[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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