[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 7]
[House]
[Pages 9515-9516]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




REPORTING EFFICIENTLY TO PROPER OFFICIALS IN RESPONSE TO TERRORISM ACT 
                                OF 2017

  Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 625) to provide for joint reports by relevant Federal agencies to 
Congress regarding incidents of terrorism, and for other purposes, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 625

       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 ``Reporting Efficiently to 
     Proper Officials in Response to Terrorism Act of 2017'' or 
     the ``REPORT Act''.

     SEC. 2. DUTY TO REPORT.

       (a) Duty Imposed.--Whenever an act of terrorism occurs in 
     the United States, it shall be the duty of the Secretary of 
     Homeland Security, the Attorney General, the Director of the 
     Federal Bureau of Investigation, and, as appropriate, the 
     head of the National Counterterrorism Center, to submit, 
     within one year of the completion of the investigation 
     concerning such act by the primary Government agency 
     conducting such investigation, an unclassified report (which 
     may be accompanied by a classified annex) to Congress 
     concerning such act.
       (b) Content of Reports.--A report under this section 
     shall--
       (1) include a statement of the facts of the act of 
     terrorism referred to in subsection (a), as known at the time 
     of the report;
       (2) identify any gaps in national security that could be 
     addressed to prevent future acts of terrorism; and
       (3) any recommendations for additional measures that could 
     be taken to improve homeland security, including potential 
     changes in law enforcement practices or changes in law, with 
     particular attention to changes that could help prevent 
     future acts of terrorism.
       (c) Exception.--The duty established under subsection (a) 
     shall not apply in instances in which the Secretary of 
     Homeland Security, the Attorney General, the Director of the 
     Federal Bureau of Investigation, or the head of the National 
     Counterterrorism Center determines that the information 
     required to be reported could jeopardize an ongoing 
     investigation or prosecution. In such instances, the 
     Secretary shall notify Congress of such prior to the first 
     anniversary of the completion of the investigation described 
     in such subsection.
       (d) Definition.--In this section, the term ``act of 
     terrorism'' has the meaning given such term in section 3077 
     of title 18, United States Code.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Katko) and the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.


                             General Leave

  Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within 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 New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, Congress has an obligation to ensure that our national 
counterterrorism programs and policies are as effective as possible. At 
every opportunity, we should assess gaps and weaknesses and work to 
find opportunities for improvement.
  For example, the committee's investigation into the 2013 tragic 
Boston Marathon bombings revealed a series of weaknesses we have worked 
to correct; and many of the recent attacks, including the San 
Bernardino and Garland shootings, the Orlando Pulse nightclub attack, 
and other small-scale plots have each prompted review, reflection, and 
action.
  The REPORT Act will provide valuable assistance in this work by 
requiring the Department of Homeland Security, in coordination with 
other Federal officials, to submit a report to Congress on incidents of 
terrorism within 1 year of completion of the investigation.
  Importantly, this report will provide Congress with the facts of the 
incident, a review of security gaps, and recommendations to improve 
homeland security efforts.
  As the committee has learned over the years, it can often be a 
challenge to obtain timely and comprehensive sharing of information by 
the executive branch in the aftermath of a terrorist attack. While 
perhaps understandable, the REPORT Act, offered by Congressman Aguilar, 
will help ensure that Congress receives the information it needs. This 
is a valuable addition, and I encourage my colleagues to support it.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Aguilar for introducing this 
important legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 625, the Reporting Efficiently 
to Proper Officials in Response to Terrorism Act of 2017.
  Mr. Speaker, the REPORT Act creates an important new congressional 
oversight process with respect to incidents of terrorism on U.S. soil. 
H.R. 625 requires the Department of Homeland Security, the Department 
of Justice, the FBI, and, as appropriate, the National Counterterrorism 
Center, to submit an unclassified report, which may be accompanied by a 
classified annex, to Congress within a year of the completion of an 
investigation of an act of terrorism.
  The report to Congress must outline the facts and information related 
to the terrorist act but may also discuss national security gaps that 
come to light in the investigation that may be addressed by changes in 
law enforcement practices or changes in the law.
  The gentleman from California (Mr. Aguilar), introduced the REPORT 
Act to ensure that this body has the benefit of learning, long after 
the press attention has moved to other matters, the facts surrounding 
terrorist incidents.
  The legislation is informed by the gentleman's experience as the 
representative for San Bernardino, California, which, of course, was 
the target of a vicious December 2015 attack that resulted in the death 
of 14 innocent victims.
  I would note that, in order to protect any ongoing investigation or 
prosecution, the congressional notification can be waived if doing so 
presents a danger of interference to any ongoing terrorist 
investigation.
  As a cosponsor of H.R. 625, I strongly believe that this legislation 
will enhance our ability as Members of Congress to help heal our 
communities

[[Page 9516]]

after an attack and help prevent future terrorist attacks to keep 
Americans safe.
  I urge my House colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Aguilar).
  Mr. AGUILAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Reporting 
Efficiently to Proper Officials in Response to Terrorism Act, or the 
REPORT Act.
  I introduced the REPORT Act a year after the San Bernardino terrorist 
attack. Our community has seen more than its fair share of gun 
violence, but this terrorist mass shooting claimed 14 lives, injured 
another 22 people, and shook my community. In the days and weeks after, 
we pledged to do all we could to prevent another attack like this from 
happening ever again. This is what this bill seeks to do.
  The REPORT Act requires the Department of Homeland Security to submit 
a report to Congress when a terror attack occurs in the United States. 
Under the bill, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination 
with the United States Attorney General, the Federal Bureau of 
Investigation, and the head of the National Counterterrorism Center 
will produce a report detailing the attack and how to prevent future 
attacks.
  The idea is to have a uniform after-action report following a 
terrorist attack here in the United States. There is currently no legal 
requirement to create such a report. Specifically, this report will 
include policy recommendations for lawmakers to make our communities 
safer and to prevent the next San Bernardino, Boston, New York, or 
Orlando.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a bipartisan bill. It also has the support of 
regional leaders in communities impacted by acts of terror. It has been 
endorsed by my region's law enforcement community: San Bernardino 
Police Chief Jarrod Burguan and Sheriff John McMahon. Chief Burguan and 
Sheriff McMahon are my community's law enforcement leaders who led the 
heroic response on December 2, 2015, and stopped the violent rampage, 
preventing further loss of life.
  The REPORT Act is a commonsense bill that will empower lawmakers with 
the facts they need to create meaningful laws to thwart future attacks 
of terror.
  This bill is for the 14 killed and 22 injured in San Bernardino. It 
is for my community. It is also for every American city touched by 
these heinous acts of terrorism.
  We can and must work together to protect our homeland, and I believe 
this is a smart, bipartisan step to achieve that.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance 
of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, in closing, H.R. 625 is an important piece of 
legislation that has strong support on both sides of the aisle.
  Effective communication and unity of effort is critical immediately 
following a terrorist attack. It is our duty as Members of Congress to 
give law enforcement space to do their investigation but then, when the 
facts are known, to get them and then use that knowledge to inform 
policymaking. H.R. 625 seeks to do just that. As such, I encourage my 
colleagues to support H.R. 625.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, I once again urge my colleagues to support H.R. 625, as 
amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Homeland 
Security Committee, I rise in support of H.R. 625, the Reporting 
Efficiently to Proper Officials in Response to Terrorism Act of 2017, 
or the ``REPORT Act.''
  The REPORT Act bridges an information and preparedness gap that has 
for too long clouded the information Congress receives about acts of 
terrorism that happen in our homeland.
  The REPORT Act requires the Secretary of Homeland Security, in 
coordination with the Attorney General, the Director of the Federal 
Bureau of Investigation, and, if appropriate, the head of the National 
Counterterrorism Center, to submit an unclassified report to Congress, 
within one year of the completion of an investigation of act of 
terrorism in the United States.
  This report will include a statement of the facts regarding the act 
of terrorism; identify any possible national security gaps that could 
prevent future acts of terrorism, and any recommendations for 
additional homeland security improvement measures.
  The report will help Congress to enact legislation to effectively 
address security gaps in our national security efforts.
  The REPORT Act fosters accountability, collaboration, and 
preparedness.
  Acts of terror and violence have been at the forefront of the 
American collective memory for more than a decade now.
  Americans have become accustomed to hearing about attacks all across 
our homeland and around the world.
  The Bookings Institute labeled 2016 as the year of the ``Lone Wolf'' 
terrorist.
  Radicalized individuals acting on their own pose a strategic and 
institutional threat to our national security.
  This phenomenon requires us to think creatively and collectively to 
be prepared to address the idiosyncratic aspects of this new wave of 
terror.
  The REPORT Act relies on our current security structure to prepare us 
for the future.
  Attacks such as the attack on LGBT people of color in Pulse, the 
attacks in the City of San Bernardino, and recent attacks in London 
highlight the importance of collaboration and sharing of knowledge to 
prevent more attacks from happening.
  This common sense bill relies on our current expertise to prepare for 
the future.
  Mr. Speaker, we share the responsibility with the President to keep 
Americans safe and this bill is a step towards improving the way we go 
about protecting the American people.
  I support the REPORT Act and urge my colleagues to join me in 
supporting this important legislation.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Katko) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 625, 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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