[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 40 (Monday, March 7, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H1308-H1310]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        DHS BASIC TRAINING ACCREDITATION IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2021

  Mrs. DEMINGS. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the

[[Page H1309]]

bill (H.R. 5616) to require reporting regarding accreditation of basic 
training programs of the Department of 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. 5616

       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 Basic Training 
     Accreditation Improvement Act of 2021''.

     SEC. 2. REPORTING ON BASIC TRAINING PROGRAMS OF THE 
                   DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY.

       (a) Annual Reporting.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, the 
     Secretary of Homeland Security shall report to the relevant 
     congressional committees on the accreditation status for each 
     basic training program within the Department of Homeland 
     Security, including information relating to the following:
       (A) The date on which each such program achieved initial 
     accreditation, or in the case of a program that is not 
     currently accredited, the reasons for not obtaining or 
     maintaining accreditation, the activities, if any, taken to 
     achieve accreditation, and an anticipated timeline for 
     accreditation of such program.
       (B) The date each such program most recently received 
     accreditation or reaccreditation, if applicable.
       (C) Each such program's anticipated accreditation or next 
     reaccreditation date.
       (D) The name of the accreditation manager for each such 
     program.
       (2) Termination of reporting requirement.--Annual reports 
     under paragraph (1) shall terminate when all basic training 
     programs of the Department of Homeland Security are 
     accredited.
       (b) Lapse in Accreditation.--
       (1) In general.--If a basic training program of the 
     Department of Homeland Security loses accreditation, the head 
     of the relevant component of the Department shall notify the 
     Secretary of Homeland Security not later than 30 days after 
     such loss.
       (2) Notice to congress.--Not later than 30 days after 
     receiving a notification pursuant to paragraph (1), the 
     Secretary of Homeland Security shall notify the relevant 
     congressional committees of the lapse in accreditation at 
     issue, the reason for such lapse, and the activities underway 
     and planned to regain accreditation.
       (c) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Accreditation.--The term ``accreditation'' means the 
     recognition by a board that a basic training program is 
     administered, developed, and delivered according to an 
     applicable set of standards.
       (2) Accreditation manager.--The term ``accreditation 
     manager'' means the individual assigned by the component of 
     the Department of Homeland Security to manage accreditation 
     activities for a basic training program.
       (3) Basic training program.--The term ``basic training 
     program'' means an entry level program of the Department of 
     Homeland Security that is transitional to law enforcement 
     service, provides training on critical competencies and 
     responsibilities, and is typically a requirement for 
     appointment to a law enforcement service job or job series.
       (4) Reaccreditation.--The term ``reaccreditation'' means 
     the assessment of a basic training program after initial 
     accreditation to ensure the continued compliance with an 
     applicable set of standards.
       (5) Relevant congressional committees.--The term ``relevant 
     congressional committees'' means the Committee on Homeland 
     Security and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and 
     Governmental Affairs and the Committee of the Judiciary of 
     the Senate.

     SEC. 3. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.

       The Under Secretary for Science and Technology of the 
     Department of Homeland Security shall carry out research and 
     development of systems and technologies to enhance access to 
     training offered by the Federal Law Enforcement Training 
     Centers to State, local, Tribal, and territorial law 
     enforcement, with particular attention to law enforcement in 
     rural and remote communities, for the purpose of enhancing 
     domestic preparedness for and collective response to 
     terrorism and other homeland security threats.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Mrs. Demings) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Katko) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida.


                             General Leave

  Mrs. DEMINGS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which 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 Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. DEMINGS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, today, I rise to urge my colleagues to support H.R. 
5616, the DHS Basic Training Accreditation Improvement Act of 2021.
  Every year, DHS onboards thousands of new officers who all must 
successfully complete basic law enforcement training programs.
  As a former police chief with 27 years of law enforcement service, I 
have seen how training saves lives.
  Unfortunately, at DHS, several of the basic training programs 
tailored to component officers are not accredited.
  In some cases, programs have been unaccredited for several years.
  Unaccredited programs include: the U.S. Border Patrol Academy, the 
Customs and Border Protections' Field Operations Academy Officer Basic 
Training program, and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' 
Officer Basic Training program.
  In 2019, the head of the Department's Federal Law Enforcement 
Training Centers testified before the Homeland Security Committee that 
accreditation is important because it ``assigns rigor to training 
processes'' and ``results in the best product.''
  H.R. 5616 seeks to improve the quality of the training provided to 
all new DHS officers.
  It does this by requiring the Department to report to Congress on the 
accreditation status of each of its basic training programs.
  For those programs that are not accredited, it requires DHS to 
report: the reasons for not obtaining or maintaining accreditation; the 
activities, if any, taken to achieve accreditation; and the anticipated 
timeline for accreditation of the program.
  Further, H.R. 5616 requires DHS to continue to report to Congress 
annually until all DHS basic training programs are accredited.
  H.R. 5616 also directs DHS to engage in research to help State, 
local, Tribal, and territorial law enforcement officers better access 
the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center training opportunities, 
including those that enhance national preparedness and response to 
terrorism.
  I introduced this bill in October to direct DHS to prioritize 
improving its basic training programs to maintain a higher standard of 
excellence for new officers and position them to effectively safeguard 
the American people, our homeland, and institutions.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my House colleagues to support this 
legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

                                         House of Representatives,


                                   Committee on the Judiciary,

                                 Washington, DC, February 7, 2022.
      Hon. Bennie G. Thompson,
      Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, House of 
         Representatives, Washington, DC.
        Dear Chairman Thompson: This letter is to advise you that 
     the Committee on the Judiciary has now had an opportunity to 
     review the provisions in H.R. 5616, the ``DHS Basic Training 
     Accreditation Improvement Act of 2021,'' that fall within our 
     Rule X jurisdiction. I appreciate your consulting with us on 
     those provisions. The Judiciary Committee has no objection to 
     your including them in the bill for consideration on the 
     House floor, and to expedite that consideration is willing to 
     forgo action on H.R. 5616, with the understanding that we do 
     not thereby waive any future jurisdictional claim over those 
     provisions or their subject matters.
        In the event a House-Senate conference on this or similar 
     legislation is convened, the Judiciary Committee reserves the 
     right to request an appropriate number of conferees to 
     address any concerns with these or similar provisions that 
     may arise in conference.
        Please place this letter into the Congressional Record 
     during consideration of the measure on the House floor. Thank 
     you for the cooperative spirit in which you have worked 
     regarding this matter and others between our committees.
            Sincerely,
                                                   Jerrold Nadler,
      Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                               Committee on Homeland Security,

                                 Washington, DC, February 7, 2022.
      Hon. Jerrold Nadler,
      Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary, House of 
         Representatives, Washington, DC.
        Dear Chairman Nadler: Thank you for your letter regarding 
     H.R. 5616, the ``DHS Basic Training Accreditation Improvement 
     Act of 2021.'' I recognize that the Committee on the 
     Judiciary has a jurisdictional interest in H.R. 5616, and I 
     appreciate your effort to allow this bill to be considered on 
     the House floor.
        I concur with you that forgoing action on the bill does 
     not in any way prejudice the Committee on the Judiciary with 
     respect to

[[Page H1310]]

     its jurisdictional prerogatives on this bill or similar 
     legislation in the future, and I would support your effort to 
     seek appointment of an appropriate number of conferees to any 
     House--Senate conference involving this legislation.
        I will include our letters on H.R. 5616 in the Committee 
     report on this measure and in the Congressional Record during 
     floor consideration of this bill. I look forward to working 
     with you on this legislation and other matters of great 
     importance to this Nation.
            Sincerely,
                                               Bennie G. Thompson,
                         Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security.

  Mr. KATKO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5616, the DHS Basic 
Training Accreditation Improvement Act of 2021.
  This legislation requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to 
report to Congress on an annual basis on the accreditation status for 
each basic training program within the Department. It also requires 
congressional notification within 30 days of a lapse of accreditation 
for any Department basic training program.
  This legislation will help bring needed congressional oversight to 
DHS basic training programs by ensuring that DHS is transparent about 
any accreditation shortcomings and properly addresses them.
  Madam Speaker, I urge members to join me in supporting H.R. 5616, and 
I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. DEMINGS. Madam Speaker, I have no more speakers, I am prepared 
to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. KATKO. Madam Speaker, I urge Members to support this bill, I 
think it is a good bill, and I commend my friend for bringing it to the 
floor.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. DEMINGS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Madam Speaker, our top priority, as Members of Congress, is 
protecting the safety and security of the American people.
  We have no room for error when it comes to keeping Americans safe.
  H.R. 5616 prioritizes the quality of training DHS offers its newest 
officers and ensures that State, local, and Tribal law enforcement 
entities have better access to trainings that will make American 
communities safer.
  I thank my colleagues on the Homeland Security Committee for 
unanimously supporting H.R. 5616.
  Madam Speaker, I urge the rest of my colleagues to support H.R. 5616, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Demings) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5616, 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.
  Mrs. GREENE of Georgia. 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.

                          ____________________