DHS Acquisition Documentation Integrity Act of 2019

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1912) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to provide for requirements relating to documentation for major acquisition programs, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on this matter.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1912, a measure I introduced with the support of Congressman Dan Crenshaw to ensure the Department of Homeland Security effectively manages its largest acquisitions, those with an estimated lifecycle cost of $300 million or more.

Each year, DHS invests billions of dollars in its acquisition programs to help execute its many critical missions. However, since the Department was created, DHS has struggled to keep some of its largest programs on schedule and on budget.

For example, the Department's attempts to modernize and integrate its various financial management systems has been in the works for 15 years with little to show for its multimillion expenditures.

A plan to deliver a DHS-wide human resources IT system has faced similar delays, as has a decade-long attempt to consolidate the Department's headquarters at the St. Elizabeths campus in southeast Washington, D.C.

The Department's acquisition management challenges have been on the Government Accountability Office's high-risk list since 2005. GAO has identified shortfalls, including acquisition programs lacking key analyses and schedules.

H.R. 1912, the DHS Acquisition Documentation Integrity Act of 2019, would attempt to address some of these concerns by requiring DHS to maintain complete, accurate, timely, and valid documentation for all its major acquisitions. This includes documentation such as lifecycle cost estimates, cost-benefit analyses, and project schedules. Codifying these acquisition documentation requirements, which are already embodied in DHS acquisition policy, is necessary to safeguard against future cost overruns and schedule delays.

A previous version of this bill passed the House unanimously in the 115th Congress, and I urge my colleagues to pass it again today.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is not enough for the Department of Homeland Security to simply analyze the upfront costs of acquiring systems to fulfill capability gaps. DHS must also budget for the long-term operation and maintenance costs of a system.

Given the criticality and budgetary risks associated with major acquisitions, it is critical that requirements are created, alternatives are considered, a cost estimate is completed, and a schedule is developed.

It falls to us, the Congress, to ensure that the Department has reliable acquisition documentation in place. Enactment of H.R. 1912 will ensure that DHS does its homework and is a good steward of taxpayer dollars.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1912, the DHS Acquisition Documentation Integrity Act of 2019. This legislation requires the Department of Homeland Security to better document its major acquisition programs that are essential to keeping America safe.

While every Member of Congress will agree that protecting our Nation and its citizens is vitally important, we must also agree that protecting taxpayer dollars and ensuring accountability for the government agencies is also essential.

The Government Accountability Office assists Congress in its efforts to ensure accountability by producing a report every 2 years that identifies areas in the Federal Government that are at high risk of waste, fraud, and abuse. Major acquisitions by DHS have consistently been identified by the GAO as high risk.

This legislation requires DHS to improve management of its major purchases of systems to secure the border, provide screening for travelers, and protect our shores, and for our other vital missions.

Too often, DHS has failed to document what these programs will cost, when they will be completed, and what they will deliver. It is unacceptable to spend billions of taxpayer dollars and not document this important information.

To address these issues, DHS has updated its acquisition policy to follow corporate best practices. However, it must take additional steps to ensure its components adhere to these policies.

H.R. 1912 provides important tools to ensure that these policies are being followed. It will improve visibility into DHS major acquisition programs and promote better management of DHS acquisitions of items that are expected to cost more than $300 million.

Under the bill, the Undersecretary for Management must require the relevant component or office to maintain documentation that provides validated operational requirements, a complete lifecycle cost estimate, an independent verification of that cost estimate, a cost-benefit analysis of the program, and a complete schedule for the acquisition program.

With this documentation, Congress and other government watchdogs will be able to conduct necessary oversight to ensure that taxpayer dollars are being spent efficiently and effectively.

This bill passed the House of Representatives by voice vote in both the 114th and 115th Congresses.

Mr. Speaker, I commend Representative Torres Small for reintroducing this language, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.