DHS Basic Training Accreditation Improvement Act of 2021

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the

bill (H.R. 5616) to require reporting regarding accreditation of basic training programs of the Department of Homeland Security, 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 to include extraneous material on this measure.

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

Madam Speaker, today, I rise to urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5616, the DHS Basic Training Accreditation Improvement Act of 2021.

Every year, DHS onboards thousands of new officers who all must successfully complete basic law enforcement training programs.

As a former police chief with 27 years of law enforcement service, I have seen how training saves lives.

Unfortunately, at DHS, several of the basic training programs tailored to component officers are not accredited.

In some cases, programs have been unaccredited for several years.

Unaccredited programs include: the U.S. Border Patrol Academy, the Customs and Border Protections' Field Operations Academy Officer Basic Training program, and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' Officer Basic Training program.

In 2019, the head of the Department's Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers testified before the Homeland Security Committee that accreditation is important because it ``assigns rigor to training processes'' and ``results in the best product.''

H.R. 5616 seeks to improve the quality of the training provided to all new DHS officers.

It does this by requiring the Department to report to Congress on the accreditation status of each of its basic training programs.

For those programs that are not accredited, it requires DHS to report: the reasons for not obtaining or maintaining accreditation; the activities, if any, taken to achieve accreditation; and the anticipated timeline for accreditation of the program.

Further, H.R. 5616 requires DHS to continue to report to Congress annually until all DHS basic training programs are accredited.

H.R. 5616 also directs DHS to engage in research to help State, local, Tribal, and territorial law enforcement officers better access the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center training opportunities, including those that enhance national preparedness and response to terrorism.

I introduced this bill in October to direct DHS to prioritize improving its basic training programs to maintain a higher standard of excellence for new officers and position them to effectively safeguard the American people, our homeland, and institutions.

Madam Speaker, I urge my House colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

House of Representatives,

Committee on the Judiciary,

Washington, DC, February 7, 2022.

Hon. Bennie G. Thompson,

Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, House of

Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Thompson: This letter is to advise you that

the Committee on the Judiciary has now had an opportunity to

review the provisions in H.R. 5616, the ``DHS Basic Training

Accreditation Improvement Act of 2021,'' that fall within our

Rule X jurisdiction. I appreciate your consulting with us on

those provisions. The Judiciary Committee has no objection to

your including them in the bill for consideration on the

House floor, and to expedite that consideration is willing to

forgo action on H.R. 5616, with the understanding that we do

not thereby waive any future jurisdictional claim over those

provisions or their subject matters.

In the event a House-Senate conference on this or similar

legislation is convened, the Judiciary Committee reserves the

right to request an appropriate number of conferees to

address any concerns with these or similar provisions that

may arise in conference.

Please place this letter into the Congressional Record

during consideration of the measure on the House floor. Thank

you for the cooperative spirit in which you have worked

regarding this matter and others between our committees.

Sincerely,

Jerrold Nadler,

Chairman.

Madam Speaker, I have no more speakers, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, our top priority, as Members of Congress, is protecting the safety and security of the American people.

We have no room for error when it comes to keeping Americans safe.

H.R. 5616 prioritizes the quality of training DHS offers its newest officers and ensures that State, local, and Tribal law enforcement entities have better access to trainings that will make American communities safer.

I thank my colleagues on the Homeland Security Committee for unanimously supporting H.R. 5616.

Madam Speaker, I urge the rest of my colleagues to support H.R. 5616, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5616, the ``DHS Basic Training Accreditation Improvement Act of 2021'' which addresses issues involving accreditation and law enforcement training, research, and development at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

This bill requires DHS to report annually to the congressional homeland security committees on the accreditation status for each basic training program within DHS.

If a basic training program loses accreditation, the relevant DHS component shall notify the department within 30 days after such loss.

H.R. 5616 also would require the DHS Science and Technology Directorate to carry out research and development to enhance state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement access to training on homeland security threats.

Program level academic accreditation requires a discipline to have identified and vetted a set of student learning outcomes.

Without accreditation it remains extremely difficult for a discipline to demonstrate true legitimacy because there would be an absence of standards associated with the curriculum and teaching methods.

Professional legitimacy requires that, integrated with the discipline, is a recognized accreditation process which helps develop incentives for academic programs to adopt accreditation into a widespread practice.

There is a recognized need for responders from all disciplines, including public sector responders and private sector security professionals, to have the knowledge, skills and abilities that allow them to participate in Homeland Protection activities.

Homeland Protection activities are common to both the public and private sector and include prevention, preparedness, protection, mitigation, response and recovery from, ``all hazards'', including terrorism.

Employers must know that their employees and prospective employees have demonstrated competency in the area of Homeland Protection.

Professionals must have a predetermined blend of experience and education, show completed course work in the knowledge areas required by the Certification Board and take an online course and pass the Homeland Protection Professional test.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that meeting the reporting requirements of the bill would cost DHS less than $500,000 over the 2022 through 2026 period.

For programs that are not accredited, the Secretary must provide the reasons for not obtaining or maintaining accreditation, the activities, taken to achieve accreditation, and the anticipated timeline for accreditation of the program.

Unfortunately, several DHS law enforcement basic training programs are not accredited, including the U.S. Border Patrol Academy, Customs and Border Protection's Field Operations Academy Officer Basic Training Program, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' Officer Basic Training Program.

In some cases, programs have been unaccredited for several years, e.g., the Border Patrol Academy submitted an initial application in 2006 but did not pursue accreditation further.

As the Chairwoman of the Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security Subcommittee, I believe efficient training can and will save lives, and that Department of Homeland Security officers deserve the highest standards of preparation.

Proper training is the only way our authorities can safely and effectively carry out their missions.

Madam Speaker, we need to ensure that our DHS officers are properly trained and educated on their basic trainings.

I urge all members to join me in voting to pass H.R. 5616, the ``DHS Basic Training Accreditation Improvement Act of 2021'', which is critical to ensuring the safety of all Americans.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5616, the DHS Basic Training Accreditation Improvement Act of 2021.

This legislation requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to report to Congress on an annual basis on the accreditation status for each basic training program within the Department. It also requires congressional notification within 30 days of a lapse of accreditation for any Department basic training program.

This legislation will help bring needed congressional oversight to DHS basic training programs by ensuring that DHS is transparent about any accreditation shortcomings and properly addresses them.

Madam Speaker, I urge members to join me in supporting H.R. 5616, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I urge Members to support this bill, I think it is a good bill, and I commend my friend for bringing it to the floor.

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

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.