Darren Drake Act

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that we are closing out the Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support for 23 important measures to make our communities more secure and improve Department of Homeland Security operations in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023.

I am particularly pleased that we were able to reach agreement on the Nonprofit Security Grant Program Improvement Act to expand and strengthen this vital program so that more nonprofits and houses of worship can access security assistance at this time of heightened threats of violent extremism and terrorism. With antisemitic and other violent threats on the rise, it is clear this legislation is needed now more than ever.

I also want to thank Ranking Member John Katko, as he retires from Congress, for his contributions to the Homeland Security Committee and his critical support throughout this process for the Committee's bipartisan package found in Division G of the NDAA.

While the package reflects the contributions of so many of my colleagues, l would like to give special acknowledgment to Congresswoman Val Demings who championed the Homeland Security Capabilities Preservation Act. This legislation directs DHS to explore ways to provide needed bridge funding to cities to preserve homeland security capability gains accomplished through the Urban Area Security Initiative grant program when they no longer receive such funding.

With respect to cybersecurity, I am pleased that we were able to reach agreement on bipartisan provisions that originated in the Committee on Homeland Security. They include Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin's legislation to reauthorize the Secret Service's National Computer Forensics Institute, Congresswoman Elaine Luria's bill to authorize DHS's President's Cup Cybersecurity Competition, and legislation authored by Congressman Eric Swalwell aimed at improving DHS's cybersecurity training to protect industrial control systems.

While I am enormously proud of the bipartisan homeland security provisions that were included, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge my disappointment that we were not able to reach agreement with the Senate on amending the law to treat TSA's workforce like most other Federal employees or authorize the vital work of DHS's Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. We will continue to seek an agreement on these critical measures.

Lastly, I am particularly proud that the NDAA honors my late friend, Congressman A. Donald McEachin, by including his bill, the DHS Mentor- Protege Program Act, to help small businesses better compete for DHS contracts. It is a fitting tribute to my friend that we came together to pass a bill to open doors of opportunity to small businesses-- something that he was passionate about doing.

Mr. Speaker, the full list of Homeland Security Committee measures that will be enacted by this year's NOAA is as follows:

H.R. 6825, the Nonprofit Security Grant Program Improvement Act of 2022, sponsored by Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS).

H.R. 5615, the Homeland Security Capabilities Preservation Act, sponsored by Rep. Val Butler Demings (D-FL).

H.R. 6387, the School and Daycare Protection Act, sponsored by Rep. Donald M. Payne Jr. (D-NJ).

H.R. 8801, the DHS Joint Task Force Reauthorization Act of 2022, sponsored by Rep. J. Luis Correa (D-CA) and S. 4656, the DHS Joint Task Forces Reauthorization Act of 2022, sponsored by Sen. Gary C. Peters (D-MI).

H.R. 2915, the Homeland Procurement Reform Act, sponsored by Rep. J. Luis Correa (D-CA) and S. 1009, the Homeland Procurement Reform Act, sponsored by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH).

H.R. 6824, the President's Cup Cybersecurity Competition Act, sponsored by Rep. Elaine G. Luria (D-VA).

H.R. 7777, the Industrial Control Systems Cybersecurity Training Act, sponsored by Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA).

H.R. 7174, the National Computer Forensics Institute Reauthorization Act of 2022, sponsored by Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and S. 4673, the National Computer Forensics Institute Reauthorization Act of 2022, sponsored by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA).

H.R. 5574, the TSA Reaching Across Nationalities, Societies, and Languages to Advance Traveler Education Act (``TRANSLATE Act''), sponsored by Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) and S. 3296, the TSA Reaching Across Nationalities, Societies, and Languages to Advance Traveler Education Act (``TRANSLATE Act''), sponsored by Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4089) to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop and disseminate best practices for rental companies and dealers to report suspicious behavior to law enforcement agencies at the point of sale of a covered rental vehicle to prevent and mitigate acts of terrorism using motor vehicles, and for other purposes, as amended.

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

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4089, the Darren Drake Act.

This month the Nation observed the 20th anniversary of the September 11th attacks. Next month we mark the fourth anniversary of the deadliest terrorist attack to be carried out in New York City since the 9/11 attacks.

In that attack, a lone wolf, inspired by ISIS, rammed a rented truck into pedestrians and cyclists who were out enjoying a sunny Halloween afternoon on a pathway that ran along the Hudson River.

That attack took the lives of 8 people and injured 11 others. One of the victims of the attack was Darren Drake, a 32-year-old bicyclist and the namesake for this important legislation.

While it is not within our power to bring back Darren Drake or the seven other victims of this tragedy, we do have the ability to learn from this event to better address the threats of vehicle-based attacks.

H.R. 4089, introduced by my colleague from New Jersey (Mr. Gottheimer), seeks to ensure that rental vehicle facilities, like the one where Darren Drake's killer rented a truck, are better equipped to prevent vehicle-based attacks.

Specifically, the Darren Drake Act requires the Department of Homeland Security to develop best practices for vehicle rental companies and dealers to report suspicious behavior in a manner that protects civil rights and civil liberties.

The bill directs DHS to consult and share best practices with State and local partners and rental companies to help strengthen communication and relationships to guard against vehicle-based attacks.

H.R. 4089 is a commonsense measure that acknowledges that vehicle rental companies are important partners in efforts to prevent vehicle- based terrorist attacks and provide them with the tools to identify suspicious behavior and notify authorities.

I urge my colleagues to support the Darren Drake Act and reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Gottheimer), the sponsor of this bill.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close.

Madam Speaker, from the 2016 Bastille Day truck attack in France to the 2017 deadly car ramming in Charlottesville to the 2017 attack that took the lives of Darren Drake and seven others, we have seen the use of vehicles to carry out terrorist attacks become disturbingly common.

Our Nation faces a complex and evolving threat landscape. But the threat of vehicle-ramming attacks is not going away.

As long as would-be terrorists seek to use rental vehicles as weapons of terror, we must provide rental dealers with the ability to do their part.

I urge my colleagues to support the Darren Drake Act, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4089, the Darren Drake Act, bipartisan legislation I introduced in the Committee on Homeland Security with my Republican colleague and co- chair of the Problem Solvers Caucus, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fitzpatrick), to help prevent terrorist vehicle attacks and to protect Americans nationwide.

This legislation is named in memory of a constituent from my district, Darren Drake from New Milford, New Jersey, who was one of those tragically killed in the terrorist attack in Lower Manhattan on October 31, 2017, when an ISIS-inspired terrorist drove a rented pickup truck into cyclists and runners for one mile along the West Side Highway, killing eight.

The bill takes critical steps to stop these weapons of terror and help prevent terrorist truck attacks by requiring the Department of Homeland Security to develop and disseminate best practices for vehicle rental companies and dealers to report suspicious behavior to law enforcement.

These best practices will be developed and updated in consultation with State and local law enforcement as well as industry experts.

This crucial legislation will provide rental companies and car dealers with the vital information they need to flag and stop potential terrorist threats in their tracks. We can take no chances when it comes to terrorism, which is why this bill will help ensure all rental companies report suspicious behavior at every point of sale. No excuses. We simply cannot afford any excuses when it comes to a question of life or death.

The bill will also require the Secretary of Homeland Security to report to Congress regarding the implementation of these best practices and other ways they are helping improve coordination between the Department and rental vehicle providers.

This commonsense, bipartisan bill is aimed at stopping ISIS-inspired, lone wolf, and domestic terrorists from easily trucks and other vehicles to wreak havoc and cause mass destruction and health. It is an important addition to our arsenal as we work to eradicate threats of terror across our Nation.

I want to thank Darren's parents, Jimmy and Barbara Drake, who have become dear friends, for working with me on this effort. I thank them for their leadership. We will continue working to ensure this measure becomes law, in Darren's memory and honor, to help prevent future attacks and save lives. It is the least we can do.

Madam Speaker, I strongly urge all my colleagues to support this commonsense, bipartisan legislation to help our Nation fully combat terror wherever it rears its ugly head.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4089, the Darren Drake Act.

In the wake of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, it is critical that we remain vigilant to threats posed by terrorists and extremist organizations.

Over the past two decades, terrorists have carried out multiple vehicle-ramming attacks in North America and Western Europe.

Al-Qaida and ISIS have promoted these type of attacks for years, including in Inspire, the online magazine of al-Qaida, and Rumiya, ISIS's magazine.

ISIS has called upon its followers to conduct vehicle-ramming attacks by buying, renting, stealing, or borrowing trucks and targeting large outdoor events, crowded pedestrian streets, outdoor markets, and rallies.

This legislation requires the Department of Homeland Security to develop and disseminate best practices for rental companies and dealers to report suspicious behavior to law enforcement agencies at the point of sale of a covered rental vehicle to prevent and mitigate acts of terrorism using these motor vehicles.

This represents an important tool for addressing extremist threats-- the ability of government and the private sector to work together to mitigate terrorism risk.

I urge Members to join me in supporting H.R. 4089, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I urge Members to support this bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I include in the Record the cost estimate prepared by the Congressional Budget Office for H.R. 4089, the Darren Drake Act. The cost estimate was not available at the time of the Committee report filing.

U.S. Congress,

Congressional Budget Office,

Washington, DC, September 24, 2021.

Hon. Bennie G. Thompson,

Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security,

House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has

prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 4089, the Darren

Drake Act.

If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be

pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Lindsay

Wylie.

Sincerely,

Phillip L. Swagel,

Director.

Enclosure.