[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 59 (Thursday, April 4, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E407]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     COORDINATING AND LEVERAGING ACTIVITIES FOR SCHOOL SECURITY ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 1, 2019

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1593, 
Class Act of 2019, which addresses the increasing risks of security in 
schools.
  As a senior member of the Homeland Security Committee, I ensure you 
that this bill will improve the safety plans and policies within our 
schools as well as the communication between the homeland security and 
the Homeland Security Committee.
  This Class Act will ensure a council within the Department of 
Homeland Security that coordinates with school security departments of 
their policies, plans, and activities in regards to security, and 
require the Secretary of Homeland Security to submit a report to 
Congress on the council's effort.
  Between January and May 2018, school shootings averaged one per week.
  Schools need to be buildings of safety where children can gain an 
education in peace.
  During Homeland Security Committee markups of H.R. 1593, the 
``Coordinating and Leveraging Activities for School Security Act.''
  I want to thank and recognize Chairman Payne for his tireless work to 
improve the Department of Homeland Security's capability and capacity 
to provide services to our youngest citizens.
  His dedication to meeting the homeland security needs of children is 
greatly appreciated.
  The amendment I offer to H.R. 1593, the ``Coordinating and Leveraging 
Activities for School Security Act,'' directs that any engagement with 
stakeholders should be reflected in the final report provided by this 
bill.
  There are many factors that contribute to school security that we 
should acknowledge in the bill's report.
  I am particularly interested in the work of school architects who 
design schools and, for decades, have worked successfully to address 
difficult safety challenges in school design.
  As a direct result of school architects, schools are engineered to be 
resilient against fires, and high winds caused by tornadoes.
  School architects are taking on the challenge of addressing the 
threat of active shooters in schools by developing designs that create 
visual blind spots in classrooms and hall-ways as well as engineering 
features that would delay an active shooter long enough to allow first 
responders to arrive.
  It is my hope that stakeholders will also include students and 
teachers who can provide different perspectives on what constitutes 
school safety.
  For these reasons, I urge all my colleagues to join me in voting for 
H.R. 1593.

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