[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 18 (Tuesday, January 29, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H1260-H1261]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     PATHWAYS TO IMPROVING HOMELAND SECURITY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL ACT

  Miss RICE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 449) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002, to 
direct the Assistant Secretary for State and Local Law Enforcement to 
produce and disseminate an annual catalog on Department of Homeland 
Security training, publications, programs, and services for State, 
local, and tribal law enforcement agencies, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 449

       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 ``Pathways to Improving 
     Homeland Security at the Local Level Act''.

     SEC. 2. ANNUAL CATALOG ON DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY 
                   TRAINING, PUBLICATIONS, PROGRAMS, AND SERVICES 
                   FOR STATE, LOCAL, AND TRIBAL LAW ENFORCEMENT 
                   AGENCIES.

       Section 2006(b)(4) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 
     U.S.C. 607(b)(4)) is amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (2) in subparagraph (F), by striking the period and 
     inserting ``; and''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
       ``(G) produce an annual catalog that summarizes 
     opportunities for training, publications, programs, and 
     services available to State, local, and Tribal law 
     enforcement agencies from the Department and from each 
     component and office within the Department and, not later 
     than 30 days after the date of each such production, 
     disseminate the catalog at issue, including by--
       ``(i) making such catalog available to State, local, and 
     Tribal law enforcement agencies, including by posting such 
     catalog on the website of the Department and cooperating with 
     national organizations that represent such agencies;
       ``(ii) making such catalog available through the Homeland 
     Security Information Network; and
       ``(iii) submitting such catalog 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.''.

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


                             General Leave

  Miss RICE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks 
and to include extraneous material on this measure.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  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. 449, the Pathways to Improving 
Homeland Security at the Local Level Act.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank my Democratic colleague, Mrs. Demings, for 
reintroducing this measure in the new Congress.
  Nearly 18 years ago, our country faced the difficult realization 
that, in order to effectively combat the threat of terrorism, we needed 
to implement a new whole-of-government approach. In other words, we 
need all hands on deck.
  Having learned from the September 11 terrorist attacks, the 
Department of Homeland Security now facilitates information-sharing and 
collaboration efforts between the Federal, State, and local levels. 
This cooperation helps to

[[Page H1261]]

ensure that all government partners are equipped with the resources and 
information they need to tackle the ever-evolving threat of terrorism.
  H.R. 449 will help further those efforts. This bill will ensure that 
our Nation's first responders at the State and local levels have easy 
and ready access to DHS' cutting-edge resources and training programs.
  H.R. 449 would require the Department to disseminate such information 
in an annual catalog. In order to maximize the catalog's availability 
and readership, this bill also calls for the catalog to be accessible 
on the Department's website as well as on a secure information-sharing 
platform.
  This measure is a great example of commonsense, bipartisan 
legislation that will help build safer communities from the ground up.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my House colleagues to support this bill, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HIGGINS of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, it is part of DHS' statutory mission to support State 
and local law enforcement, and the Office of State and Local Law 
Enforcement has the responsibility of proactively identifying ways in 
which the Department can support these important stakeholders.
  The Pathways to Improving Homeland Security at the Local Level Act, 
sponsored by the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Demings), will ensure 
that State and local law enforcement receive vital information on 
available DHS resources and programs.
  Under the bill, the Office of State and Local Law Enforcement will 
annually produce and disseminate a catalog that details the Department 
of Homeland Security training, publications, programs, and services 
available to non-Federal law enforcement agencies. The office must 
disseminate the catalog within 30 days of production to State and local 
law enforcement entities.
  This catalog is currently being produced by the office, and the bill 
requires them to continue its production.
  DHS also is required to share the catalog through the Homeland 
Security Information Network. Using this existing information-sharing 
platform will expand, hopefully, the number of State and local law 
enforcement partners who receive it.
  This bill is intended to increase awareness of DHS tools and 
resources available to assist State and local law enforcement.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense 
measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1330

  Miss RICE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Demings).
  Mrs. DEMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from New York for 
yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I reintroduced H.R. 449 to enhance counterterrorism 
preparedness at the local level.
  In recent years, we have seen acts of terrorism, especially in 
planning and execution, take place in cities throughout our Nation. 
Whether it occurs at a church in Charleston, a synagogue in Pittsburgh, 
or a nightclub in Orlando, local law enforcement is the front line of 
defense in protecting our communities from acts of violence. It is, 
therefore, necessary to equip our first responders with the tools to 
allow them to quickly adapt to the evolving terrorist threat landscape. 
This bill, H.R. 449, does just that.
  Today, the Department of Homeland Security's training catalogue is a 
primary resource for State and local jurisdictions to find 
opportunities to enhance their counterterrorism and preparedness 
capabilities.
  Specifically, H.R. 449 directs DHS' Office of State and Local Law 
Enforcement to produce, as you have heard, and distribute an annual 
catalogue of training programs and services to State, local, and Tribal 
law enforcement communities. To ensure that this information is shared 
throughout the law enforcement community with agencies large and small, 
H.R. 449 requires this comprehensive catalogue be posted on the DHS 
website, as well as on the Homeland Security Information Network.
  Enactment of this bill will further strengthen the Department's 
partnership with State and local law enforcement to help better protect 
the homeland. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this 
legislation.
  Mr. HIGGINS of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Gosar).
  Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, I am fully in favor of this bill. 
Particularly, last week, when my colleague   Andy Biggs and I took a 
bunch of our colleagues down on the border, we were assailed by our 
Border Patrol not having adequate weapons and not having enough 
bulletproof vests and light armor. A lot of times, these guys are 
carrying shielding that is 35 pounds. In the hot summer, your body 
temperature can rise very quickly above that.
  Mr. Speaker, I support this bill. It is a good bill. I encourage my 
colleagues to vote for it.
  Mr. HIGGINS of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I thank the 
gentlewoman from Florida for introducing this important bill to ensure 
State and local law enforcement are aware of the resources DHS can 
provide to them.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Miss RICE of New York. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 449, which passed the House 
of Representatives on suspension last Congress, will strengthen the 
Federal Government's relationship with our State and local law 
enforcement partners.
  One of our top priorities on this committee is ensuring adequate 
training for our first responders and creating collaborative 
partnerships between DHS and its local counterparts. This bill will 
help us accomplish that.
  Mr. Speaker, I again urge my colleagues to support H.R. 449, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from New York (Miss Rice) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 449.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. YOHO. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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