[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 56 (Monday, April 1, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H2931-H2933]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CBRN INTELLIGENCE AND INFORMATION SHARING ACT OF 2019
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules
and pass the bill (H.R. 1589) to amend the Homeland Security Act of
2002 to establish chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear
intelligence and information sharing functions of the Office of
Intelligence and Analysis of the Department of Homeland Security and to
require dissemination of information analyzed by the Department to
entities with responsibilities relating to homeland security, and for
other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1589
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 ``CBRN Intelligence and
Information Sharing Act of 2019''.
[[Page H2932]]
SEC. 2. CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL, RADIOLOGICAL, AND NUCLEAR
INTELLIGENCE AND INFORMATION SHARING.
(a) In General.--Subtitle A of title II of the Homeland
Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 121 et seq.) is amended by
inserting after section 210E the following new section:
``SEC. 210F. CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL, RADIOLOGICAL, AND NUCLEAR
INTELLIGENCE AND INFORMATION SHARING.
``(a) In General.--The Office of Intelligence and Analysis
of the Department of Homeland Security shall--
``(1) support homeland security-focused intelligence
analysis of terrorist actors, their claims, and their plans
to conduct attacks involving chemical, biological,
radiological, or nuclear materials against the United States,
including critical infrastructure;
``(2) support homeland security-focused intelligence
analysis of global infectious disease, public health, food,
agricultural, and veterinary issues;
``(3) support homeland security-focused risk analysis and
risk assessments of the homeland security hazards described
in paragraphs (1) and (2), including the transportation of
chemical, biological, nuclear, and radiological materials, by
providing relevant quantitative and nonquantitative threat
information;
``(4) leverage existing and emerging homeland security
intelligence capabilities and structures to enhance early
detection, prevention, protection, response, and recovery
efforts with respect to a chemical, biological, radiological,
or nuclear attack;
``(5) share information and provide tailored analytical
support on such threats to State, local, Tribal, and
territorial authorities, and other Federal agencies, as well
as relevant national biosecurity and biodefense stakeholders,
as appropriate; and
``(6) perform other responsibilities, as assigned by the
Secretary.
``(b) Coordination.--Where appropriate, the Office of
Intelligence and Analysis shall coordinate with other
relevant Department components, including the Countering
Weapons of Mass Destruction Office and the National
Biosurveillance Integration Center, agencies within the
intelligence community, including the National Counter
Proliferation Center, and other Federal, State, local,
Tribal, and territorial authorities, including officials from
high-threat urban areas, State and major urban area fusion
centers, and local public health departments, as appropriate,
and enable such entities to provide recommendations on
optimal information sharing mechanisms, including expeditious
sharing of classified information, and on how such entities
can provide information to the Department.
``(c) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Intelligence community.--The term `intelligence
community' has the meaning given such term in section 3(4) of
the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003(4)).
``(2) National biosecurity and biodefense stakeholders.--
The term `national biosecurity and biodefense stakeholders'
means officials from Federal, State, local, Tribal, and
territorial authorities and individuals from the private
sector who are involved in efforts to prevent, protect
against, respond to, and recover from a biological attack or
other phenomena that may have serious health consequences for
the United States, including infectious disease outbreaks.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section
1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by
inserting after the item relating to section 201E the
following new item:
``Sec. 210F. Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear
intelligence and information sharing.''.
(c) Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of
the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter for each of
the following four years, the Secretary of Homeland Security
shall report to the appropriate congressional committees on
the following:
(A) The intelligence and information sharing activities
under section 210F of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (as
added by subsection (a) of this section) and of all relevant
entities within the Department of Homeland Security to
counter the threat from attacks using chemical, biological,
radiological, or nuclear materials.
(B) The Department's activities in accordance with relevant
intelligence strategies.
(2) Assessment of implementation.--The reports required
under paragraph (1) shall include the following:
(A) An assessment of the progress of the Office of
Intelligence and Analysis of the Department of Homeland
Security in implementing such section 210F.
(B) A description of the methods established to carry out
such assessment.
(3) Definition.--In this subsection, the term ``appropriate
congressional committees'' means the Committee on Homeland
Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and
any committee of the House of Representatives or the Senate
having legislative jurisdiction under the rules of the House
of Representatives or Senate, respectively, over the matter
concerned.
SEC. 3. DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION ANALYZED BY THE
DEPARTMENT TO STATE, LOCAL, TRIBAL,
TERRITORIAL, AND PRIVATE ENTITIES WITH
RESPONSIBILITIES RELATING TO HOMELAND SECURITY.
Paragraph (6) of section 201(d) of the Homeland Security
Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 121(d)) is amended by striking ``and to
agencies of State'' and all that follows through the period
at the end and inserting ``to State, local, tribal,
territorial, and private entities with such responsibilities,
and, as appropriate, to the public, in order to assist in
preventing, deterring, or responding to acts of terrorism
against the United States.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Mississippi (Mr. Thompson) and the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr.
Guest) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson).
General Leave
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent
that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which 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
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. 1589, the Chemical,
Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Intelligence and Information
Sharing Act of 2019.
In the last two Congresses, the Committee on Homeland Security has
held several hearings on Federal, State, and local capabilities to
prevent, identify, and respond to a chemical, biological, radiological,
or nuclear attack.
At those hearings, State and local stakeholders, including public
health professionals, emergency managers, and first responders,
expressed general awareness of the evolving CBRN threat, but expressed
frustration with the level of information sharing about such threats.
H.R. 1589 seeks to facilitate improved CBRN information sharing by
directing DHS to analyze CBRN-related terrorist threats and share
relevant threat information with Federal, State, and local
stakeholders.
These activities could help improve situational awareness at all
levels of government and help DHS grant recipients better target their
limited resources.
Prior versions of this measure passed the House overwhelmingly in the
last two Congresses.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the measure once again,
and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GUEST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1589. We all know that
terrorist groups have long sought to develop capabilities to attack our
Nation with chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear materials.
H.R. 1589 would address this threat by requiring the Office of
Intelligence and Analysis within the Department of Homeland Security to
conduct analysis of terrorist capabilities relating to chemical,
biological, radiological, and nuclear materials, as well as threats to
the homeland from global and infectious diseases.
To improve coordination with local law enforcement, H.R. 1589
requires the Office of Intelligence and Analysis to share threat
information not only with Federal entities, but also State, local,
Tribal, and territorial agencies.
I commend my colleague, Mr. Walker of North Carolina, for introducing
this important legislation, and I urge all Members to support it.
Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the bill, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, effective information
sharing is essential to prevent and respond to threats posed by bad
actors. H.R. 1589 will facilitate information sharing in the CBRN space
where new threats are constantly emerging.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1589, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
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. 1589, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
[[Page H2933]]
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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