[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 67 (Monday, April 19, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H1900-H1901]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





 QUADRENNIAL HOMELAND SECURITY REVIEW TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS ACT OF 2021

  Mr. TORRES of New York. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the bill (H.R. 370) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 
to make technical corrections to the requirement that the Secretary of 
Homeland Security submit quadrennial homeland security reviews, and for 
other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 370

       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 ``Quadrennial Homeland 
     Security Review Technical Corrections Act of 2021''.

     SEC. 2. TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS TO QUADRENNIAL HOMELAND 
                   SECURITY REVIEW.

       (a) In General.--Section 707 of the Homeland Security Act 
     of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 347) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)(3)--
       (A) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``and'' after the 
     semicolon at the end;
       (B) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (D); 
     and
       (C) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following new 
     subparagraph:
       ``(C) representatives from appropriate advisory committees 
     established pursuant to section 871, including the Homeland 
     Security Advisory Council and the Homeland Security Science 
     and Technology Advisory Committee, or otherwise established, 
     including the Aviation Security Advisory Committee 
     established pursuant to section 44946 of title 49, United 
     States Code; and'';
       (2) in subsection (b)--
       (A) in paragraph (2), by inserting before the semicolon at 
     the end the following: ``based on the risk assessment 
     required pursuant to subsection (c)(2)(B)'';
       (B) in paragraph (3)--
       (i) by inserting ``, to the extent practicable,'' after 
     ``describe''; and
       (ii) by striking ``budget plan'' and inserting ``resources 
     required'';
       (C) in paragraph (4)--
       (i) by inserting ``, to the extent practicable,'' after 
     ``identify'';
       (ii) by striking ``budget plan required to provide 
     sufficient resources to successfully'' and inserting 
     ``resources required to''; and
       (iii) by striking the semicolon at the end and inserting 
     the following: ``, including any resources identified from 
     redundant, wasteful, or unnecessary capabilities or 
     capacities that may be redirected to better support other 
     existing capabilities or capacities, as the case may be; 
     and'';
       (D) in paragraph (5), by striking ``; and'' and inserting a 
     period; and
       (E) by striking paragraph (6);
       (3) in subsection (c)--
       (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``December 31 of the 
     year'' and inserting ``60 days after the date of the 
     submission of the President's budget for the fiscal year 
     after the fiscal year'';
       (B) in paragraph (2)--
       (i) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``description of the 
     threats to'' and inserting ``risk assessment of'';
       (ii) in subparagraph (C), by inserting ``, as required 
     under subsection (b)(2)'' before the semicolon at the end;
       (iii) in subparagraph (D)--

       (I) by inserting ``to the extent practicable,'' before ``a 
     description''; and
       (II) by striking ``budget plan'' and inserting ``resources 
     required'';

       (iv) in subparagraph (F)--

       (I) by inserting ``to the extent practicable,'' before ``a 
     discussion''; and
       (II) by striking ``the status of'';

       (v) in subparagraph (G)--

       (I) by inserting ``to the extent practicable,'' before ``a 
     discussion'';
       (II) by striking ``the status of'';
       (III) by inserting ``and risks'' before ``to national 
     homeland''; and
       (IV) by inserting ``and'' after the semicolon at the end;

       (vi) by striking subparagraph (H); and
       (vii) by redesignating subparagraph (I) as subparagraph 
     (H);
       (C) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and
       (D) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following new 
     paragraph:
       ``(3) Documentation.--The Secretary shall retain and, upon 
     request, provide to Congress the following documentation 
     regarding each quadrennial homeland security review:
       ``(A) Records regarding the consultation carried out 
     pursuant to subsection (a)(3), including the following:
       ``(i) All written communications, including communications 
     sent out by the Secretary and feedback submitted to the 
     Secretary through technology, online communications tools, 
     in-person discussions, and the interagency process.
       ``(ii) Information on how feedback received by the 
     Secretary informed each such quadrennial homeland security 
     review.
       ``(B) Information regarding the risk assessment required 
     pursuant to subsection (c)(2)(B), including the following:
       ``(i) The risk model utilized to generate such risk 
     assessment.
       ``(ii) Information, including data used in the risk model, 
     utilized to generate such risk assessment.
       ``(iii) Sources of information, including other risk 
     assessments, utilized to generate such risk assessment.
       ``(iv) Information on assumptions, weighing factors, and 
     subjective judgments utilized to generate such risk 
     assessment, together with information on the rationale or 
     basis thereof.'';
       (4) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e); and
       (5) by inserting after subsection (c) the following new 
     subsection:
       ``(d) Review.--Not later than 90 days after the submission 
     of each report required under subsection (c)(1), the 
     Secretary shall provide to the Committee on Homeland Security 
     of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland 
     Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate information 
     on the degree to which the findings and recommendations 
     developed in the quadrennial homeland security review that is 
     the subject of such report were integrated into the 
     acquisition strategy and expenditure plans for the 
     Department.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this Act shall 
     apply with respect to a quadrennial homeland security review 
     conducted after December 31, 2021.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Torres) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Garbarino) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York (Mr. Torres).


                             General Leave

  Mr. TORRES of New York. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend 
their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. TORRES of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 370, the Quadrennial 
Homeland Security Review Technical Corrections Act.
  Since 2007, the Department of Homeland Security has been required to 
produce a quadrennial review of the sprawling Federal department to 
help chart its course for the future. To date, DHS has issued two 
Quadrennial Homeland Security Reviews, or QHSRs. The third review, 
which was due by December 31, 2017, was never released by the Trump 
administration.
  Congress mandated that DHS, like the Defense Department, undertake a 
bottom-up review every 4 years in recognition of the fact that it has a 
vital, complex, and ever-expanding set of missions that need to be 
assessed in regular intervals to help DHS stay ahead of the constantly 
evolving threats facing our country.
  With the deadline for the fourth QHSR fast approaching, the 
gentlewoman from New Jersey (Mrs. Watson Coleman) reintroduced this 
bill to ensure that deficiencies that the Government Accountability 
Office identified in prior reviews are fully addressed.
  In 2016, GAO issued a report that identified several weaknesses in 
how the Department developed the first two QHSRs. GAO, for example, 
expressed concerns about the degree to which the Department retained 
documentation to explain its findings and emphasized that documentation 
of the review process is essential to ensuring the repeatability of the 
review process.

                              {time}  1445

  Importantly, H.R. 370 requires that DHS retain and, when requested, 
provide to Congress certain documentation related to each QHSR.
  It also addresses weaknesses that GAO identified with respect to 
consultation with Homeland Security stakeholders and directs robust 
consultation with State and local governments, academic institutions, 
and other stakeholders.
  Finally, H.R. 370 requires DHS to undertake and document a risk 
analysis to inform its policy positions, a critical feature that was 
lacking in prior reviews.
  Madam Speaker, I urge the passage of H.R. 370, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. GARBARINO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise today in support of H.R. 370, the Quadrennial Homeland 
Security Review Technical Corrections Act. This legislation makes 
important improvements to the Quadrennial Homeland Security Review.

[[Page H1901]]

  This bill has strong bipartisan support from the committee.
  Madam Speaker, I urge Members to support this bill. I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. TORRES of New York. Madam Speaker, DHS is a sprawling $50 billion 
Federal agency with a diverse array of mission sets. As such, it is 
critical that, every 4 years, DHS carry out a rigorous bottom-up, risk-
informed review of the entire department that reflects robust 
engagement with Homeland Security partners to produce a QHSR that can 
drive the department's strategic vision for years to come.
  Enactment of H.R. 370 will help ensure that happens and that, in the 
years ahead, DHS better aligns its budgets and programs with its ever-
expanding missions.
  An identical version of this measure passed the House last Congress 
by a vote of 415-0.
  Madam Speaker, I urge the passage of H.R. 370 and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Torres) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 370.
  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. BIGGS. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion 
are postponed.

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