[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 147 (Tuesday, September 12, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H7247-H7248]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  TERRORIST RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENTS TO COUNTER EXTREMIST RECIDIVISM ACT

  Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2471) to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to share 
with State, local, and regional fusion centers release information from 
a Federal correctional facility, including name, charging date, and 
expected place and date of release, of certain individuals who may pose 
a terrorist threat, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2471

       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 ``Terrorist Release 
     Announcements to Counter Extremist Recidivism Act'' or the 
     ``TRACER Act''.

     SEC. 2. TERROR INMATE INFORMATION SHARING.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Homeland Security, in 
     coordination with the Attorney General and in consultation 
     with other appropriate Federal officials, shall, as 
     appropriate, share with State, local, and regional fusion 
     centers through the Department of Homeland Security Fusion 
     Center Partnership Initiative under section 210A of the 
     Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 124h), as well as 
     other relevant law enforcement entities, release information 
     from a Federal correctional facility, including the name, 
     charging date, and expected place and date of release, of 
     certain individuals who may pose a terrorist threat.
       (b) Scope.--The information shared pursuant to subsection 
     (a) shall be--
       (1) for homeland security purposes; and
       (2) regarding individuals convicted of a Federal crime of 
     terrorism (as such term is defined in section 2332b of title 
     18, United States Code).
       (c) Periodic Threat Assessments.--Consistent with the 
     protection of classified information and controlled 
     unclassified information, the Secretary of Homeland Security 
     shall coordinate with appropriate Federal officials to 
     provide State, local, and regional fusion centers described 
     in subsection (a) with periodic assessments regarding the 
     overall threat from known or suspected terrorists currently 
     incarcerated in a Federal correctional facility, including 
     the assessed risks of such populations engaging in terrorist 
     activity upon release.
       (d) Privacy Protection.--Prior to affecting the information 
     sharing described in subsection (a), the Secretary shall 
     receive input and advice from the Officer for Civil Rights 
     and Civil Liberties, the Officer for Privacy, and the Chief 
     Intelligence Officer of the Department of Homeland Security.
       (e) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be 
     construed as requiring the establishment of a list or 
     registry of individuals convicted of terrorism.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. McCAUL. 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 Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the victims of the 9/11 attacks 
and to voice my support for the TRACER Act.
  Mr. Speaker, 16 years ago, 19 cowardly terrorists hijacked four 
airplanes and used them as missiles to kill 3,000 innocent people. The 
souls that were lost belonged to moms and dads, brothers and sisters, 
sons and daughters.
  It was a day that we will never forget. Each year, as we look back, 
we all remember something different about that morning. There are those 
who remember getting a phone call and listening to a frantic voice on 
the other end. Some remember running into the streets as the Twin 
Towers fell and feared for their lives. Others saw the Pentagon in 
flames and wondered who did this and why.
  There are many other images and thoughts that are seared into our 
minds. However, we can also remember the heroism of our first 
responders, the brave firefighters and police officers who raced to the 
scene and charged up the stairs of the World Trade Center to save their 
fellow countrymen.

[[Page H7248]]

  We can picture strangers helping strangers navigate through the dust 
and debris in downtown New York, and we can be grateful for the 
courageous passengers on United Airlines Flight 93 who saved an untold 
number of lives and perhaps this very building that we stand in here 
today.
  Yesterday morning, I stood at Ground Zero in New York and listened to 
each of the victims' names that were read. I remembered a nation that 
came together and stood by one another as we recovered from this 
heinous attack.
  September 11 showed the entire world that terrorists could knock our 
buildings down, but they could not dent the American spirit. In the 
aftermath, we pledged to work with one another and prevent such a 
tragedy from ever happening again.
  Today, we are still engaged in a generational fight to defeat 
Islamist terrorism, but I believe we will eventually win that fight as 
long as we pursue policies that will make it easier to protect our 
homeland and the American people.
  One of the lessons we learned from
9/11 was the need to strengthen information sharing among Federal, 
State, and local authorities, and while we have taken steps to address 
this in the past, we need to do more.
  This act, the TRACER Act, introduced by Congressman Rutherford, would 
require the Department of Homeland Security to share with local and 
regional fusion centers important information regarding potential risks 
posed by individuals who were previously convicted on charges related 
to terrorism. More specifically, it would allow DHS to share the 
expected place and date of release of these incarcerated terrorists.
  Providing law enforcement officials with this information will allow 
them to minimize potential risks to their communities by countering 
extremist recidivism. This legislation is an opportunity to strengthen 
coordination between all levels of law enforcement and help keep 
Americans safe.
  Again, I would like to thank Congressman Rutherford for all of his 
hard work on this legislation, and I hope that his constituents and the 
entire State of Florida make a strong recovery in the aftermath of 
Hurricane Irma.
  As someone who has personally toured devastated communities back home 
in my home State of Texas as a result of Hurricane Harvey, it is clear 
that there are still many long days ahead. However, we can be very 
thankful for the men and women at DHS, including FEMA and the United 
States Coast Guard, as well as thousands of local first responders and 
volunteers who have been called to action.
  The American people deserve to know that all levels of government are 
working together to keep our homeland safe. I urge my colleagues to 
support this bipartisan bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  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. 2471, the Terrorist Release 
Announcements to Counter Extremist Recidivism Act, or TRACER Act.
  Mr. Speaker, today we consider H.R. 2471, a narrowly tailored bill 
that seeks to ensure that certain local authorities are notified when 
convicted terrorists who have completed their prison terms are expected 
to be released into their communities.
  This legislation was drafted in response to testimony received by our 
committee about the need for such information to be shared for 
situational awareness. The bill requires DHS, in coordination with 
appropriate Federal partners, as well as State and local law 
enforcement, to conduct periodic threat assessments regarding the 
overall threat from known or suspected terrorists currently 
incarcerated in a Federal correctional facility.
  It is our hope that those who were convicted of providing materiel 
support to foreign terrorist organizations or taking other actions in 
support of ISIL or an al-Qaida affiliate have turned away from their 
terrorist past. However, in an age where lone-wolf terrorist attacks 
are more common, it just makes sense to let local law enforcement know 
when a former terrorist is returning to the community they are 
entrusted to safeguard.
  I support this bill that seeks to improve situational awareness at 
all levels of law enforcement to potential terrorist threats. I urge 
passage of H.R. 2471.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2471 will further enhance the ability of law 
enforcement, particularly those participating in the National Network 
of Fusion Centers, to monitor potential terrorist threats and take 
action to prevent attacks.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I, once again, urge my colleagues to support this 
important legislation. It is bipartisan, ensures that State and local 
law enforcement have greater access to Federal counterterrorism 
information and, most importantly, neighborhoods; when terrorists are 
released back into the communities, they at least know who they have in 
their neighborhoods.
  I also want to applaud Congressman Rutherford, who cannot be here 
today because of Hurricane Irma. My thoughts and prayers are with the 
State of Florida as they continue to respond and recover from that 
devastating hurricane.
  Mr. Speaker, 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. McCaul) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 2471, 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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