[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 18 (Tuesday, January 29, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H1256-H1258]
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. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules
and pass the bill (H.R. 495) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002
to require an annual report on the Office for State and Local Law
Enforcement.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows
H.R. 495
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) Annual report.--For each of fiscal years 2020 through
2024, 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 such 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 the activities
specified in subsection (a).
``(D) Any feedback from State, local, and Tribal law
enforcement agencies regarding the Office of State and Local
Law Enforcement, 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
Mississippi (Mr. Thompson) and the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Rogers)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Mississippi.
General Leave
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent
that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Mississippi?
There was no objection.
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as
I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 495, the FIRST State and Local
Law Enforcement Act.
I thank my Democratic colleague, Ms. Jackson Lee, for reintroducing
this measure in the new Congress.
H.R. 495 would require DHS to submit an annual report to Congress on
the activities of the Office for State and Local Law Enforcement.
This bill was written, informed by a report I had my staff prepare to
look at DHS' progress at implementing the 9/11 Commission Act on its
10th anniversary in 2017. The report recommended that DHS continuously
refine its information-sharing networks.
Central to this effort is the Department's engagement with State and
local law enforcement. Specifically, H.R. 495 requires an annual report
that highlights the activities of this office.
Pursuant to H.R. 495, each report must contain detailed information
on existing programs and performance metrics to evaluate their
effectiveness. More importantly, each report must include feedback
received from these law enforcement agencies so that future
collaboration can be meaningful.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 495, the Office of State and
Local Law Enforcement Information Sharing Review Act, introduced by my
friend and colleague, the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
The Office for State and Local Law Enforcement is part of the
Department of Homeland Security and currently resides in the Office of
Partnership and Engagement. The Office provides information on DHS'
resources that are available to State and local law enforcement agency
partners and a point of contact for questions regarding DHS' policies
and programs.
This bill requires the Office for State and Local Law Enforcement to
provide a report on the efforts of the Office to improve information
sharing between DHS and law enforcement agencies, an overview of the
performance metrics used to measure success and any feedback provided
by the State and local stakeholders, and an overview of ongoing
activities of the Office.
This reporting requirement is intended to assist the Office in
identifying areas of improvement in the Department's information-
sharing efforts and coordinating with the relevant DHS components to
close any identified gaps.
[[Page H1257]]
I am pleased the bill includes a sunset on the reporting requirement
after 5 years. While the information gathered through the report will
be valuable for congressional oversight, it is important that we do not
overburden the Department with never-ending reporting requirements.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to support this measure,
and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, allow me to thank the chairman for
facilitating this bill to the floor and the support of our ranking
member, Mr. Rogers, for this legislation and the work that we do on the
Committee on Homeland Security.
Mr. Speaker, before I start, allow me to acknowledge, with my
thoughts and prayers, the wounded officers and members of the Houston
Police Department who were shot last evening in a senseless shooting.
Four of the officers were shot in the attempt to render a drug warrant,
and one was injured. I understand, of that group, there were several
who are in critical condition.
Thanks to the professional work of the Houston Police Department, two
of the persons perpetrating this crime have been stopped, and I hope
the families of the victim police officers take comfort in the
knowledge that everyone in our community--and, yes, in our Nation--is
praying for the speedy and complete recovery of each of the officers
wounded, injured in this terrible tragedy.
It is because of the importance of law enforcement in the
communication with the Department of Homeland Security that I
reintroduced H.R. 495 to require the Department of Homeland Security's
Office for State and Local Law Enforcement to report annually on its
activities.
As we all know, after the September 11 terrorist attacks, our Nation
learned that the inability of Federal, State, local, Tribal, and
territorial partners to share information was a critical failure in our
national security apparatus. Those of us who happened to be in the
United States Congress at that time saw that as this heinous act was
occurring. It was the first responders, local law enforcement, who all
converged on Ground Zero.
Today, I am proud to say that there has been real progress on closing
this once-prominent information-sharing gap. It is now commonplace
within the Federal Government to support policies that empower and
include our State and local partners. I can assure you, Mr. Speaker, it
is because of the work of the Members of the United States Congress--in
particular, members of the Committee on Homeland Security--who
gradually built this pathway that is so crucial.
I hear it often from my local law enforcement, the importance of
communicating via a two-way street--classified, confidential--with
officials in the Federal Government.
To keep DHS on that path, H.R. 495 requires the Assistant Director of
the DHS office in charge of coordinating, liaising, and advocating for
State and local law enforcement to submit an annual report to Congress
on its work. It is important because we in Congress are the watchdogs
to insist upon that cooperation.
Requiring this report will not only provide metrics to assess the
effectiveness of the Office's current work, but it would include
comprehensive information on existing programs and feedback from law
enforcement agencies themselves. Remember, they are, every day, on the
front lines. They are the first responders to see something and say
something as relates to protecting us against terrorism.
More, this measure would ensure future accountability of the
Department and its work with local partners.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentlewoman
from Texas an additional 1 minute.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. It is no secret that the threat landscape of today
is constantly evolving. What we have learned from this challenge is
there must be proactive measures in place at all levels of the
government to track the growth of and reflect upon our capabilities to
combat crime and terror.
State and local law enforcement provide tireless work to investigate
and apprehend individuals of heinous crime. It is our duty to ensure
that they are able to do their very best work in collaboration with
their Federal partners and keep our communities safe.
Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support this very important
legislation, and I also ask for prayers not only for those shot last
night, but the injured officers in my district who were injured on
Christmas Eve, one severely burned--that is two officers, Officer Daily
and Officer Reid. We continue to pray for Officer Daily, who suffered
burns all over his body.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 495, the ``FIRST State and
Local Law Enforcement Act.''
Mr. Speaker. I want to take this time to acknowledge the Houston
police officers injured.
My thoughts and prayers are with the wounded officers and the members
of the Houston Police Department.
The senseless shooting of four of Houston's finest and bravest last
evening, while they were serving a warrant, is a tragedy and another
reminder of the dangers faced by law enforcement officers who risk
their lives to keep their communities safe. One officer injured his
knee. Totaling 5 officers hurt.
Thanks to the swift and professional police work of the Houston
Police Department, two of the persons perpetrating this heinous crime
have been stopped.
I hope the families of the victims take comfort in the knowledge that
everyone in our community is praying for speedy and complete recovery
of each of the officers wounded in this tragedy.
Mr. Speaker, I reintroduced H.R. 495 to require the Department of
Homeland Security's Office for State and Local Law Enforcement to
report annually on its activities.
As we all know, after the September 11th terrorist attacks our Nation
learned that the inability of the Federal, State, local, tribal and
territorial partners to share information was a critical failure in our
national security apparatus.
Today, I am proud to say that there's been real progress in closing
this once prominent information sharing gap.
It is now common practice within the Federal government to support
policies that empower and include our State and local partners.
To keep DHS on that path, H.R. 495 requires the Assistant Director of
DHS' Office in charge of coordinating, liaising, and advocating for
state and local law enforcement to submit an annual report to Congress
on its work.
Requiring this report would not only provide metrics to assess the
effectiveness of the office's current work, but it would include
comprehensive information on existing programs and feedback from the
law enforcement agencies themselves.
More, this measure would ensure future accountability of the
Department and its work with local partners.
It is no secret that the threat landscape of today is constantly
evolving.
What we have learned from this challenge is that there must be
proactive measure in place at all levels of government to track the
growth of and reflect upon our capabilities to combat crime and terror.
State and local law enforcement provide tireless work to investigate
and apprehend individuals of heinous crimes.
It is our duty to ensure that they are able to do their best work in
collaboration with their Federal partners to keep our communities safe.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 495, which passed the House on suspension last
Congress, requires DHS' Office of State and Local Law Enforcement to
produce an annual report.
This report documents the office's coordination, liaison, and
advocacy efforts for state and local law enforcement.
Again, I have reintroduced this measure because I believe our
national security is at its best when the Federal government works
together with our State and local partners.
With that, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 495.
I want to take this time to acknowledge the service and fighting
spirit of Houston Police Officers John Daily and Alonzo Reid.
On Christmas Eve, Officers Daily and Reid were responding, with
lights on, to a call for assistance from a fellow officer when they
were hit nearly head on.
Their patrol car rolled several times before it collided with a pole
and caught fire.
Thankfully, both survived the fiery car crash.
Officer Reid showed true heroism when he pulled Officer Daily from
the driver's seat with the assistance of a passer-by, Juan Carlos
Salgado.
Thankfully, Officer Reid was released from the hospital on Christmas
Day.
[[Page H1258]]
However, Officer Daily, who suffered burns to over half his body, has
endured five surgeries and is still in the hospital in serious
condition.
Officers Daily and Reid put service above self every day, including
on Christmas Eve when they were on their way to offer assistance to a
fellow officer.
My thoughts and prayers are with Officer Daily, his family, and
fellow officers for a full recovery.
Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I reiterate, this is good
government policy, and I fully support and urge its passage.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, nearly 18 years after the
September 11 attacks, it is important that we stand together and
recommit ourselves to doing all we can to prevent further terrorist
attacks at the Federal, State, and local levels.
Enactment of H.R. 495, which passed the House on suspension last
Congress, would help ensure that State and local law enforcement know
DHS is a full partner in securing their communities.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 495, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in strong support of
H.R. 495, the FIRST State and Local Law Enforcement Act, which supports
the work of the Department of Homeland Security's Office of State and
Local Law Enforcement (OSLLE) by requiring that an annual report of its
activities be submitted to Congress so that we can be aware of the
range of benefits and services needed by local and state law
enforcement agencies.
The work of law enforcement is rewarding to those who serve, but it
can also be very dangerous.
My thoughts and prayers are with the wounded officers and the members
of the Houston Police Department.
The senseless shooting of five of Houston's finest and bravest last
evening, while they were serving a warrant, is a tragedy and another
reminder of the dangers faced by law enforcement officers who risk
their lives to keep their communities safe.
Thanks to the swift and professional police work of the Houston
Police Department, two of the persons perpetrating this heinous crime
have been stopped.
I hope the families of the victims take comfort in the knowledge that
everyone in our community is praying for speedy and complete recovery
of each of the officers wounded in this tragedy.
The basis for creating the office is one of 33 recommendations of the
9/11 Commission, which called for a primary coordinator, liaison, and
advocate for state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement
agencies.
This legislation mandates that OSLLE also leads the coordination of
DHS's policies related to state, local, tribal, and territorial law
enforcement's role in preventing, preparing for, protecting against,
and responding to natural disasters, acts of terrorism and other man-
made disasters.
As a member of the Committee on Homeland Security, I am very much
aware of the importance of the work performed by the men and women who
protect us from terrorism.
Homeland Security is defined as:
``the national effort to ensure a homeland that is safe, secure, and
resilient against terrorism and other hazards where American interests,
aspirations, and ways of life can thrive to the national effort to
prevent terrorist attacks within the United States, reduce the
vulnerability of the U.S. to terrorism, and minimize the damage from
attacks that do occur''
I am proud to have so many first responders as friends, and I am
committed to working tirelessly to assure that they have the full
support of Congress in getting the resources and training they need to
protect our communities.
This bill will provide an important opportunity for DHS to report on
this vital work with state and local law enforcement agencies.
The sacrifices made by our men and women in state and local law
enforcement all too often go unnoticed.
One example of their heroism and bravery was seen when Houston Police
Officers Alonzo Reid and John Daily were involved in a Christmas Eve
car crash.
On Christmas Eve, Officers Daily and Reid were responding, with
lights on, to a call for assistance from a fellow officer when they
were hit nearly head on.
Their patrol car rolled several times before it collided with a pole
and caught fire.
Thankfully, both survived the fiery car crash.
Officer Reid showed true heroism when he pulled Officer Daily from
the driver's seat with the assistance of a passerby, Juan Carlos
Salgado.
Thankfully, Officer Reid was released from the hospital on Christmas
Day.
However, Officer Daily, who suffered burns to over half his body, has
endured five surgeries and is still in serious medical condition.
I ask my colleagues to join me in offering prayers and well wishes to
Officer Daily for a fully recovery.
Officers Daily and Reid like tens of thousands of their counter
parts, put service above self every day.
The Department of Homeland Security has been in existence for 16
years, and in that time the men and women who serve on the front lines
of defending the United States against terrorist acts at home have not
wavered in their commitment.
During times of crisis, the relationships among federal, state, and
local law enforcement agencies is proven to be of the greatest value to
an effective government wide response.
On August 25, 2017, Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas.
Local, state, and federal first responders rescued 122,331 people.
The Coast Guard deployed 2,060 personnel, 50 aircraft, 75 boats and
29 cutters, rescuing 11,022 people and 1,384 pets.
FEMA deployed 28 Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams from across the
nation to Texas to assist state and local agencies with the lifesaving
mission.
This is in addition to the tens of thousands of meals, water,
supplies, and public assistance that were also provided.
Hurricane Harvey's Federal, state, and local response agencies
benefit from collaborating with DHS.
Because the DHS office plays a significant role in the required
outreach to state and local law enforcement entities it is important
that the Committee on Homeland Security be kept apprised of its work.
Today, DHS is not funded due to the Trump Shutdown.
It is shameful that 85 percent of DHS employees are either working
with no paycheck or have been furloughed.
These men and women work for Cybersecurity and Infrastructure
Security Agency, Customs and Border Protection, Citizenship and
Immigration Services, Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Coast
Guard, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Secret Service, and
Transportation and Security Administration.
It has been reported that many DHS employees have described feeling
depressed, stressed out, anxious, uncomfortable, and insecure because
of the Trump Shutdown.
It is time to end the Trump Shutdown.
This bill will need DHS fully staffed and functioning to ensure that
the reporting requirement of this bill are fulfilled so that the
federal, state, and local agencies working with DHS receive the support
that they need.
For this reason, I ask that my colleagues join me in voting for H.R.
495.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 495.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________