[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 23]
[House]
[Pages 31850-31851]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         FIRST RESPONDER ANTI-TERRORISM TRAINING RESOURCES ACT

  Mr. CUELLAR. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3978) to amend the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 
Commission Act of 2007 to authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security 
to accept and use gifts for otherwise authorized activities of the 
Center for Domestic Preparedness that are related to preparedness for 
and response to terrorism, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3978

       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 ``First Responder Anti-
     Terrorism Training Resources Act''.

     SEC. 2. ACCEPTANCE OF GIFTS FOR FIRST RESPONDER TERRORISM 
                   PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE TRAINING.

       Section 1204 of the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/
     11 Commission Act of 2007 (6 U.S.C. 1102) is amended by 
     adding at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(f) Acceptance of Gifts.--
       ``(1) Authority.--Notwithstanding section 873(b) of the 
     Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 453(b)), the 
     Secretary may accept and use gifts of property, both real and 
     personal, and may accept gifts of services, including from 
     guest lecturers, for otherwise authorized activities of the 
     Center for Domestic Preparedness that are related to 
     preparedness for and response to terrorism.
       ``(2) Report.--The Secretary shall report annually to the 
     Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and 
     Governmental Affairs of the Senate--
       ``(A) any gifts that were accepted under this subsection in 
     the preceding year;
       ``(B) how such gifts contribute to the mission of the 
     Center for Domestic Preparedness; and
       ``(C) the amount of Federal savings that were generated 
     from the acceptance of such gifts.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Cuellar) and the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Rogers) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.


                             General Leave

  Mr. CUELLAR. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks and insert extraneous materials on the bill under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CUELLAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill and yield 
myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3978, which is 
sponsored by my friend from Alabama (Mr. Rogers). I am pleased to serve 
with Mr. Rogers on the Emergency Communications, Preparedness, and 
Response Subcommittee. He is the ranking member and works with us in a 
very bipartisan manner. I thank him for his service.
  Mr. Rogers' district is home to the Center For Domestic Preparedness. 
It is the premier training site for our Nation's first responders, and 
it is the Department of Homeland Security's only federally chartered 
weapons of mass destruction training center.
  DHS has facilitated training at the center for thousands of first 
responders from all 50 States, territories and the District of 
Columbia. Given the center's prominence in the first responders' 
community, it often receives offers of gifts and donations from a 
variety of sources. These donations and services include training, 
displays, emergency response equipment, and offers of guest lectures.

                              {time}  1100

  These donations and gifts would strengthen the center's ability to 
offer high-quality emergency response training.
  Unfortunately, the center currently lacks the legal authority at this 
time to accept these types of services. H.R. 3978 will permit the 
Secretary of Homeland Security to accept and use gifts for otherwise 
authorized activities of the Center for Domestic Preparedness that are 
related to preparedness for and in response to terrorism.
  The legislation further directs DHS to report annually to the 
Congress on any gifts that were accepted in the preceding year and how 
they have contributed to the center's mission. Other DHS-supported 
training centers are permitted to accept gifts and donations, and it is 
past due to give the Center for Domestic Preparedness the same 
authority.
  I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 3978.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the First Responder 
Anti-Terrorism Training Resources Act.
  H.R. 3978, which I introduced last month, ensures that first 
responders who train at East Alabama's Center for Domestic Preparedness 
have access to even better training resources. As many here know, the 
Center for Domestic Preparedness, located in my district in Anniston, 
Alabama, delivers one-of-a-kind training to America's emergency 
responders. It's our Nation's premier all-hazards training center. It's 
also the only federally chartered weapons of mass destruction training 
center in the Nation. Responders from all 50 States, the District of 
Columbia, and the U.S. territories have trained at the CDP. In fact, 
this year the CDP celebrated its 500,000th graduate.
  Like other first responder training centers, often the CDP receives 
offers of donations, such as railcars, trailers, and emergency response 
equipment, to assist their training courses. However, since the CDP's 
activities are conducted under the 9/11 Act of 2007 rather than the 
Stafford Act, the CDP lacks the legal authority to accept donations 
that could further training resources.
  My bill fixes that problem. It amends the 9/11 Act so that the CDP 
may accept donations of property and services for antiterrorism and 
training activities. It's a win-win for our first responders, the 
taxpayer, and this important east Alabama training facility.
  I would like to thank my good friend from Texas (Mr. Cuellar) for 
supporting this bill and holding a markup in the subcommittee last 
month. I would also like to thank the full committee chairman, Mr. 
Thompson, for holding a markup in the full committee.
  I urge my colleagues to support this important measure.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 
3978, legislation that would permit the Center for Domestic 
Preparedness to accept gifts and donations in order to better train our 
Nation's first responders. As Chairman of the Committee on Homeland 
Security, I am pleased that the House is considering this legislation 
today, and I urge my colleagues to support its passage.
  Mr. Speaker, the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Center for 
Domestic Preparedness, Center, is the Nation's leading all-hazards 
first-responder training center. Located in Anniston, Alabama, the 
Center has provided emergency response training to first responders in 
all fifty States and territories, as well as Federal Government 
employees, foreign officials, and private entities. The Center is 
especially well-known internationally for its weapons of mass 
destruction training facility.
  The Center often receives offers of donated goods and services, such 
as training displays, response equipment, and trailers. These donations 
would allow the Center to offer stronger training opportunities at a 
lower cost to the Department of Homeland Security, DHS, and the 
American taxpayer. Regrettably, the Center does not have the legal 
authority to accept gifts that would enhance its ability to deliver 
superior training.
  H.R. 3978 would amend the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 
CommissionAct of 2007 to permit the Center to receive donated gifts and 
services that are related to preparedness for and response to 
terrorism. The legislation further calls on the Secretary of Homeland 
Security to annually report to Congress on gifts accepted and how such 
gifts contribute to the mission of the Center.
  Other DHS training centers, such as the Federal Law Enforcement 
Training Center, already have the authority to accept gifts and

[[Page 31851]]

donations. It is only appropriate that the Center also have this 
authority.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3978 is a straight-forward piece of legislation 
that will pay immediate dividends for our first responder community. I 
support its passage and encourage my colleagues to support it as well.
  Mr. CUELLAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this important 
Homeland Security legislation. The gentleman from Alabama has worked 
very hard, has been very dedicated in this piece of legislation, and I 
would ask all my colleagues to support this important legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cuellar) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 3978.
  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. CUELLAR. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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