[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 9 (Tuesday, January 16, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E46-E47]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      COUNTERTERRORISM INFORMATION SHARING IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2017

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                  HON. HENRY C. ``HANK'' JOHNSON, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, January 9, 2018

  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4569--
Counterterrorism Information Sharing Improvement Act of 2017.
  This legislation will require the coordination of counterterrorism 
information sharing to ensure that the Department of Homeland Security 
(DHS) has access to biographic and biometric data collected by the U.S. 
Government on individuals associated with a terrorist organization for 
counterterrorism purposes.
  I believe counterterrorism information sharing between the U.S. 
Government and the DHS will be an essential asset to the United States. 
Lack of interagency cooperation prevents critical details from being 
shared in time sensitive situations, leading to avoidable errors and 
potentially fatal consequences. In the past few years, ISIS has 
suffered significant defeats in Iraq and Syria. In the wake of these 
losses, ISIS fighters have dispersed into surrounding states, Europe, 
and even the United States. The changing landscape where we meet this 
enemy necessitates information sharing between law-enforcement 
agencies. Though we first made contact with members of ISIS on a 
foreign battlefield, this threat is pervasive and dynamic.
  H.R. 4569 will allow the Department of Defense to share intelligence 
with the DHS, should members of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria 
attempt to enter the United States. The DHS will be able to utilize 
this intelligence for frontline screening, vetting, and protecting 
Americans on domestic soil.

[[Page E47]]

  As a former member of the Armed Services Committee I understand the 
obstacles facing our fight to eliminate terrorism worldwide. H.R. 4569 
will remove at least one of these obstacles by promoting interagency 
cooperation. ISIS is not a traditional enemy and it is critical our 
security and intelligence agencies support one another. I support H.R. 
4569 and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

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