[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 44 (Tuesday, March 13, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E302-E303]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




INTRODUCTION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY RESERVE SERVICE ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. ANDRE CARSON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 13, 2018

  Mr. CARSON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the 
Department of Homeland Security Reserve Service Act, a bill that 
establishes a reserve service for five agencies within the Department 
of Homeland Security: the United States Secret Service, Federal 
Protective Service, Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and 
Customs Enforcement, and the Transportation Security Administration.
  Personnel shortages in each of these agencies are well documented. 
Many current or former directors have made public statements linking 
personnel shortages to gaps in hiring processes, issues with retention 
of employees, and temporary or ongoing surges in need. The Department 
of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Government 
Accountability Office, and the House Committee on Oversight and 
Government Reform have issued reports spotlighting these issues.
  The implication is clear. Many agencies within the Department of 
Homeland Security lack the workforce necessary to carry out their 
critical missions during surges in need. These shortages are a matter 
of national security.
  By way of example, the United States Secret Service has faced hiring 
and retention issues for years. In August 2017, the Director asked 
Congress for additional funds because these shortages, coupled with 
surges in need, caused more than 1,000 agents work hundreds of hours of 
uncompensated overtime. Representatives Jon Katko (R-New York) and 
Elijah Cummings (D-MD) subsequently introduced a bill allowing the 
Secret Service to raise special agents' salaries and overtime caps for 
2017 and 2018. While I support the

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measure, it does not solve the larger issue. Also, repeatedly 
increasing and lowering salary caps is inefficient and costly.
  There is precedent for reserve services in the Department of Homeland 
Security. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) responded to 
Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Jose, and Hurricane Maria 
by mobilizing temporary on-call reservists and Cadre On-Call Response/
Recovery (CORE) personnel to assist with rescue and recovery.
  The Department of Homeland Security Reserve Service Act establishes 
adapts this model for other pervasive, yet unpredictable national 
security requirements. The bill establishes a reserve service, 
comprised of skilled, ready-to-work former employees, including 
retirees that can be temporarily mobilized to fill personnel shortages 
and meet emergent demands.
  This reserve service allows components to be innovative in structure 
and application. While some positions could mirror existing ones, 
components are encouraged to find new ways to call upon a reservist's 
skill set, in whole or in part.
  For example, if a retired United States Secret Service agent has 
expertise in planning for the United Nations General Assembly, but is 
not able or does not want to carry a gun and/or meet the physical 
demands required in some protective missions, they could fill a 
critical planning role, freeing permanent personnel or other gun 
carriers for other assignments. Under this bill agencies are urged to 
find innovative approaches that decouple skills held by reserve service 
members from those required of full-time employees.
  Rather than maintaining the status quo, this program represents an 
opportunity to curb costs by capitalizing on investments taxpayers and 
agencies have already made in the human capital of former employees 
while simultaneously preserving institutional knowledge and experience.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in helping the Department of Homeland 
Security perform their mission critical duties of investigation, 
patrol, response, security, protection, recovery, and inspection by 
supporting this act.

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