[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 67 (Monday, April 19, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H1904-H1905]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         CBRN INTELLIGENCE AND INFORMATION SHARING ACT OF 2021

  Mr. TORRES of New York. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the bill (H.R. 397) 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. 397

       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 2021''.

     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 210G the following new section:

     ``SEC. 210H. 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. 210H. 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 210H 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 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).

[[Page H1905]]

  


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                             General Leave

  Mr. TORRES of New York. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may 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 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Torres)?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. TORRES of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  I rise in support of H.R. 397, the Chemical, Biological, 
Radiological, and Nuclear Intelligence and Information Sharing Act of 
2021.
  This past year, we have witnessed a global pandemic dominate nearly 
every aspect of American life and claim the lives of over half a 
million people. As it tore through our communities, it also brought 
into stark focus hard truths about inequities in our healthcare system, 
the reliability of our PPE pipeline, the need for better information 
sharing between the Federal Government and State, local, and private-
sector partners.
  The legislation before us seeks to promote timely sharing of 
intelligence about chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear 
threats, or CBRN threats. It does so by specifically directing the 
Department of Homeland Security to analyze CBRN-related terrorist 
threats and share threat information with Federal, State, and local 
partners.
  In the event of an attack of this nature, situational awareness at 
all levels of government is key. Better situational awareness is also 
important to help New York City and other DHS grant recipients more 
efficiently target their grant dollars to address threats.
  Earlier versions of this bill overwhelmingly passed in the House in 
the last three Congresses, and I urge my colleagues to support the 
measure once again.
  Madam Speaker, 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. 397, the CBRN Intelligence and 
Information Sharing Act of 2021.
  We all know that terrorist groups have long sought to develop the 
capability to attack our Nation with chemical, biological, 
radiological, and nuclear materials. H.R. 397 would address this threat 
by requiring the Office of Intelligence and Analysis, within the 
Department of Homeland Security, to support the homeland security-
focused analysis of terrorist capabilities related to chemical, 
biological, radiological, and nuclear materials, as well as threats to 
the homeland from global infectious diseases.
  To improve coordination with local law enforcement, H.R. 397 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, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Gimenez), for 
introducing this important legislation.
  Madam Speaker, I urge all Members to support this bill, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. TORRES of New York. Madam Speaker, effective prevention and 
response to terrorism and naturally occurring threats start with 
information-sharing.
  At a time when threats are changing at such a rapid pace, H.R. 397 
will help to facilitate information-sharing to better safeguard the 
homeland from bad actors.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 397, 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. 397, as amended.
  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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