[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 39 (Tuesday, March 5, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H786-H787]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  SECURING THE CITIES IMPROVEMENT ACT

  Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 4403) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to 
make improvements to the Securing the Cities program, and for other 
purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4403

       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 ``Securing the Cities 
     Improvement Act''.

     SEC. 2. STC PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY, METRICS, AND CONGRESSIONAL 
                   OVERSIGHT.

       Section 1928 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 
     596b) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``high-risk urban 
     areas'' and inserting ``jurisdictions designated under 
     subsection (c)'';
       (2) by amending paragraph (7) of subsection (b) to read as 
     follows:
       ``(7) establish performance metrics and milestones for the 
     STC program, monitor expenditures for the program, and track 
     the performance against program metrics and milestones; 
     and'';
       (3) in subsection (c)(1), by striking ``from among high-
     risk urban areas under section 2003'' and inserting ``based 
     on the capability and capacity of the jurisdiction relating 
     to preparedness and response, as well as the relative threat 
     to such jurisdiction, vulnerability of such jurisdiction, and 
     consequences for such jurisdiction, regarding terrorist 
     attacks and other high-consequence events utilizing nuclear 
     or other radiological materials''; and
       (4) by amending subsection (d) to read as follows:
       ``(d) Report.--Not later than two years after the date of 
     the enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall submit 
     to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and 
     Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report regarding 
     participation in the STC program, the establishment of 
     metrics and milestones for the STC program, performance 
     against such metrics and milestones, and plans for any 
     changes to the STC program.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Tennessee (Mr. Green) and the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Carter) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.


                             General Leave

  Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. 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 H.R. 4403.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Tennessee?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4403. Since 2007, DHS has 
operated the Securing the Cities program to help cities prepare for and 
respond to nuclear or radiological threats.
  H.R. 4403, the Securing the Cities Improvement Act will remove the 
requirement for a jurisdiction to be designated as a high-risk urban 
area by FEMA, diminishing the uncertainty for cities to be removed from 
the STC program.
  Additionally, this legislation will provide transparency by requiring 
the department to establish performance metrics and milestones for the 
STC program to track its performance and monitor its expenditures.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Carter for his work on this. I urge 
my colleagues to support H.R. 4430, and I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. CARTER of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that we are here today to consider my bill, 
H.R. 4403, the Securing the Cities Improvement Act.
  My bill will help cities build and maintain their security 
capabilities against nuclear or radiological threats.
  While I will emphasize the critical nature of my bill, its 
effectiveness

[[Page H787]]

hinges upon the reauthorization of the DHS Office of Countering Weapons 
of Mass Destruction, CWMD.
  Without CWMD, the Securing the Cities program will cease to operate. 
Securing the Cities, also called STC, was launched by the Department of 
Homeland Security in fiscal year 2007 as a pilot program to support New 
York City, Jersey City, and Newark, New Jersey, in detecting and 
preventing nuclear or radiological threats.
  Today, the STC program provides 14 local governments, including my 
hometown of New Orleans, with detection equipment, training, exercise 
support, operational and technical support, subject matter expertise, 
and programmatic support.
  STC's work in New Orleans has supported important events such as 
Mardi Gras, which is a very special and joyous time in my hometown. As 
you know, we will have the Super Bowl next year. This will have a 
critical impact on its safety and delivering joy to the people of our 
country and our world.
  However, STC is limited to high-risk urban areas designated by the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency under the Urban Area Security 
Initiative, or UASI, program.
  Linking STC and UASI together can create uncertainty for local 
governments participating in the program, as the composition of 
jurisdictions in the UASI program can fluctuate from one year to the 
next.
  To ensure stability within the STC program and maintain partnerships 
with at-risk cities, I introduced the Securing the Cities Improvement 
Act. My legislation would allow CWMD to determine which cities to 
partner with for the STC program based on the jurisdiction's capability 
and capacity to prepare for and respond to threats of vulnerabilities 
against terrorist attacks and other high-consequence events utilizing 
nuclear or other radiological materials.
  It would also establish performance metrics and milestones for the 
STC program and monitor expenditures for the program.
  Furthermore, the legislation requires DHS to provide a report to 
Congress regarding participation in the STC program, the establishment 
of metrics and milestones for the program, and any proposed 
modifications for this program.
  The bill is a commonsense measure, one that will ensure that our 
cities are protected from nuclear or radiological threats.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 
4403, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. CARTER of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4403 is important for sustaining local 
jurisdictions' capabilities to counter chemical, biological, 
radiological, and nuclear threats.
  Without the support of programs like STC, addressing and mitigating 
threats could become more difficult or cease to exist altogether, which 
would jeopardize the safety and well-being of every individual residing 
in our country.
  Passage of this legislation is vital to maintaining our preparedness 
and ensuring the security of the Nation against the evolving challenges 
posed by terrorist attacks and other high-consequence events that 
utilize nuclear or radiological materials.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my House colleagues to support H.R. 4403, and I 
thank Chairman Green for his support in this measure.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. Speaker, I, again, urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4403. I 
thank Mr. Carter, the gentleman from Louisiana, for his excellent work 
on this, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Green) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 4403.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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