Leveraging Emerging Technologies Act of 2017

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 240) to encourage engagement between the Department of Homeland Security and technology innovators, 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, again, I am pleased that the House is today considering H.R. 240, the Leveraging Emerging Technologies Act of 2017.

H.R. 240 encourages engagement between the Department of Homeland Security and technology innovators, including startups. This bill requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to proactively engage with innovative and emerging technology developers and firms to address our vital Homeland Security needs.

Additionally, H.R. 240 provides the Secretary with the authority to identify geographic areas in the United States where high concentrations of these innovative and emerging technology developers and firms exist and to establish personnel and office space in these areas to more effectively collaborate with these technology hubs. The Federal Government certainly needs to do a better job working with the private sector, and H.R. 240 will help to address that.

Mr. Speaker, this bill also requires the Secretary to develop and to implement a targeted strategy to proactively engage innovative and emerging technology developers and firms.

Under this bill, the Secretary must use the strategic plan to address existing barriers to leveraging innovative and emerging technologies, and the small businesses and startup ventures that create those technologies, and to incorporate them into the Department's acquisition process.

For example, in order to keep pace, the Department of Homeland Security has established an office in Silicon Valley to encourage engagement and communication with the innovative technology developers in that area. Although it is a vital technology hub, Silicon Valley certainly is not the only technology hub in the United States. The Department should not be limited to a single geographic area from which to identify these emerging and innovative technologies.

Mr. Speaker, all Americans are learning that cybersecurity is national security. The impacts of cyber intrusions are being felt everywhere, from boardroom tables to kitchen tables. We have seen them undermine consumer confidence and damage a company's hard-earned reputation in just a couple of seconds. Cybersecurity is a complex and serious issue that our Nation will have to address for decades to come. So it only makes sense for us to require the Department to consider strategically just how it will engage these technology developers to strengthen the Department's ability to access innovative and emerging technologies to better combat evolving cyber threats.

I am happy to support this measure today because I believe it will move us forward, further addressing our homeland security needs by supporting technology innovation. I urge Members to join me in supporting this important bill.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson) for his support of this bill and for his leadership in keeping this issue at the forefront of our cybersecurity discussion. This is an incredibly important bill, and I, once again, urge my colleagues to support H.R. 240.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 240, the Leveraging Emerging Technologies Act of 2017, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I am a cosponsor of this measure, as I was for its predecessor last Congress. Last June, the House approved this measure by a 347-8 vote. This bipartisan bill directs the Department of Homeland Security to engage small businesses, startup companies, and other developers of innovative and emerging technologies to tackle some of our most vexing, persistent homeland security challenges.

It is no secret that navigating the Federal procurement process is difficult, especially for small startups. Meanwhile, small companies continue to develop some of the most innovative technological solutions in use today. They are a huge source of untapped potential, capable of bringing forward-thinking, groundbreaking ideas to the homeland security enterprise.

To build these relationships, H.R. 240 allows DHS to establish personnel and office space in areas around the U.S. where technology innovators are concentrated. Having a physical presence in these tech hubs will make it easier for DHS to grow and maintain connections with local startups, innovators, and incubators. The Department has already taken action in this regard.

In 2015, the DHS Science and Technology Directorate established a Silicon Valley office and announced its first-ever procurement focused on working with nontraditional contractors and tech startups. The DHS innovation ``other transaction'' solution sought technologies to address security challenges in aviation, border, and cybersecurity.

To date, under this program, DHS has funded awards to 13 small businesses in California, Texas, Georgia, Massachusetts, and Washington State. Additionally, DHS has reached out to technology innovators at regional events in Boston, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, New Orleans, Chicago, Louisville and Austin, raising awareness with more than 1,500 startups, accelerators, and venture capitalists through industry days, panels, conferences, and startup meetups. The feedback has been very positive, but it has also validated the need to educate the community about who DHS is and what the challenges are.

Mr. Speaker, for those reasons, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation.

H.R. 240 recognizes that DHS depends on technology to carry out its missions, and must nurture and maintain robust and direct relationships with talented technology developers, even those that do not fit the mold of the typical Federal contractor.

DHS could improve the productivity and sustainability of these outreach efforts by developing a strategy to proactively engage with innovators in a way that supports long-term relationships. H.R. 240 calls for such a strategy to be delivered to Congress and implemented within 6 months.

Two features of that strategy required under this bill that I would like to highlight are provisions that I sponsored. One requires the strategy to give attention to fostering engagement with developers that may be located outside a recognized regional technology hub. The other directs the strategy to include coordination with venture capital organizations, like the In-Q-Tel nonprofit, to help emerging technology developers, including small businesses and startup ventures, commercialize technologies that address a rapidly growing list of homeland security needs.

Mr. Speaker, for all of the reasons discussed, I urge support of H.R. 240.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Homeland Security Committee, I rise in support of H.R. 240, the ``Leveraging Emerging Technologies Act of 2017,'' which requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to engage with innovative and emerging technology developers, including technology-based small businesses and startup ventures that can help tackle the rapidly expanding list of homeland security technology needs.

H.R. 240 helps to protect America's computer and communications networks, which security experts believe represent the nation's most critical national security challenge, including Internet functions and connected critical infrastructure such as air traffic control, the U.S. electrical grid, and nuclear power plants.

H.R. 240 authorizes DHS to establish personnel and office space in diverse geographic areas around the United States that have high concentrations of technology developers and firms.

The bill also directs DHS, within 6 months, to develop and submit to Congress a Department-wide strategy to engage with innovative and emerging technology companies.

Importantly, the bill specifically requires the Secretary to include in that strategy ways to effectively integrate technology-based small businesses and startup ventures.

Importantly, the bill also requires the DHS Secretary to coordinate with those in the venture capital industry to assist in the development of technologies that are ready for commercialization and use in the Homeland Security Enterprise.

Since its founding, the Department of Homeland Security has overcome many challenges as an organization but much more

progress must be made regarding effective inter-operable communication between the federal, state, and local agencies.

Although not a panacea, H.R. 240 is a step in the right direction because it will help improve DHS' overall functions so that it can more effectively protect our people.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important legislation.