[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 80 (Tuesday, May 14, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H3762-H3763]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
DHS INTELLIGENCE ROTATIONAL ASSIGNMENT PROGRAM ACT OF 2019
Ms. TORRES SMALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the
rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2066) to amend the Homeland Security Act
of 2002 to establish the Intelligence Rotational Assignment Program in
the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 2066
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 ``DHS Intelligence Rotational
Assignment Program Act of 2019''.
SEC. 2. INTELLIGENCE ROTATIONAL ASSIGNMENT PROGRAM.
Section 844 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C.
414) is amended by adding at the end the following new
subsection:
``(b) Intelligence Rotational Assignment Program.--
``(1) Establishment.--Not later than one year after the
date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall
establish an Intelligence Rotational Assignment Program as
part of the Rotation Program under subsection (a).
``(2) Administration.--The Chief Human Capital Officer, in
conjunction with the Chief Intelligence Officer, shall
administer the Intelligence Rotational Assignment Program
established pursuant to paragraph (1).
``(3) Eligiblity.--The Intelligence Rotational Assignment
Program shall be open to employees serving in existing
analyst positions within the Department's Intelligence
Enterprise and other Department employees as determined
appropriate by the Chief Human Capital Officer and the Chief
Intelligence Officer.
``(4) Coordination.--The responsibilities specified in
paragraph (3)(B) of subsection (a) that apply to the Rotation
Program under such subsection shall, as applicable, also
apply to the Intelligence Rotational Assignment Program under
this subsection.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
New Mexico (Ms. Torres Small) and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr.
Joyce) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New Mexico.
General Leave
Ms. TORRES SMALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent
that all Members 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 Mexico?
There was no objection.
Ms. TORRES SMALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time
as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, almost 18 years ago, Americans were horrified by the
devastating September 11 attacks. While the perpetrator sought to bring
us to our knees, we emerged more determined to protect our Nation.
In the years since the attacks, efforts to improve information
sharing, interoperability, and coordination across all levels of
government have been redoubled. H.R. 2066, the DHS Intelligence
Rotational Assignment Program Act, continues in the same vein by
providing DHS employees with the opportunity to complete a rotational
assignment within DHS' Office of Intelligence and Analysis.
By establishing this program, officers and analysts across DHS who
have a passion for keeping our Nation secure would be provided the
opportunity to develop and broaden their intelligence and
counterterrorism skills. Organizations with such programs find that
they yield benefits far beyond what the individuals who participate
learn.
As the threat landscape continues to rapidly change, ensuring that
those charged with keeping us safe have ample opportunities to enhance
their analytical skills must remain a priority. Mr. Speaker, I urge my
House colleagues to support this bipartisan
[[Page H3763]]
legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2066, the DHS Intelligence
Rotational Assignment Program Act of 2019.
I want to commend the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Gallagher) for
introducing this legislation.
The goal of H.R. 2066 is to establish a robust rotation program for
intelligence analysts across the Department of Homeland Security. As a
former intelligence officer, Representative Gallagher certainly
understands the value of robust, interagency intelligence cooperation.
This legislation addresses specific shortfalls within the Department
of Homeland Security where the different component intelligence offices
do not reliably coordinate and analysts from one agency are rarely
detailed to another.
This bill was originally introduced last Congress and received
overwhelming bipartisan support. I urge my colleagues to support the
bill.
Mr. Speaker, establishing a rotation program for intelligence
analysts from individual DHS component intelligence offices is
essential for building a robust DHS intelligence enterprise.
I applaud Congressman Gallagher for his work on this issue, and I
want to thank Chairman Thompson and Ranking Member Mike Rogers for
bringing this bill to the floor.
Mr. Speaker, I urge support for the measure, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
Ms. TORRES SMALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, last year, H.R. 2066
passed the House of Representatives under a suspension of the rules.
Authorizing this program will help to improve the effectiveness of DHS'
intelligence analysis operations for years to come. As such, I
encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 2066, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
Mr. GALLAGHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill H.R.
2066, the DHS Intelligence Rotational Assignment Program Act of 2019.
Having spent nearly a decade working on intelligence issues for the
military and the Intelligence Community, I know first-hand the
importance of collaboration between different intelligence offices.
Understanding the mission sets and key intelligence questions of
partner agencies not only makes the entire Intelligence Community
better, but keeps our nation safer. We must do all we can to strengthen
participation in programs that seek to encourage this type of cross
pollination.
The Intelligence Rotational Assignment Program, or TRAP, was
established to provide the Department's intelligence analysts with the
opportunity to gain experience in the different mission areas across
the DHS intelligence enterprise.
While the establishment of IRAP was an important step for improving
intra-agency communication, the program has seen low levels of
participation due to the fact that most DHS intelligence offices are
unaware of the program's existence, and there are no incentives for
analysts to partake.
H.R. 2066 seeks to reverse this trend by authorizing IRAP within the
larger ``Homeland Security Rotation Program,'' or HSRP. Operated by the
Under Secretary of Management, the HSRP encourages rotations for senior
level employees throughout the Department to broaden their knowledge of
various component operations.
Establishing a specific intelligence rotation program through this
framework will raise the program's profile within the Department and
encourage new incentives. Further, by creating a more robust and
transparent rotation program, this bill encourages DHS intelligence
analysts to gain the skills and competencies that elevate the
Department's Intelligence Enterprise above its individual program
missions while ensuring the program's existence in the future.
I want to thank Chairman Thompson and Ranking Member Rogers for
bringing this bill to the Floor, and my colleagues for supporting its
passage. I urge the Senate to swiftly adopt this important legislation,
and yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Torres Small) that the House suspend
the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2066.
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.
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