[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 41 (Tuesday, March 8, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E234]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            HOMELAND SECURITY CAPABILITIES PRESERVATION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 7, 2022

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5615 the 
Homeland Security Capabilities Preservation Act, to direct the 
Secretary of Homeland Security to submit a plan to make Federal 
assistance available to certain urban areas that previously received 
Urban Area Security Initiative funding and were removed from the 
program.
  Then, the DHS Secretary is required to submit a plan to Congress on 
how to make Federal assistance available to former UASI jurisdictions 
to help them take on the costs of preserving UASI-funded homeland 
security programs.
  In the wake of September 11, 2001, there was a recognition that U.S. 
urban centers could be terrorist targets and did not have the resources 
to develop core capabilities to prevent, protect against, and respond 
to terrorist attacks and other catastrophic events on their own.
  Over the past 18 years, UASI has played an instrumental role in 
helping these cities prevent and respond to terrorist threats and 
attacks.
  As a member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency 
Preparedness, Response, and Recovery, I received testimony from Orlando 
Police Chief Orlando Rolon that addressed this issue.
  Police Chief Rolon testified that, for local law enforcement who are 
on the ``front lines of responding to any emergency, whether it be a 
terrorist attack, natural disaster, or global pandemic, FEMA 
preparedness grants are critical resources that bolster law 
enforcement's ability to prevent and respond to terrorist attacks and 
other associated threats.''
  Year-to-year changes in the terrorism risk picture, fluctuations in 
grant funding levels, and changes in DHS' risk formula can result in 
jurisdictions suddenly falling out of the program, after years of 
critical investment.
  The sudden loss of Federal support for maintaining essential homeland 
security capabilities can place great strain on cities that may not 
have the resources to cover these costs.
  Jurisdictions that lost UASI grant funding often seek to continue 
partnering with DHS to ensure that they can maintain the security 
capabilities they achieved with UASI. These jurisdictions could be 
helped under H.R. 5615.
  This bill will help jurisdictions preserve their level of security 
capabilities by directing DHS to develop a plan for how to support the 
transition of costs associated with maintaining UASI-funded homeland 
security core capabilities.
  Madam Speaker, I strongly support this legislation and urge all 
Members to vote for the H.R. 5615, Homeland Security Capabilities 
Preservation Act.