[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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