[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 47 (Monday, March 19, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H1665-H1666]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ENHANCING DHS' FUSION CENTER TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ACT
Mr. ESTES of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 5099) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to
establish in the Department of Homeland Security a fusion center
technical assistance program.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 5099
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 ``Enhancing DHS' Fusion Center
Technical Assistance Program Act''.
SEC. 2. FUSION CENTER TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
Section 210A of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C.
124h) is amended--
(1) by redesignating subsections (j) and (k) as subsections
(k) and (l), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after subsection (i) the following new
subsection (j):
``(j) Fusion Center Technical Assistance Program.--
``(1) Establishment.--The Secretary, in consultation with
officials from the National Network of Fusion Centers and, to
the greatest extent practicable, other relevant stakeholders,
shall establish a fusion center technical assistance program.
``(2) Elements of program.--In carrying out the fusion
center technical assistance program established under
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall--
``(A) provide technical assistance to fusion centers
regarding--
``(i) grants administered under sections 2003 and 2004;
``(ii) terrorism prevention activities; and
``(iii) intelligence and information sharing;
``(B) provide to fusion centers notice of any changes to
the activities referred to in subparagraph (A);
``(C) make available best practices regarding--
``(i) fusion center operations;
``(ii) information sharing and analysis of homeland
security threats, including cyber threats;
``(iii) protecting privacy, civil rights, and civil
liberties; and
``(iv) such other best practices as the Secretary
determines appropriate; and
``(D) carry out such other activities as the Secretary
determines appropriate.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Kansas (Mr. Estes) and the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kansas.
General Leave
Mr. ESTES of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and
to include any extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Kansas?
There was no objection.
Mr. ESTES of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H.R. 5099, the Enhancing DHS'
Fusion Center Technical Assistance Program Act.
Today, the Nation is facing a complex and evolving threat. Terrorist
attacks, like the New York City vehicle attack and the Pulse nightclub
shooting, have been carried out by individuals inspired by ISIS and
other terrorist organizations. These type of lone wolf attacks appear
to be the new normal.
This means that now, more than ever, it is imperative that we have
strong preventive activities in place, including intelligence and
information sharing.
Since 9/11, States and major urban areas established fusion centers
to build up the preventive activities by creating an avenue for greater
collaboration between Federal, State, and local governments with
regards to terrorism and information sharing.
These State and locally owned fusion centers have largely evolved
from terrorist-focused centers to all-crimes, all-hazard centers
working on a range of relevant Homeland Security issues, including
cybersecurity.
I was able to see the work of one of these fusion centers firsthand
when I visited my home State's fusion center, the Kansas Intelligence
Fusion Center--KIFC--earlier this year. I was very impressed with their
operation. I want to ensure that the Department of Homeland Security is
fully supporting this center and the other 78 fusion centers across the
United States.
That is why I was troubled to hear about a key fusion center resource
in the DHS not living up to its potential.
In 2009, the DHS created a fusion center technical assistance program
to provide fusion centers with assistance on a range of topics,
including suspicious activity reporting and other relevant trainings.
However, based on the findings from the committee's recent fusion
center report and my meetings with fusion center personnel, this
program is not meeting the needs of the National Network of Fusion
Centers.
This is why I introduced H.R. 5099, the Enhancing DHS' Fusion Center
Technical Assistance Program Act. This bill provides formal
authorization for the DHS fusion center technical assistance program
and a clear set of directives on the services to be provided by the
program, including assistance related to available grant funding and
DHS terrorism prevention programs, as well as intelligence and
information sharing.
[[Page H1666]]
The bill expands the role of the program to include being a
repository of best practices relevant to fusion center activities,
including cybersecurity. This is a commonsense bill that should help
strengthen the Nation's ability to prevent and protect against
terrorist attacks and other Homeland Security relevant events.
Earlier this month, this legislation was passed out of the Committee
on Homeland Security by a voice vote. I would like to thank Chairman
McCaul and Mr. Gallagher for cosponsoring this legislation. I urge all
my colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. Speaker, 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. 5099, the Enhancing DHS'
Fusion Center Technical Assistance Program Act.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5099 would authorize the Department of Homeland
Security's existing fusion center technical assistance program.
Currently, there are 79 fusion centers operating in the United States.
Each fusion center relies on the DHS to help assist with intelligence
products and information-sharing activities, terrorism prevention
initiatives, and Homeland Security grant programs.
This bill seeks to solidify engagement between representatives at the
fusion centers with their partners in the departments like FEMA and the
DHS intelligence branch. Specifically, the program provides technical
assistance on topics like best practices for information sharing
regarding threats and operating a fusion center.
By codifying this existing program, H.R. 5099 seeks to strengthen the
DHS' partnership with fusion centers to ensure that they are well-
positioned to address a wide range of diverse security threats that may
emerge.
The bill passed committee unanimously and would amend the Homeland
Security Act of 2002. I urge my colleagues to support this measure.
Mr. Speaker, the security and well-being of our country is dependent
upon the timely sharing of threat information between our law
enforcement and intelligence personnel.
Importantly, one of the key areas where the DHS will provide
expertise to fusion centers under H.R. 5099 is with respect to the
protection of privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 5099,
and I yield back the balance of my time.
{time} 1630
Mr. ESTES of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the ranking member for his support
on this legislation. I would once again urge my colleagues to support
this commonsense bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Johnson of Ohio). The question is on the
motion offered by the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Estes) that the House
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5099.
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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