[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 5] [House] [Pages 6050-6052] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY STRATEGY FOR INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS ACT Mr. RATCLIFFE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4780) to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop a comprehensive strategy for Department of Homeland Security operations abroad, and for other purposes, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 4780 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 ``Department of Homeland Security Strategy for International Programs Act''. SEC. 2. COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY FOR INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR VETTING AND SCREENING PERSONS SEEKING TO ENTER THE UNITED STATES. (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security 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 comprehensive three-year strategy for international programs of the Department of Homeland Security in which personnel and resources of the Department are deployed abroad for vetting and screening of persons seeking to enter the United States. (b) Contents.--The strategy required under subsection (a) shall include, at a minimum, the following: (1) Specific Department of Homeland Security risk-based goals for international programs of the Department in which personnel and resources of the Department are deployed abroad for vetting and screening of persons seeking to enter the United States. [[Page 6051]] (2) A risk-based method for determining whether to establish new international programs in new locations, given resource constraints, or expand existing international programs of the Department, in which personnel and resources of the Department are deployed abroad for vetting and screening of persons seeking to enter the United States. (3) Alignment with the highest Department-wide and Government-wide strategic priorities of resource allocations on international programs of the Department in which personnel and resources of the Department are deployed abroad for vetting and screening of persons seeking to enter the United States. (4) A common reporting framework for the submission of reliable, comparable cost data by components of the Department on overseas expenditures attributable to international programs of the Department in which personnel and resources of the Department are deployed abroad for vetting and screening of persons seeking to enter the United States. (c) Considerations.--In developing the strategy required under subsection (a), the Secretary of Homeland Security shall consider, at a minimum, the following: (1) Information on existing operations of international programs of the Department of Homeland Security in which personnel and resources of the Department are deployed abroad for vetting and screening of persons seeking to enter the United States that includes corresponding information for each location in which each such program operates. (2) The number of Department personnel deployed to each location at which an international program referred to in subparagraph (A) is in operation during the current and preceding fiscal year. (3) Analysis of the impact of each international program referred to in paragraph (1) on domestic activities of components of the Department of Homeland Security. (4) Analysis of barriers to the expansion of an international program referred to in paragraph (1). (d) Form.--The strategy required under subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may contain a classified annex if the Secretary of Homeland Security determines that such is appropriate. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Ratcliffe) and the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas. General Leave Mr. RATCLIFFE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous material 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. RATCLIFFE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4780, the Department of Homeland Security Strategy for International Programs Act, offered by the ranking member of the committee, the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson). This bill would require the Secretary of Homeland Security to submit a report to Congress on the Department of Homeland Security's international programs, including the vetting and screening of persons seeking to enter the United States. {time} 1745 The legislation builds off of recommendations made by the Committee on Homeland Security's bipartisan Task Force on Combating Terrorist and Foreign Fighter Travel that identified security gaps which allow jihadists to get to and from Iraq and Syria undetected. Specifically, the task force recommended that U.S. authorities continue to push the border outward by deploying homeland security initiatives overseas. The DHS has established several international programs that are designed to thoroughly vet and screen such individuals before their travel to the United States. Through its many international programs, the DHS personnel overseas effectively extends our Nation's borders to increase the security of the United States. Expanding initiatives like the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Preclearance program or Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Visa Security Program could help detect and interdict threats before they are bound for the homeland. For example, the Preclearance program allows overseas-based CBP officers to screen all passengers and luggage before a flight takes off for the United States. The CBP currently has 15 preclearance locations in six countries, including Ireland, Aruba, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, and the United Arab Emirates. However, the foreign fighter threat and travel patterns continue to concern immigration and national security officials. As a result, DHS has announced plans to expand preclearance operations. Other programs, like ICE's Visa Security Program deploy specially trained agents to diplomatic posts worldwide to conduct additional visa security screening and quickly identify potential terrorists or criminal threats before they reach the United States. Agents provide an additional level of review for persons of special interest or concern, review visa applications, liaise with host country immigration and border security officials, and conduct investigations with a nexus to U.S. travel and security. The program has agents posted at consulates and embassies in more than 25 countries, with additional plans to expand to additional high-risk locations. As the Department of Homeland Security continues to build its international footprint for these and other border security programs, the DHS must ensure that the expansion of international programs is considered with risk, cost, and benefit in mind. This bill would require the DHS to report on the specific risk-based goals for these international programs to ensure that they align with Department-wide and government-wide strategic priorities. This additional transparency, including the costs related to international programs, will improve Congress' oversight of these activities. Additionally, the Department will be required to consider how the deployment of personnel abroad may impact its domestic capabilities as well as to identify barriers for the expansion of international programs. While international programs provide tangible national security and travel facilitation benefits, the growing DHS presence overseas should be built upon the foundation of a long-term strategy that guides the Department in the deployment of officers and agents in a risk-based manner. I am confident that the comprehensive strategy that is required by this bill will help ensure that the Department is managing these programs effectively and that Congress has the appropriate insight that is necessary to protect the American taxpayers' investment in our security. I, therefore, urge all Members to join me in supporting this bill. I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 4780, the Department of Homeland Security Strategy for International Programs Act. I introduced H.R. 4780 to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop a comprehensive strategy for the Department's international programs where personnel and resources are deployed abroad for vetting and screening persons who are seeking to enter the U.S. In recent years, the Department has expanded its international footprint through programs such as the Immigration Advisory Program, the Joint Security Program, and the Visa Security Program. In fact, presently, the Customs and Border Protection has, approximately, 800 employees who are posted in 43 countries, and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement has almost 400 employees in 45 countries. DHS personnel who are at overseas locations perform vital vetting and passenger prescreening activities to ensure individuals who are traveling to the U.S. do not pose a threat to our Nation's security. Looking ahead, the DHS has announced plans to expand the Preclearance program to 10 new locations in the coming years, and ICE continues to expand its Visa Security Program to additional visa-issuing posts abroad. [[Page 6052]] I strongly support these efforts to push out our borders through the expansion of these important homeland security programs. That said, to do it right, DHS needs a comprehensive strategy to bolster its presence and partnerships around the world. My bill requires just that. Specifically, it requires the DHS to have a 3-year strategy that includes risk-based goals, which is a process to ensure resource allocations align with overall Departmental strategic priorities, and a common reporting framework for personnel who are deployed abroad. My bill requires the DHS to not only take into account where it currently deploys resources for these overseas screening and vetting programs and the number of DHS personnel at each location, but also any impacts of these overseas activities on domestic operations, including with respect to staffing at U.S. ports of entry. After 9/11, the attempted Christmas Day attack in 2009, as well as other more recent cases, it is imperative for the DHS and its Federal partners to bolster the screening and vetting of travelers before they arrive at our borders. My bill will help ensure that the DHS has a sound strategy for its efforts to do so. Mr. Speaker, we face evolving terrorist threats, which include individuals who are attempting to use legitimate forms of travel to the U.S. to inflict harm. The DHS personnel who are posted abroad perform critical preemptive operations to make sure that travelers who are coming to our country are thoroughly screened and vetted. H.R. 4780 will help ensure that these important international DHS programs are utilized in a strategic and effective manner to further enhance the security of the U.S. Before I yield back, I would note that H.R. 4780 is a part of a larger legislative package that I am introducing today. Among other things, my package would authorize significant expansions of critical CBP and ICE overseas screening and vetting programs and significant new CBP staffing resources to support overseas program expansion and address domestic staffing shortages at U.S. international airports. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4780. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. RATCLIFFE. Mr. Speaker, once again, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4780. I yield back the balance of my time. Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4780, the ``Department of Homeland Security Strategy for International Programs Act.'' This legislation directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to submit a comprehensive three-year strategy for international programs in which DHS personnel and resources are deployed abroad for vetting and screening persons seeking to enter the United States. Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Homeland Security I support this bill because the issue of proper vetting and screening processes' upon the entry into the country is paramount. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4780 directs the Security Committee of the Department of Homeland Security to use the following strategies to implement this legislation: 1. A risk-based method for determining whether to establish new international programs in new locations, given resource constraints, or expand existing international programs; 2. Alignment with the highest DHS-wide and government-wide strategic priorities of resource allocations on such programs; and 3. A common reporting framework for the submission of reliable, comparable cost data by DHS components on overseas expenditures attributable to such programs. In developing this strategy the Department for health and human services shall secure: 1. Information on existing operations of DHS programs that includes corresponding information for each location in which each such program operates, 2. Analysis of the impact of each such international program on domestic activities of DHS components, 3. The number of DHS personnel deployed to each location at which such an international program is in operation during the current and preceding fiscal year, and 4. Analysis of barriers to the expansion of such an international program. There should be a proper vetting and screening process for individuals entering the country from locations abroad. Border security is an evolving process, and our legislative process must evolve with it. Avoiding recurrences of attacks on the homeland such as the 9/11 attack is a major reason entry into the country should be heavily monitored. I urge all members to join me in voting to pass H.R. 4780. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Ratcliffe) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4780, as amended. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________