[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 10]
[House]
[Pages 13782-13784]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 FEDERAL INFORMATION RESOURCE TO STRENGTHEN TIES WITH STATE AND LOCAL 
                      LAW ENFORCEMENT ACT OF 2017

  Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 2442) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require an 
annual report on the Office for State and Local Law Enforcement, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2442

       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 ``Federal Information Resource 
     to Strengthen Ties with State and Local Law Enforcement Act 
     of 2017'' or the ``FIRST State and Local Law Enforcement 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. ANNUAL REPORT ON OFFICE FOR STATE AND LOCAL LAW 
                   ENFORCEMENT.

       Section 2006(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 
     U.S.C. 607(b)) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (6); and
       (2) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following new 
     paragraph (5):
       ``(5) Annual report.--For each of fiscal years 2018 through 
     2022, the Assistant Secretary for State and Local Law 
     Enforcement shall submit to the Committee on Homeland 
     Security and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and 
     Governmental Affairs and the Committee on the Judiciary of 
     the Senate a report on the activities of the Office for State 
     and Local Law Enforcement. Each such report shall include, 
     for the fiscal year covered by the report, a description of 
     each of the following:
       ``(A) Efforts to coordinate and share information regarding 
     Department and component agency programs with State, local, 
     and tribal law enforcement agencies.

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       ``(B) Efforts to improve information sharing through the 
     Homeland Security Information Network by appropriate 
     component agencies of the Department and by State, local, and 
     tribal law enforcement agencies.
       ``(C) The status of performance metrics within the Office 
     of State and Local Law Enforcement to evaluate the 
     effectiveness of efforts to carry out responsibilities set 
     forth within the subsection.
       ``(D) Any feedback from State, local, and tribal law 
     enforcement agencies about the Office, including the 
     mechanisms utilized to collect such feedback.
       ``(E) Efforts to carry out all other responsibilities of 
     the Office of State and Local Law Enforcement.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Hurd) and the gentlewoman from New York (Miss Rice) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.


                             General Leave

  Mr. HURD. 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. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2442, the Office for State and 
Local Law Enforcement Information Sharing Review Act, introduced by the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
  The Office for State and Local Law Enforcement is authorized in 
section 2006(b) of the Homeland Security Act and is located within the 
DHS Office of Partnership and Engagement. The office largely serves as 
a source of information on DHS resources available to State and local 
law enforcement partners, as well as a point of contact for questions 
regarding DHS policies and programs.
  This bill requires a report on the activities of Office of State and 
Local Law Enforcement within the Department of Homeland Security. The 
report must include how the office is working to improve information 
sharing between DHS and law enforcement agencies, an overview of the 
performance metrics used by the office to measure success, feedback 
from State and local stakeholders, and an overview of ongoing 
activities.
  This reporting requirement will ensure the office is continually 
identifying areas for improvement in the Department's information-
sharing efforts with State and locals, and coordinating with relevant 
DHS component agencies to close these gaps.
  I applaud the gentlewoman from Texas for including a sunset on the 
reporting requirement after 5 years. While the information gathered 
through this report will be valuable for congressional oversight, it is 
important that we do not continue to require never-ending reporting 
requirements from the Department.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this measure, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.

                                         House of Representatives,


                                   Committee on the Judiciary,

                                Washington, DC, September 5, 2017.
     Hon. Michael T. McCaul,
     Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security,
     House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman McCaul, I write with respect to H.R. 2442, 
     the ``Federal Information Resource to Strengthen Ties with 
     State and Local Law Enforcement Act.'' As a result of your 
     having consulted with us on provisions within H.R. 2442 that 
     fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on the 
     Judiciary, I forego any further consideration of this bill so 
     that it may proceed expeditiously to the House floor for 
     consideration.
       The Judiciary Committee takes this action with our mutual 
     understanding that by foregoing consideration of H.R. 2442 at 
     this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction over subject 
     matter contained in this or similar legislation and that our 
     committee will be appropriately consulted and involved as 
     this bill or similar legislation moves forward so that we may 
     address any remaining issues in our jurisdiction. Our 
     committee also reserves the right to seek appointment of an 
     appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate 
     conference involving this or similar legislation and asks 
     that you support any such request.
       I would appreciate a response to this letter confirming 
     this understanding with respect to H.R. 2442 and would ask 
     that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be 
     included in the Congressional Record during floor 
     consideration of this bill.
           Sincerely,
                                                    Bob Goodlatte,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                               Committee on Homeland Security,

                                Washington, DC, September 6, 2017.
     Hon. Bob Goodlatte,
     Chairman, Committee on Judiciary,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Goodlatte, Thank you for your letter 
     regarding H.R. 2442, the ``Federal Information Resource to 
     Strengthen Ties with State and Local Law Enforcement Act of 
     2017''. I appreciate your support in bringing this 
     legislation before the House of Representatives, and 
     accordingly, understand that the Committee on Judiciary will 
     forego further consideration of the bill.
       The Committee on Homeland Security concurs with the mutual 
     understanding that by foregoing consideration of this bill at 
     this time, the Judiciary does not waive any jurisdiction over 
     the subject matter contained in this bill or similar 
     legislation in the future. In addition, should a conference 
     on this bill be necessary, I would support your request to 
     have the Committee on Judiciary represented on the conference 
     committee.
       I will insert copies of this exchange in the Congressional 
     Record during consideration of this bill on the House floor. 
     I thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
           Sincerely,
                                                Michael T. McCaul,
                         Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security.

  Miss RICE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2442, the Federal Information 
Resource to Strengthen Ties with State and Local Law Enforcement Act of 
2017, or the FIRST with State and Local Law Enforcement Act.
  Mr. Speaker, today we consider H.R. 2442, a bill to require the DHS 
to submit an annual report to Congress on the activities of the Office 
for State and Local Law Enforcement.
  This bill, authored by the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee), 
seeks to highlight the activities of this important hub of outreach to 
State and local law enforcement within the DHS.
  The report is to include detailed information on those efforts, 
including steps taken to improve them and performance metrics to 
evaluate the effectiveness, and feedback received from State, local, 
and Tribal law enforcement agencies.
  Yesterday, the Committee on Homeland Security released a staff report 
that looked at the DHS' progress, over the past decade, at implementing 
the 9/11 Commission Act.
  With respect to information sharing, it found that policies and 
procedures have been reformed, at all levels, to ensure that critical 
national security information is shared, and recommended that the DHS 
continue to refine its channels for sharing such information to ensure 
that they evolve to address the threat, landscape, and stakeholder 
needs.
  Constructive engagement, through the Office for State and Local Law 
Enforcement, is central to this effort.
  Sixteen years after the September 11 attacks, it is important that we 
stand together and recommit ourselves to doing all we can to prevent 
future terrorist attacks. I urge my House colleagues to support this 
bill.
  Mr. Speaker, in closing, the FIRST with State and Local Law 
Enforcement Act seeks to ensure that, for years to come, State and 
local law enforcement know that the DHS is a full partner in their 
efforts to keep their communities secure.
  As such, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, H.R. 2442, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues once again to support 
H.R. 2442, and 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. Hurd) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 2442, 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.

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