[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 151 (Tuesday, September 19, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5865-S5866]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DAINES (for himself and Ms. Hassan):
  S. 1847. A bill to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to ensure 
that the needs of children are considered in homeland security, 
trafficking, and disaster recovery planning, and for other purposes; to 
the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
  Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, the Department of Homeland Security, DHS, 
is tasked with keeping the American public safe in the homeland. Its 
mission ranges from thwarting terrorist attacks to responding to 
natural and manmade disasters, from interdicting the movement of 
illicit drugs at the border to combating human trafficking and 
protecting its victims. Nearly one-quarter of the population within our 
borders are children They have unique needs, and we must ensure those 
needs are met in the face of threat and in recovery.
  For example, when children are stranded at school because of a 
terrorist attack or a natural disaster, they need a planned route and 
means to get home safely. A child is caught up in a drug cartel and 
used as a trafficking mule--the child is a victim, not a criminal. He 
needs help breaking the addiction. An adolescent, promised a better 
life, has her passport stolen and forced to sell herself. She needs 
help escaping her captors and healing.
  The recent tragedies of wildfires in Montana and across the Northwest 
and Hurricanes Harvey and Irma are all too recent reminders that we 
need to plan for the needs of children in both building resiliency and 
responding to disasters. That is why I am introducing the-Homeland 
Security for Children Act. This legislation would simply ensure DHS's 
Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans includes input from 
organizations representing the needs of children when soliciting 
stakeholder feedback and developing policies. Further, a technical 
expert at the Federal Emergency Management Agency would be authorized 
to lead its external collaboration and policy developments to integrate 
the needs of children into its activities to prepare for and respond 
to, disasters.
  I thank Senator Hassan for being an original cosponsor of this bill, 
as well as Representative Donald Payne of New Jersey for leading in the 
House of Representatives. I ask my Senate colleagues to join us in 
support of this important legislation.
  Mr. DAINES Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of 
the legislation be printed in the Record.

                                S. 1847

       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 ``Homeland Security for 
     Children Act''.

     SEC. 2. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR STRATEGY, 
                   POLICY, AND PLANS.

       Section 709(c)(6) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 
     U.S.C. 349(c)(6)) is amended by inserting ``, including 
     feedback from organizations representing the needs of 
     children,'' after ``stakeholder feedback''.

     SEC. 3. TECHNICAL EXPERT AUTHORIZED.

       Section 503(b)(2) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 
     U.S.C. 313(b)(2)) is amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (G), by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (2) in subparagraph (H), by striking the period at the end 
     and inserting ``; and''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(I) identify and integrate the needs of children into 
     activities to prepare for, protect against, respond to, 
     recover from, and mitigate against the risk of natural 
     disasters, acts of terrorism, and other manmade disasters, 
     including catastrophic incidents, including by appointing a 
     technical expert, who may consult with relevant outside 
     organizations and experts, as necessary, to coordinate such 
     integration, as necessary.''.

     SEC. 4. REPORT.

       Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this 
     Act and annually thereafter for 4 years, the Under Secretary 
     for Strategy, Policy, and Plans of the Department of Homeland 
     Security shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security 
     and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 
     Homeland Security of the House of Representatives a report 
     describing the efforts the Department has undertaken to 
     review and incorporate feedback from organizations 
     representing the needs of children into Department policy in 
     accordance with paragraph (6) of section 709(c) of the 
     Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 349(c)) (as added by 
     section 2 of this Act), and the effect of that review and 
     incorporation on the efforts of the Department to combat 
     human trafficking and drug trafficking and respond to natural 
     and manmade disasters, including information on the 
     following:
       (1) The designation of any individual responsible for 
     carrying out the duties under such paragraph (6).
       (2) Any review, formal or informal, of Department policies, 
     programs, or activities to assess the suitability of the 
     policies, programs, or activities for children and where 
     feedback from organizations representing the needs of 
     children should be reviewed and incorporated.

[[Page S5866]]

       (3) Any review, change, modification, or promulgation of 
     Department policies, programs, or activities to ensure that 
     the policies, programs, or activities are appropriate for 
     children.
       (4) Coordination with organizations or experts outside the 
     Department, under such paragraph (6), conducted to inform any 
     review, change, modification, or promulgation of policies, 
     programs, or activities described in paragraph (2) or (3) of 
     this subsection.

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