H.R. 239House115th Congress (2017-2019)Passed House

Support for Rapid Innovation Act of 2017

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Updated April 15, 2026 at 11:17 AM UTC

The Support for Rapid Innovation Act of 2017 amends the Homeland Security Act to create a new cybersecurity research and development program within the Department of Homeland Security. It directs the Under Secretary for Science and Technology to fund and manage projects that improve security, detection, mitigation, and forensics of cyber threats, and to work with other agencies, industry, and academia. The bill also adds reporting, approval, and training requirements, but does not provide any new funding.

Key Provisions

Creates a new Section 321 that tasks the Under Secretary for Science and Technology with supporting cybersecurity R&D, including research, testing, and transition of technologies.
Specifies target activities such as faster deployment of secure systems, real‑time attack detection, mitigation and recovery methods, source‑code review for critical infrastructure, testbeds and data sets, reducing vulnerabilities in industrial control systems, and developing cyber forensics and attribution capabilities.
Requires the Under Secretary to coordinate these efforts with other federal officials, industry, and academia.
Mandates that projects be guided through the full life cycle and that federally funded research aim for commercial market entry within two years with measurable impact.
Adds a prior‑approval step: department components must get the Secretary’s approval, via a proposal reviewed by the Under Secretary for Management, before using the authority.
Requires the Secretary to submit an annual report to relevant House and Senate committees detailing project use, funding, outcomes, and audits.
Orders the development of a training program for acquisition staff on using the new authority.
Clarifies that no additional funds are authorized; the program must use existing appropriations.

Legislative Activity

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8 earlier actions

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

January 11, 2017

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

January 4, 2017

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.

Homeland Security Committee

January 4, 2017

HouseFloor

Mr. Ratcliffe moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

January 10, 2017 • 4:18 PM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H275-277)

January 10, 2017 • 4:18 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 239.

January 10, 2017 • 4:18 PM

HouseFloor

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H275-276)

January 10, 2017 • 4:27 PM

HouseFloor

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H275-276)

January 10, 2017 • 4:27 PM

HouseFloor

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

January 10, 2017 • 4:27 PM

SenateIntro Referral

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

January 11, 2017

Floor Debate

3 members

What members said about H.R. 239 on the floor

1 Republican2 Democrats

Rep. John RatcliffeR-TX-4 · Jan 10, 2017

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 239) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to provide for innovative research and development, and for other purposes, as…

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 239) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to provide for innovative research and development, and for other purposes, as amended.

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.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to bring two important bills to the floor today that strengthen the government's ability to effectively leverage cutting-edge cyber technologies. Last year, the House passed both of these provisions as part of Majority Leader McCarthy's Innovation Initiative, and I am excited that we are able to bring them to the floor here so early in the 115th Congress.

Mr. Speaker, over the past 2 years, my colleagues and I have been working diligently with technology innovators and tech startups to find solutions that will spur innovation and break down the bureaucratic barriers that prevent the government from effectively leveraging the private sector's emerging technologies.

H.R. 239, the Support for Rapid Innovation Act of 2017, addresses this problem by requiring the science and technology directorate, or S&T, to more effectively coordinate with industry and academia to support the research and development of cybersecurity technologies.

H.R. 239 does so because it requires S&T to support the full life cycle of cyber research and development projects and identify mature technologies to address cybersecurity gaps. In doing so, S&T will be required to target federally funded cybersecurity research that demonstrates a high probability of successful transition to the commercial market within 2 years.

This bill will also extend the use of other transactional authority, or OTA, until the year 2021, a move that will improve DHS's ability to engage with tech startups that are developing these cutting-edge technologies. H.R. 239 also includes additional accountability requirements to ensure that there is proper oversight of the authority.

Mr. Speaker, our digital borders are constantly being barraged by cybercriminals, by nation-states, and by terrorists seeking to exploit and harm innocent Americans. Almost daily, we read news stories on how these hackers are intruding into our networks and doing so with increased sophistication. One thing is for certain, we have seen that cyber intrusions and their impact on victims quickly morph and increase both in frequency and in their severity.

In 2017, these hackers will unfortunately continue to pose a great threat to the U.S. homeland and to our critical infrastructure. The Federal Government, therefore, needs to keep pace with these evolving threats by more actively working with the private sector to find effective solutions.

DHS's Directorate of Science and Technology is the primary research and development arm of the Department. The directorate manages basic and applied research and development, including cybersecurity R&D, for the Department's operational components and for our first responders.

Ensuring there are mechanisms in place, like S&T's cybersecurity R&D programs and the OTA, to support the dynamic nature of cybersecurity research and development is essential for addressing homeland security capability gaps.

Thank you again, Mr. Speaker, for calling up this important bill today. I believe it will have an incredibly positive impact on encouraging technology innovation across the Nation to address our vital homeland security needs.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to join me in supporting this very important bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.

House of Representatives, Committee on Science, Space,

and Technology,

Washington, DC, January 9, 2017.

Hon. Michael McCaul,

Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, House of

Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing concerning H.R. 239, the

``Support for Rapid Innovation Act of 2017,'' which was

introduced on January 4, 2017.

H.R. 239 contains provisions within the Committee on

Science, Space, and Technology's Rule X jurisdiction. In

order to expedite this bill for floor consideration, the

Committee on Science, Space, and Technology will forego

action on the bill. This is being done on the basis of our

mutual understanding that doing so will in no way diminish or

alter the jurisdiction of the Committee on Science, Space,

and Technology with respect to the appointment of conferees,

or to any future jurisdictional claim over the subject

matters contained in the bill or similar legislation.

I would appreciate your response to this letter confirming

this understanding, and would request that you include a copy

of this letter and your response in the Congressional Record

during the floor consideration of this bill. Thank you in

advance for your cooperation.

Sincerely,

Lamar Smith,

Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Thompson for his leadership on the committee, and I want to thank the Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies Subcommittee staff for their hard work.

Once again, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 239.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Rep. Bennie G. ThompsonD-MS-2 · Jan 10, 2017

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 239, the Support for Rapid Innovation Act. Mr. Speaker, this timely legislation authorizes the Department of Homeland…

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 239, the Support for Rapid Innovation Act.

Mr. Speaker, this timely legislation authorizes the Department of Homeland Security to support cybersecurity research and development and to help innovators with promising cybersecurity technologies to help commercialize their products.

Government and private sector networks are under constant attack by increasingly sophisticated cyber hackers. The cyber hacking campaign carried out by the Russian Government against U.S. political and business institutions, during the 2016 election, is a recent, high- profile example.

Concern has also been growing about the threat of cybercriminals carrying out attacks by exploiting unprotected Internet-enabled consumer products. This threat was brought into sharp focus last October with the denial of service attack against Dyn. During that attack, malware was used to direct tens of thousands of Internet- connected cameras, DVRs, and other consumer products to carry out successive, highly sophisticated attacks.

Our adversaries are constantly innovating. It is imperative that the Federal Government--and specifically DHS--innovate, too. To that end, H.R. 239 directs DHS to invest in innovative cybersecurity technologies and provide DHS with flexibility to overcome bureaucratic obstacles that sometimes

discourage smaller companies, like tech startups, from working with the Federal Government.

H.R. 239 directs DHS to pursue cybersecurity projects that will improve detection, mitigation, and recovery from attacks and bolster the security and resilience of our networks, particularly for critical infrastructure.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation to ensure that DHS does its part to advance cybersecurity research and development.

Cybersecurity threats to our Nation are growing in diversity and sophistication. We cannot afford to let promising technologies languish.

The Department of Homeland Security should work with the private sector in support of innovative cybersecurity research, development, testing, and evaluation. We have seen that public-private collaboration can give these technologies the boost they need to enter the market. Just last month, DHS announced the commercialization of an eight cybersecurity product launched with the help of the Department's Transition to Practice program.

I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 239.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Rep. Sheila Jackson LeeD-TX-18 · Jan 10, 2017

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 239, the ``Support for Rapid Innovation Act of 2017,'' which amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to provide for improved innovative research and…

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 239, the ``Support for Rapid Innovation Act of 2017,'' which amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to provide for improved innovative research and development.

I support this bill because it would extend the Department of Homeland Security secretary's pilot program for research and development projects and prototype projects through 2020.

This bill would require the secretary to report annually to the House Homeland Security and Science committees and the Senate Homeland Security Committee on the dynamics of the projects undertaken.

Specifically, H.R. 239 would amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to include fundamental improvements to facilitate information, analytics, and methodologies related to cybersecurity risks and incidents, consistent with the current law.

In particular, it adds a new section to the Homeland Security Act, directing the Department of Homeland Security to support--whether within itself, other agencies, or in academia and private industry--the research and development of cybersecurity-related technologies.

As a senior member of the Homeland Security Committee and Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee and Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations, I support this bill as it directs the Under Secretary for Science and Technology to bolster research and development, along with the testing and evaluation of cybersecurity technology to improve the sharing of information, analysis, and methodologies related to cybersecurity risks and incidents.

The Rapid Innovation Act is a smart bill that will enable the Department of Homeland Security to establish and improve technologies for detecting attacks or intrusions.

The ``Support for Rapid Innovation Act of 2017'' will equip the Department of Homeland Security with vital tools and resources to prevent and remove attacks and threats implemented by those who target our nation.

Mr. Speaker, we face growing cybersecurity threats, which demands that we increase research and development, along with the testing and evaluation of cybersecurity technology to expand the sharing of information, analysis, and methodologies related to cybersecurity risks and incidents.

This is a comprehensive bill that will help protect all Americans in every corner of this nation.

I urge all Members to join me in voting to pass H.R. 239.

Bill Text

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Referred in SenateIssued January 11, 2017

IIB

115th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 239

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

January 11, 2017

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

AN ACT

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to provide for innovative research and development, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Support for Rapid Innovation Act of 2017.

Cybersecurity research and development projects

(a)

Cybersecurity research and development

(1)

In general

Title III of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 181 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

321.

Cybersecurity research and development

(a)

In general

The Under Secretary for Science and Technology shall support the research, development, testing, evaluation, and transition of cybersecurity technologies, including fundamental research to improve the sharing of information, analytics, and methodologies related to cybersecurity risks and incidents, consistent with current law.

(b)

Activities

The research and development supported under subsection (a) shall serve the components of the Department and shall—

(1)

advance the development and accelerate the deployment of more secure information systems;

(2)

improve and create technologies for detecting attacks or intrusions, including real-time continuous diagnostics and real-time analytic technologies;

(3)

improve and create mitigation and recovery methodologies, including techniques and policies for real-time containment of attacks, and development of resilient networks and information systems;

(4)

support, in coordination with non-Federal entities, the review of source code that underpins critical infrastructure information systems;

(5)

develop and support infrastructure and tools to support cybersecurity research and development efforts, including modeling, testbeds, and data sets for assessment of new cybersecurity technologies;

(6)

assist the development and support of technologies to reduce vulnerabilities in industrial control systems; and

(7)

develop and support cyber forensics and attack attribution capabilities.

(c)

Coordination

In carrying out this section, the Under Secretary for Science and Technology shall coordinate activities with—

(1)

the Under Secretary appointed pursuant to section 103(a)(1)(H);

(2)

the heads of other relevant Federal departments and agencies, as appropriate; and

(3)

industry and academia.

(d)

Transition to practice

The Under Secretary for Science and Technology shall support projects carried out under this title through the full life cycle of such projects, including research, development, testing, evaluation, pilots, and transitions. The Under Secretary shall identify mature technologies that address existing or imminent cybersecurity gaps in public or private information systems and networks of information systems, identify and support necessary improvements identified during pilot programs and testing and evaluation activities, and introduce new cybersecurity technologies throughout the homeland security enterprise through partnerships and commercialization. The Under Secretary shall target federally funded cybersecurity research that demonstrates a high probability of successful transition to the commercial market within two years and that is expected to have a notable impact on the public or private information systems and networks of information systems.

(e)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

Cybersecurity risk

The term cybersecurity risk has the meaning given such term in section 227.

(2)

Homeland security enterprise

The term homeland security enterprise means relevant governmental and nongovernmental entities involved in homeland security, including Federal, State, local, and tribal government officials, private sector representatives, academics, and other policy experts.

(3)

Incident

The term incident has the meaning given such term in section 227.

(4)

Information system

The term information system has the meaning given such term in section 3502(8) of title 44, United States Code.

(2)

Clerical amendment

The table of contents in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by inserting after the item relating to second section 319 the following new item:

Sec. 321. Cybersecurity research and development.

(b)

Research and development projects

Section 831 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 391) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a)—

(A)

in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 2016 and inserting 2021;

(B)

in paragraph (1), by striking the last sentence; and

(C)

by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(3)

Prior approval

In any case in which the head of a component or office of the Department seeks to utilize the authority under this section, such head shall first receive prior approval from the Secretary by providing to the Secretary a proposal that includes the rationale for the utilization of such authority, the funds to be spent on the use of such authority, and the expected outcome for each project that is the subject of the use of such authority. In such a case, the authority for evaluating the proposal may not be delegated by the Secretary to anyone other than the Under Secretary for Management.

;

(2)

in subsection (c)—

(A)

in paragraph (1), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking 2016 and inserting 2021; and

(B)

by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:

(2)

Report

The Secretary shall annually submit to the Committee on Homeland Security and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report detailing the projects for which the authority granted by subsection (a) was utilized, the rationale for such utilizations, the funds spent utilizing such authority, the extent of cost-sharing for such projects among Federal and non-Federal sources, the extent to which utilization of such authority has addressed a homeland security capability gap or threat to the homeland identified by the Department, the total amount of payments, if any, that were received by the Federal Government as a result of the utilization of such authority during the period covered by each such report, the outcome of each project for which such authority was utilized, and the results of any audits of such projects.

; and

(3)

by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(e)

Training

The Secretary shall develop a training program for acquisitions staff on the utilization of the authority provided under subsection (a).

(c)

No additional funds authorized

No additional funds are authorized to carry out the requirements of this Act and the amendments made by this Act. Such requirements shall be carried out using amounts otherwise authorized.

Passed the House of Representatives January 10, 2017.

Karen L. Haas,

Clerk