriately consulted and involved as
this bill or similar legislation moves forward so that we may
address any remaining issues in our jurisdiction. Our
committee also reserves the right to seek appointment of an
appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate
conference involving this or similar legislation and asks
that you support any such request.
I would appreciate a response to this letter confirming
this understanding with respect to H.R. 2442 and would ask
that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be
included in the Congressional Record during floor
consideration of this bill.
Sincerely,
Bob Goodlatte,
Chairman.
[[Page H7246]]
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on Homeland Security,
Washington, DC, September 6, 2017.
Hon. Bob Goodlatte,
Chairman, Committee on Judiciary,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Goodlatte, Thank you for your letter
regarding H.R. 2442, the ``Federal Information Resource to
Strengthen Ties with State and Local Law Enforcement Act of
2017''. I appreciate your support in bringing this
legislation before the House of Representatives, and
accordingly, understand that the Committee on Judiciary will
forego further consideration of the bill.
The Committee on Homeland Security concurs with the mutual
understanding that by foregoing consideration of this bill at
this time, the Judiciary 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 Judiciary 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.
Miss RICE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2442, the Federal Information
Resource to Strengthen Ties with State and Local Law Enforcement Act of
2017, or the FIRST with State and Local Law Enforcement Act.
Mr. Speaker, today we consider H.R. 2442, a bill to require the DHS
to submit an annual report to Congress on the activities of the Office
for State and Local Law Enforcement.
This bill, authored by the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee),
seeks to highlight the activities of this important hub of outreach to
State and local law enforcement within the DHS.
The report is to include detailed information on those efforts,
including steps taken to improve them and performance metrics to
evaluate the effectiveness, and feedback received from State, local,
and Tribal law enforcement agencies.
Yesterday, the Committee on Homeland Security released a staff report
that looked at the DHS' progress, over the past decade, at implementing
the 9/11 Commission Act.
With respect to information sharing, it found that policies and
procedures have been reformed, at all levels, to ensure that critical
national security information is shared, and recommended that the DHS
continue to refine its channels for sharing such information to ensure
that they evolve to address the threat, landscape, and stakeholder
needs.
Constructive engagement, through the Office for State and Local Law
Enforcement, is central to this effort.
Sixteen years after the September 11 attacks, it is important that we
stand together and recommit ourselves to doing all we can to prevent
future terrorist attacks. I urge my House colleagues to support this
bill.
Mr. Speaker, in closing, the FIRST with State and Local Law
Enforcement Act seeks to ensure that, for years to come, State and
local law enforcement know that the DHS is a full partner in their
efforts to keep their communities secure.
As such, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, H.R. 2442,
and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues once again to support
H.R. 2442, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hurd) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 2442, 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.
____________________