Floor Statements

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 666, the Department of Homeland Security Insider Threat and Mitigation Act of 2017. H.R. 666, the Department of Homeland Security Insider Threat and Mitigation Act of 2017, authorizes the Department of Homeland Security to address the homeland and national security risk posed by trusted insiders.

Typically, trusted insiders are given unrestricted access to mission- critical assets such as personnel, facilities, and computer networks. While DHS, like other Federal agencies, conducts extensive vetting of prospective employees, there is a risk that someone with insider status exploits their position to damage the United States through espionage, terrorism, or the unauthorized disclosure of sensitive national security information.

As the ranking member of the Committee on Homeland Security, I am supportive of the Department of Homeland Security's current Insider Threat Program. It is targeted at preventing and detecting when a vetted DHS employee or contractor with access to U.S. Government resources, including personnel, facilities, information, equipment, networks, and systems, exploits such access for nefarious, terroristic, or criminal purposes.

Though I support the DHS program, I do have some concerns about DHS and other Federal agencies deploying continuous evaluation programs without transparency and congressional oversight. I am concerned that Federal agencies, with the understandable urge to protect their IT systems and facilities, are racing to acquire the capability before knowing whether such costly systems are even effective.

Therefore, I would like to reiterate to this Congress, as I did last Congress, that prior to establishing any such program, under which certain DHS employees would be subjected to ongoing automated credit, criminal, and social media monitoring, the Department engage Congress about not only the potential costs and benefits of such a program but what protections would be in place for workers subject to such a program.

Mr. Speaker, we live at a time when the threats to our Nation are complex. When this bill was considered last Congress, the prospect that a foreign intelligence agency would carry out an espionage campaign to influence the outcome of our Presidential election was material for the movies or for a good spy thriller. Today, in light of the Russian Government's actions in the 2016 elections, we have a greater appreciation for the importance of counterintelligence efforts. As such, this bill is particularly timely. None of us wants to see someone exploit their access to DHS networks to carry out cybercrimes or other criminal activity.

Even as DHS works to detect and prevent such threats, it is important that such activities be carried out in a transparent way so as not to compound the chronic morale challenges that exist within its workforce. Each time DHS considers making an adjustment to its insider threat program, thoughtful consideration must be paid to whether the operational drawbacks and costs for such an adjustment outweigh the benefits of such a change.

That said, I commend General Taylor, the previous Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis at DHS, for the attention he gave to the insider threat challenge. I look forward to continuing to work with the Department's successor to bolster security within the Department.

I would also like to give Mr. King particular credit for his interest in this effort to make sure that problems don't come from the inside if we can help it.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 666.

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. 697, the Department of Homeland Security Clearance Management and Administration Act.

Mr. Speaker, I want to start off by thanking the chairman of the Counterterrorism and Intelligence Subcommittee, Mr. King, as well as Chairman McCaul for their support for my bill. I reintroduced H.R. 697, the Department of Homeland Security Clearance Management and Administration Act, to reform how the Department manages its security clearance processes.

This measure, which the House approved by voice vote in November, 2015, specifically addresses how DHS carries out the complex and expensive tasks of, number one, identifying positions that warrant security clearances; number two, investigating candidates for clearances; and number three, administering its clearance adjudications, denials, suspensions, revocations, and appeals processes.

Since September 11, there has been a massive proliferation of classified material across the Federal Government. Along with the enormous growth in classified material holdings has come a sizeable growth in the number of Federal positions requiring security clearances.

H.R. 697 reflects regulations issued by the Office of Personnel Management and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to help ensure that national security positions are properly designated by Federal agencies. By doing so, agencies can avoid the costly exercise of recruiting, investigating, and hiring individuals at clearance levels and salaries well above what is necessary.

Simply put, Mr. Speaker, H.R. 697 seeks to put DHS on a path to right-sizing the number of classified positions in its workforce. Specifically, my bill directs DHS to ensure that the sensitivity levels of national security positions are designated appropriately across the Department and its components. It also requires the Department's chief security officer to audit national security positions periodically to ensure that such security designations are still appropriate.

Additionally, the bill directs DHS to develop a plan to ensure that adjudications of eligibility for a security clearance are done accurately across the Department. Lastly, Mr. Speaker, in response to growing security threats from data breaches, my bill also provides safeguards for the protection of applicants' personal information.

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, passage of H.R. 697 will help ensure that the Department of Homeland Security takes targeted steps to improve critical aspects of its secured clearance program.

If enacted, H.R. 697 would make DHS a leader among Federal agencies with respect to security clearance and position designation practices.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues' support, 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. 642, the Fusion Center Enhancement Act of 2017.

Mr. Speaker, last Congress, the House approved this measure to update the law to reflect the evolution of the Department of Homeland Security's National Network of Fusion Centers.

H.R. 642 clarifies that fusion centers are State and locally owned and operated, and requires the Department's Office of Intelligence and Analysis to provide support to centers in its network by deploying personnel and providing access to timely information.

Importantly, H.R. 642 also adds several new responsibilities to DHS' Under Secretary of Intelligence and Analysis with respect to the grant guidance, nationwide suspicious activity reports, and fusion centers' access to information.

The bill makes several technical changes to existing law to help ensure more information sharing resources are made available to Federal, State, and local law enforcement officials at our National Network of Fusion Centers.

If enacted, H.R. 642 will go a long way to provide States and localities that have invested significant resources in standing up fusion centers with the support they need to keep their communities, and ultimately the Nation, secure.

I urge passage of H.R. 642.

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

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

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

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I want to express my support for this bill. I urge passage of H.R. 642, the Fusion Center Enhancement Act of 2017, which, if enacted, would send the message that Congress values the investment that States and localities have made to address the challenges of a post-9/11 world and stand with DHS in supporting the National Network of Fusion Centers.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 642.

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

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

I rise in support of H.R. 526, the Counterterrorism Advisory Board Act of 2017.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 526 authorizes, within the Department of Homeland Security, the Counterterrorism Advisory Board, or CTAB, to coordinate and integrate the Department's intelligence policies and activities as related to counterterrorism.

Since 2010, this internal body, comprised of top DHS officials, has helped to harmonize counterterrorism programs and activities across

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 239, the Support for Rapid Innovation Act.

Mr. Speaker, this timely legislation authorizes the Department of Homeland Security to support cybersecurity research and development and to help innovators with promising cybersecurity technologies to help commercialize their products.

Government and private sector networks are under constant attack by increasingly sophisticated cyber hackers. The cyber hacking campaign carried out by the Russian Government against U.S. political and business institutions, during the 2016 election, is a recent, high- profile example.

Concern has also been growing about the threat of cybercriminals carrying out attacks by exploiting unprotected Internet-enabled consumer products. This threat was brought into sharp focus last October with the denial of service attack against Dyn. During that attack, malware was used to direct tens of thousands of Internet- connected cameras, DVRs, and other consumer products to carry out successive, highly sophisticated attacks.

Our adversaries are constantly innovating. It is imperative that the Federal Government--and specifically DHS--innovate, too. To that end, H.R. 239 directs DHS to invest in innovative cybersecurity technologies and provide DHS with flexibility to overcome bureaucratic obstacles that sometimes

discourage smaller companies, like tech startups, from working with the Federal Government.

H.R. 239 directs DHS to pursue cybersecurity projects that will improve detection, mitigation, and recovery from attacks and bolster the security and resilience of our networks, particularly for critical infrastructure.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation to ensure that DHS does its part to advance cybersecurity research and development.

Cybersecurity threats to our Nation are growing in diversity and sophistication. We cannot afford to let promising technologies languish.

The Department of Homeland Security should work with the private sector in support of innovative cybersecurity research, development, testing, and evaluation. We have seen that public-private collaboration can give these technologies the boost they need to enter the market. Just last month, DHS announced the commercialization of an eight cybersecurity product launched with the help of the Department's Transition to Practice program.

I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 239.

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, I thank Mr. Veasey for helping organize this Special Order on a topic that is of great concern to me and many of my constituents.

The Attorney General, as we know, serves as the United States' chief law enforcement official. He or she does not serve certain States, certain classes of people, nor is their service limited to a particular party. The Attorney General is there to serve all of us.

With that in mind, I stand here on the floor of the House concerned with Senator Sessions' nomination to become the next Attorney General. Based on his record, there are a number of reasons why I believe that Senator Sessions is unfit to lead the Department of Justice.

First, at his 1986 confirmation hearing to serve as a Federal judge for the Southern District of Alabama, it was revealed that Senator Sessions had called the NAACP and the ACLU un-American and communist inspired. I am a life member of the NAACP and a participating member in the ACLU. Neither one of those organizations are un-American or communist inspired.

A Department of Justice attorney also testified that Sessions said he believed that the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Operation PUSH, and the NAACP taught anti-American values. Well, if being free, if being able to exercise your right to vote, being able to not determine one's color as a condition for participation, then I am not certain what Mr. Sessions was talking about; but I do know that he has called a Black attorney ``boy,'' and he also talked about a White civil rights attorney as a ``race traitor.''

Also, what I am more concerned about is, in the aftermath of the shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, he opposed taking down the Confederate battle flag. Now, if there is one symbol that we all understand that represents hate, it is the confederate

battle flag. I am concerned that Senator Sessions continued to try to defend that symbol. I can't imagine someone being the Attorney General having that kind of attitude and that operation.

Mr. Speaker, I join the chorus of other members of the Congressional Black Caucus who raise their voice in opposition to what would be a travesty to the Department of Justice if Senator Jeff Sessions is confirmed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkably talented individual, Malcolm Butler, who is a native of Mississippi. Butler was born into a family of five children in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Mr. Butler is a prime example of learning from one's mistakes and taking advantage of being given a second chance.

Despite only playing football at the cornerback position his freshman and senior years at Vicksburg High School, Butler was able to receive a scholarship from Hinds Community College after graduating in 2009. After some setbacks in his first season, Butler was dismissed from the team midseason. However, he did not let prior mistakes define him, and as he made major adjustments in his life, he was invited to rejoin the team.

Butler went on to play at Division II University of West Alabama in 2012, where he played exceptionally both seasons. His junior

year, he started in all 12 games and recorded 49 tackles and 5 interceptions; the following year he had 45 tackles, 2 interceptions, and a blocked field goal. His seasons were so remarkable that he was named All-Gulf South Conference both years.

Despite such success at West Alabama, Butler went undrafted. Fortunately, he was invited to attend a tryout for the New England Patriots to make their roster going into training camp. With odds that were not in his favor, Butler managed to be a standout player at that tryout, and he ultimately made the team.

Butler had a solid season this year on the Patriots team, playing 52 snaps on special teams and 182 on defense. Though he didn't play in the playoffs versus the Ravens and only 15 snaps against the Colts, Butler made a name for himself in this year's Super Bowl. After the Patriots struggled against Seahawks wide receiver Chris Matthews throughout the first half, the Patriots made adjustments and substituted Butler in the game.

New England was able to contain Matthews, and they held the lead 24- 20 with two minutes left in the game. Butler came through in two crucial plays in the home stretch. In the first, after swatting the ball into the air, Butler manages to force receiver Jermaine Kearse out of bounds after Kearse caught it. Two plays later, Butler made a game- winning interception, the first of his NFL career.

Butler's example is proof that one's mistakes do not define him. His persistence, combined with his shrewd football acumen, has cemented his role in NFL history. Malcolm Butler is yet another example of Mississippi's tradition of producing fine athletes that are also honorable human beings.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 719, the ``TSA Office of Inspection Accountability Act of 2015''.

Upon its creation, TSA was given broad authority to hire, fire, and set the terms of employment of its personnel.

This has resulted in employees, such as Transportation Security Officers, lacking the full rights afforded other Federal employees.

It has also resulted, in some cases, of abuses of the system for the gain of a few.

According to the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security, TSA's Office of Inspection has been gaming the system by employing a bloated number of personnel as ``criminal investigators'' for years.

Those who are designated as ``criminal investigators'' receive additional compensation and are afforded the right to retire early.

H.R. 719 will put an end to these abuses by requiring the Inspector General to approve the method used by TSA to designate personnel as criminal investigators. It also requires TSA to certify to Congress that only those individuals performing the requisite criminal investigation work are designated as ``criminal investigators''.

According to the Inspector General, properly classifying individuals within TSA's Office of Inspection could save taxpayers as much as $17 million over five years.

During Committee consideration of this measure last Congress, I offered an amendment on behalf of Representative Loretta Sanchez that addresses revelations about how some within TSA's Federal Air Marshal Service exploited relationships with private vendors to obtain discounted or free firearms.

Specifically, in April 2014, the Committee became aware that the former director of the Federal Air Marshal Service bought several guns from an employee who is under investigation for using his position to obtain free and discounted firearms.

Unfortunately, TSA was less than forthcoming with Congress regarding this investigation, leaving many questions unanswered about how the investigation was conducted and the number of FAMs officials involved.

The exploitation of official relationships for personal gain is a serious matter.

Such misuse occurring within the Federal Air Marshal Service, the Law Enforcement component within TSA is unacceptable.

To address the lack of transparency regarding the investigation, the Committee accepted language I offered to require TSA to provide information and materials associated with the Office of Inspection's review of the allegations to Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 720, a bill I am pleased to be a cosponsor of.

The shooting at LAX resulted in the loss of Officer Hernandez's life and served as a stark reminder of the dangers the men and women on the front lines of securing our aviation sector face.

Unarmed and exposed, Transportation Security Officers perform the often thankless task of screening 1.8 million passengers per day.

They do so with limited workplace protections and the great responsibility of preventing another terrorist attack on the scale of 9/11.

Given their vulnerability and the critical role they play in protecting our homeland, it is essential that airports and the law enforcement agencies that serve them have the resources, training, and plans in place to ensure a swift and effective response when an incident that threatens the safety of Transportation Security Officers occurs.

In March of 2014, I had the opportunity to attend the Subcommittee on Transportation Security's site visit and field hearing at Los Angeles International Airport focused on the tragic shooting that occurred there on November 1st of 2013.

While the response of the individual police officers who prevented further loss of life on that tragic day is to be commended, the overall response at LAX left much to be desired.

Panic buttons at the checkpoint were not in working order. The emergency phone Transportation Security Officers have been trained to use did not display the location of the incident to the command center, and the police, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel responding could not communicate via interoperable radios.

The bill before us today represents a bipartisan effort to remedy many of the deficiencies identified following the shooting.

During Committee consideration of the bill last Congress, Representative Payne offered an amendment to the bill requiring TSA to conduct a nationwide assessment of the interoperability capabilities of emergency responders at airports.

I am pleased that the amendment was adopted and is still included in the bill before the House today.

Such an assessment will help inform where communications gaps that may hamper emergency response at airports still exist.

I would like to once again give my condolences for Officer Hernandez.

Under current law, the families of individuals serving a public agency in an official capacity as a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or chaplain receive compensation if their loved one is killed in the line of duty.

The same is true for families of employees of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and members of rescue squads or ambulance crews.

Unfortunately, the law has not been updated to include Transportation Security Officers within the definition of what constitutes a public safety officer.

As a result, the families of TSOs who are killed in the line of duty, such as the Hernandez family, are not entitled to funds from the Public Safety Officer's Benefits Program.

Last Congress, Representative Brownley introduced legislation that would grant Transportation Security Officers the benefits of other law enforcement officers that are killed in the line of duty.

It is my understanding that Representative Brownley intends to reintroduce the ``Honoring Our Fallen TSA Officers Act'' this Congress.

I implore my colleagues to support the forthcoming legislation so that the families of the men and women on the front lines of protecting our aviation sector are properly compensated when tragedy strikes.

Mr. Speaker, I offer a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, on Friday we lost our colleague Alan Nunnelee, who represented the First Congressional District of Mississippi.

On yesterday, Congressman Nunnelee was funeralized. The entire Mississippi delegation and 40 other Members of Congress attended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that the House pause for a moment of silence in remembrance of Congressman Nunnelee.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable public servant, Mr. Fred T. Nolan, a native of Dyer, Tennessee, but raised in Paducah, Kentucky, and has lived in Jackson, Mississippi since his graduation from Tougaloo College in the early 1960s. One of his early career choices was teaching in the Jackson Public School District (JPS).

Mr. Nolan taught two years at the then Brinkley High School located on Livingston Road and was a ninth grade teacher of Social Studies and Mathematics. He left JPS to pursue other career options and worked briefly for the Urban League of Jackson as director. The majority of his career spanned 25 years as the executive director of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, a division of Housing Urban Development (HUD).

After fully retiring from HUD in 1996, Mr. Nolan rejoined the JPS family as a substitute and limited service teacher. He worked three years in a limited service capacity at Siwell Middle, Lanier High, and Forest Hill High schools.

Mr. Fred Nolan is married to Mrs. Kisiah Nolan, a former JPS Board member and president. His son, Fredrick Nolan, is coordinator of the JPS WATCH D.O.G.S. program. The Nolans also have two daughters: Renee Nolan Johnson of Huntsville, Alabama, and Adrienne Nolan Colar of Smyrna, Georgia. All three of their children are graduates of the Jackson Public School District.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mr. Fred T. Nolan for his dedication to serving others.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable public servant, Mr. Fred T. Nolan, a native of Dyer, Tennessee, but raised in Paducah, Kentucky, and has lived in Jackson, Mississippi since his graduation from Tougaloo College in the early 1960s. One of his early career choices was teaching in the Jackson Public School District (JPS).

Mr. Nolan taught two years at the then Brinkley High School located on Livingston Road and was a ninth grade teacher of Social Studies and Mathematics. He left JPS to pursue other career options and worked briefly for the Urban League of Jackson as director. The majority of his career spanned 25 years as the executive director of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, a division of Housing Urban Development (HUD).

After fully retiring from HUD in 1996, Mr. Nolan rejoined the JPS family as a substitute and limited service teacher. He worked three years in a limited service capacity at Siwell Middle, Lanier High, and Forest Hill High schools.

Mr. Fred Nolan is married to Mrs. Kisiah Nolan, a former JPS Board member and president. His son, Fredrick Nolan, is coordinator of the JPS WATCH D.O.G.S. program. The Nolan's also have two daughters: Renee Nolan Johnson of Huntsville, Alabama, and Adrienne Nolan Colar of Smyrna, Georgia. All three of their children are graduates of the Jackson Public School District.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mr. Fred T. Nolan for his dedication to serving others.

I thank the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Polis) for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the rule. Just over 1 month ago, I stood on this floor urging the majority to allow Members of this Chamber to fund the Department of Homeland Security in the omnibus. The majority did not listen.

In the past month, even as the majority plotted to punish the Department for the President's action on immigration, a series of terrorist incidents across the globe have brought into sharp focus the need for a fully funded and fully functional DHS.

First, in Sidney, Australia, we witnessed a terrorist attack on a cafe where, at the end of a lengthy standoff, two innocent people lay dead.

The crippling cyber attack on Sony Pictures Entertainment's network raised awareness of the damage that hacks can do.

Then, last week in Paris, there were a series of terrorist attacks that have sent shock waves beyond the borders of France.

The execution-style murders of 12 members of the creative team of Charlie Hebdo, followed by the indiscriminate killing at a Jewish supermarket, are not simply tragic incidents; they serve as a reminder that the terrorist threats we face are evolving, and they are evolving quickly.

As Members of Congress, we have a responsibility to give the Department of Homeland Security the resources it needs to be dynamic and agile in response to these evolving threats.

The underlying DHS appropriations bill under consideration today, although not perfect, could certainly pass both Chambers and be enacted into law with the President's signature.

However, the likelihood, dare I say inevitability, that one or more of the poison pill amendments that the Rules Committee approved will get attached ensures a DHS shutdown or slowdown continues.

And to what end?

The majority decries the administration's immigration actions but offers no solution.

I thank the gentleman for the additional 30 seconds.

The majority decries the administration's immigration actions, but offers no solution or alternatives of its own. Instead, it plays and replays the game of we will or we won't fund the government.

Mr. Speaker, the game of chicken has come and run its course. It is time to provide full-year funding to DHS so it can continue its critical mission.