[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 203 (Monday, December 11, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H6759-H6760]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
COUNTERING WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION EXTENSION ACT OF 2023
Mr. D'ESPOSITO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 3224) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to extend
the authorization of the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office
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. 3224
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 ``Countering Weapons of Mass
Destruction Extension Act of 2023''.
SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATION OF THE COUNTERING WEAPONS
OF MASS DESTRUCTION OFFICE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
HOMELAND SECURITY.
(a) Extension.--
(1) Termination date.--Section 1901 of the Homeland
Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 591) is amended by striking
subsection (e) and inserting the following new subsection:
``(e) Termination.--The Office shall terminate on the date
that is two years after the date of the enactment of the
Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Extension Act of
2023.''.
(2) Exception.--The termination date specified in
subsection (e) of section 1901 of the Homeland Security Act
of 2002, as amended by paragraph (1), shall not apply to
sections 1931 and 1932 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002
(6 U.S.C. 597 and 597a; relating to the Chief Medical Officer
and the medical countermeasures program of the Department of
Homeland Security).
(b) Organizational Accountability.--
(1) Employee morale.--Not later than 180 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary
for the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office of the
Department of Homeland Security shall submit a report to and
brief the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate regarding an employee
engagement action plan and strategy to continuously improve
morale within the Office.
(2) Comptroller general.--Not later than one year after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of
the United States shall conduct a review of and brief the
Committee on Homeland Security of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate regarding the following
with respect to the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction
Office of the Department of Homeland Security:
(A) The efforts of the Office to prioritize the programs
and activities that carry out the mission of the Office,
including research and development.
(B) The consistency and effectiveness of the Office's
stakeholder coordination across the mission of the
Department, including operational and support components of
the Department and State and local entities.
(C) The efforts of the Office to manage and coordinate the
lifecycle of research and development within the Office and
with other components of the Department, including the
Science and Technology Directorate.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
York (Mr. D'Esposito) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Ivey) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.
General Leave
Mr. D'ESPOSITO. Mr. 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 H.R. 3224.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New York?
There was no objection.
Mr. D'ESPOSITO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my bill, H.R. 3224,
the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Extension Act of 2023.
Authorized in 2018, the mission of the Department of Homeland
Security's Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office is to enable
its operational partners at the Federal, State, and local levels to
prevent the use of WMDs against the United States of America and to
promote readiness for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear
threats.
At the Federal level, CWMD works with the United States Customs and
Border Protection to acquire radiation portal monitors that scan cargo
at U.S. ports of entry, as well as works with the U.S. Coast Guard to
procure personal radiation detectors.
At the local level, the CWMD Office achieves its mission of
supporting State, local, Tribal, and territorial partners through
funding, equipment, and expertise.
In my home State of New York and in many other States across this
great country, the CWMD Office operates the Securing the Cities
program, which helps build regional capabilities to detect, analyze,
and report nuclear and other radioactive materials.
My bill, the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Extension Act of
2023, will extend the sunset clause to ensure that the vital work of
the CWMD Office continues.
Additionally, my legislation takes meaningful steps to address some
longstanding challenges the office has faced, such as dwindling
employee morale, and requires the Assistant Secretary for the CWMD
Office to submit a report to Congress on how the office will
continuously improve morale and employee engagement within the office.
Further, my bill requires the Government Accountability Office to
conduct a review of the CWMD Office's coordination with stakeholders
and efforts to provide the programs and activities that carry out the
office's mission, among other items.
From aviation and border security to emergency response and
cybersecurity, the Department of Homeland Security has one common
mission, Mr. Speaker, and that is to keep America safe.
The Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office facilitates its
mission by ensuring that operational partners have the tools and
support needed to safeguard the United States of America against
chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats.
Although we hope that we never ever see the day when one of our
adversaries deploys a weapon of mass destruction against this great
Nation, we cannot neglect the ever-present threat of terrorism that
continues to exist today.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this
commonsense bill, H.R. 3224, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. IVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that we are here today to consider H.R.
3224, the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Extension Act of 2023.
I commend my Republican colleague from New York for introducing this
legislation.
The CWMD Office within the Department of Homeland Security plays a
pivotal role in safeguarding our Nation's security by addressing the
threat of weapons capable of causing harm to our communities and
infrastructure.
CWMD improves our Nation's capability to plan for, detect, and guard
against chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and health
security threats, otherwise known as CBRN.
CWMD further enables CBRN detection programs, training, and other
capabilities for State, local, Tribal, and territorial partners and
provides ground support for national special security events such as
Presidential inaugurations and major sporting events.
Without the support of dedicated DHS components like CWMD, terrorists
could exploit the absence of comprehensive measures. It could leave the
Nation vulnerable to catastrophic attacks with the potential for
widespread harm, loss of life, and severe disruption to national
security and public safety.
CWMD operates important programs such as Securing the Cities, which
provides 14 local governments across the country with detection
equipment, training, exercise support, operational and technical
subject matter expertise, and programmatic support.
When CWMD was authorized in 2018, Congress included a sunset for
December 21, 2023, with the idea that we could closely monitor the
progress of the office. The last continuing resolution extended CWMD
through February 2, 2024, but the office needs a longer extension to
ensure that its programs and staff have continuity.
[[Page H6760]]
With the sunset quickly approaching, the Committee on Homeland
Security has worked in a bipartisan fashion to extend CWMD by 2 years
with H.R. 3224.
This bipartisan bill will also provide a report to Congress regarding
a CWMD employee engagement action plan and strategy to improve morale
within the office, which is important given that there have been
significant workforce and morale issues. CWMD is consistently ranked
low in morale, according to a survey done by the Best Places to Work in
the Federal Government.
The bill further requires the Government Accountability Office to
brief Congress regarding CWMD and how it is carrying out its mission.
While Congress will continue to provide oversight of CWMD and, in the
future, provide a permanent authorization for the office, passage of
H.R. 3224 is a positive step.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R.
3224, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. D'ESPOSITO. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. IVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Louisiana (Mr. Carter), the ranking member of the Emergency Management
and Technology Subcommittee of the Committee on Homeland Security and
an original cosponsor of this measure.
Mr. CARTER of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, let me say a huge thank-you to
Representative Ivey for yielding and particular appreciation and thanks
to Congressman D'Esposito, the chairman of the subcommittee.
I am pleased that we are here today to consider Representative
D'Esposito's bill, H.R. 3224, the Countering Weapons of Mass
Destruction Extension Act of 2023, of which I am a proud original
cosponsor.
{time} 1545
The Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction, CWMD, office within the
Department of Homeland Security was established to elevate and
consolidate the Department's effort to protect our Nation from
chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats.
CWMD supports Federal, State, and local law enforcement and first
responders to defend against CBRN attacks and accomplishes this through
programs such as the Securing the Cities program, STC, which holds
significant importance for the residents of my home of New Orleans.
The Securing the Cities program bolsters our cities' capacity to
identify and thwart potential terrorist threats, particularly during
major events like Mardi Gras, Sugar Bowl, Super Bowl, and so many other
events that are home to the State of Louisiana.
Another critical program deployed by CWMD is the National
Biosurveillance Integration Center, NBIC. NBIC plays a pivotal role in
early detection, rapid response, and coordinated efforts by identifying
and tracking biological events and distributing its products to
Federal, State, and local, congressional, and private sector partners.
NBIC's coordination helps ensure a more effective and unified response
to mitigate the impact of biological threats.
CWMD's expertise is instrumental in formulating and implementing
strategies, coordinating intelligence efforts, and providing essential
resources to fortify the Nation's CBRN capabilities.
Recognizing the pivotal role of this office, I am pleased that we
could unite on a bipartisan basis to bring H.R. 3224, the Countering
Weapons of Mass Destruction Extension Act of 2023, to the floor today.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. IVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the
gentleman from Louisiana.
Mr. CARTER of Louisiana. This bipartisan legislation extends CWMD's
authorization for 2 years and mandates a Congressional report on the
office's plans to enhance morale--an ongoing concern. The bill also
requires the Government Accountability Office to brief Congress
regarding the CWMD and how it is carrying out its mission.
CWMD is a critical asset, ensuring a safer and more secure nation for
present and future generations. Continued support for this office is
paramount, therefore, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in
supporting H.R. 3224.
Mr. D'ESPOSITO. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. IVEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3224 is crucial for sustaining our Nation's
capabilities to counter chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear
threats.
The expertise provided by CWMD is essential in the fight against
weapons of mass destruction.
Passage of this legislation is vital to maintaining our preparedness
and ensuring the security of the Nation against the evolving challenges
posed by bad actors.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my House colleagues to support H.R. 3224, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. D'ESPOSITO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to
close.
Mr. Speaker, I think that it is very clear that this bill, H.R. 3224,
is not a partisan issue. It is one that the American people will
benefit from in order to keep this great homeland safe.
Mr. Speaker, I, again, urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3224, 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. D'Esposito) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3224, 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. D'ESPOSITO. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
____________________