[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.

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