FIRST State and Local Law Enforcement Act

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.

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.

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.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues once again to support H.R. 2442, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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.