Floor Statements

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2454, the Department of Homeland Security Data Framework Act of 2017.

The Department of Homeland Security Data Framework Act directs the

Secretary of Homeland Security to develop a data framework consolidating existing databases and systems at the Department. H.R. 2454 requires the Secretary to ensure that this data framework is accessible to DHS employees with proper clearances and that they are trained to safeguard and use such information when appropriate.

The central data framework will help cut down on the processing time of data searchs and allow analysts at DHS agencies to more efficiently access information across the Department.

I want to thank my colleague, Congressman Will Hurd, for introducing this legislation, and Senator Maggie Hassan for introducing its companion in the Senate. This bill has already passed the House once before, and I look forward to the President signing it into law this year.

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

Mr. Speaker, this bill is an important piece of legislation that has strong support on both sides of the aisle. It will improve DHS' operations by moving it towards a consolidated data system, enhancing the ability of the men and women serving at DHS to access, in a timely manner, the data that they need to fulfill their critical missions. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2454.

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

Mr. Chair, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 346.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, my amendment would require the Director of National Intelligence and the Secretary of the Treasury to develop and submit a threat assessment report on the use of virtual currencies by terrorist organizations.

In the 17 years since the deadliest terrorist attack in American history, the United States has led the global campaign to combat terrorism, thwarting plots and preventing attacks on American soil, identifying and disrupting terrorist networks around the world, hunting down terrorists wherever they hide, and proving that they can and will be brought to justice.

We know that the threat of terrorism is not the same as it was 17 years ago. It is a threat that constantly evolves, and we need to evolve with it. We need to evolve ahead of it. That is why I have introduced this amendment.

In recent years, we have seen instances in which members of terrorist groups have turned to virtual currencies to finance and support their operations. In 2016, the Foundation for Defense of Democracies investigated a terrorist funding campaign in which a terrorist group in the Gaza Strip received donations through the virtual currency bitcoin. Last year, Indonesian authorities also reported that a Syria-

based Indonesian national with ties to ISIL used virtual currency to fund attacks in Indonesia.

Virtual currencies offer high-speed, low-cost financial networks with access to users across the globe. Many also offer their users anonymity, making it difficult for law enforcement to track transactions. These factors have made virtual currencies an increasingly appealing tool for terrorists seeking to circumvent American law enforcement and financial institutions.

Research suggests that terrorists' use of virtual currencies have so far been limited to a handful of instances, but, as terrorist organizations and lone-wolf attackers become more technologically sophisticated and virtual currencies become more widely accessible, the conditions are ripe for this threat to significantly increase in a very short period of time. That is why it is critical that we act now to assess and understand this emerging threat.

There is no denying it: Virtual currencies have exposed deep vulnerabilities in our counterterrorism efforts, and, unfortunately, right now, our government lacks a comprehensive response and strategy to address this threat.

My amendment would direct the Director of National Intelligence and the Treasury Department to report to Congress on how terrorist organizations and state sponsors of terrorism could use virtual currencies to finance terrorism, gaps in Federal and State regulations that could be exploited by terrorists, and recommendations to update regulations to more effectively address these vulnerabilities.

Enacting this amendment would give counterterrorism and law enforcement officials at all levels the information and strategies they desperately need to confront this threat head-on with 21st century solutions.

I want to thank Congressman Peter King for cosponsoring my amendment. This is a commonsense bipartisan priority, and I urge all of my colleagues to support this amendment.

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

Mr. Chairman, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Schiff).

Mr. Chairman, I thank Chairman Nunes and Ranking Member Schiff for supporting the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, it is a shame that we are wasting our time today on two bills that are harmful and hyperpartisan when we all know that the USA Act, introduced by Representatives Aguilar and Hurd, have the votes to pass on this House floor.

This bipartisan solution would finally provide our Dreamers, college students, veterans, servicemembers, and business owners with the status and certainty that they have long deserved. The USA Act would also effectively secure our borders without wasting taxpayer money on a wall that would not make us any safer.

The bills being considered today are simply not what most Americans want. They deny Dreamers a path to citizenship. They abandon our obligation to protect those fleeing persecution and violence. And they do nothing to reunite the families who have already been torn apart by the Trump administration.

Mr. Speaker, I urge you to do the responsible thing, to finally govern, and allow the bipartisan USA Act to come to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the 150th Anniversary of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks on February 16, 2018.

Founded on February 16, 1868, in New York City by Charles Algernon Sidney Vivian and a handful of friends, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is an exceptional American fraternal society dedicated to serving and caring for our citizens, communities, and country. That small band of friends has grown to include nearly 1,000,000 Elk members and 2,000 lodges nationwide.

For the last 150 years, the Elks have dedicated themselves to the ideals of charity, justice, and patriotism--investing millions of dollars and service hours each year to build stronger communities, assist homeless veterans, provide academic scholarships, and empower kids to avoid drugs. We should all be incredibly grateful for the time, money, and resources the Elks have committed to serve our neighbors in need, especially members of the military, veterans, youth, and disaster-stricken communities.

In recognition of the 150th anniversary of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, let's honor the valor, commitment, patriotism, and sacrifice that the Elks have displayed throughout its history and express appreciation for their dedicated service to our country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to this deficit-exploding tax cut for the wealthy and big corporations.

This bill will raise taxes on middle class families in my district on Long Island and add trillions to the deficit--and my Republican colleagues want to pay for it with cuts to education, healthcare, and Social Security.

They seem to think that the biggest problem in America is that corporations and millionaires are struggling to pay their taxes, but that is not what I am hearing from my constituents.

My constituents are asking: When will we take action to protect the DREAMers? When will we reauthorize CHIP? When will we take up the infrastructure bill that the President promised would be a priority?

Instead of solving those real, urgent problems, Republicans spent the first 9 months of the year trying to take away people's healthcare and the next 3 on trying to cut taxes for corporations on the backs of the middle class.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues once again to reject this ridiculous trickle-down fantasy, stop the backdoor assaults on healthcare and Social Security, and work with us to solve real problems for the people we serve.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 1, a deficit-exploding tax cut for the wealthy that will hurt middle class families in my district.

I am all for real, bipartisan tax reform that puts the middle class first, but that is not what this bill is. This is a giveaway to the wealthy and big corporations. It adds trillions to the debt and pays for it on the backs of the middle class.

Half of my constituents on Long Island deduct their State and local taxes, an average of more than $23,000. Under this bill, that disappears. Corporations can still deduct their State and local taxes, but individuals and couples cannot. That means many middle class families will see their taxes go up, while the vast majority of relief goes to the people who don't need it: the wealthiest individuals and the biggest corporations.

The National Education Association also found that eliminating SALT could lead to a $250 billion cut in education funding just in the State of New York over the next decade.

Make no mistake: this bill won't help the middle class. It will explode the deficit, and Republicans will try to pay for it with big cuts to healthcare, education, Social Security, and other important lifesaving programs.

I urge my Republican colleagues to give up this trickle-down fantasy and work with Democrats on real bipartisan tax reform that truly puts the middle class first.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 504, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Cards Act of 2017, which is identical to bipartisan legislation I introduced in the House earlier this year along with Representatives Dan Donovan, Rick Larsen and Dave Reichert.

This bill would permanently reauthorize the APEC Business Travel Card program, which provides access to fast-track immigration lanes at airports for travelers who conduct verified business in the APEC region.

The U.S. has been participating in this program and issuing cards to verified American business travelers since 2014, after Congress passed the APEC Business Travel Cards Act in 2011.

Under that law, the authority to issue these travel cards to Americans is set to expire on September 30, 2018--meaning that no new cards can be issued after that date, and all cards will expire by 2021, after which Americans will no longer be able to travel throughout the region as easily as business travelers from other APEC countries.

S. 504 will permanently extend that authority, while maintaining the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) authority to revoke or suspend an individual's card for security reasons at any time.

Mr. Speaker, this is a successful program that operates at absolutely no cost to taxpayers and makes American businesses more competitive in the global economy--including many businesses in my home state of New York, which is home to more than 2,300 cardholders.

Allowing these cards to expire would be a mistake that puts American business travelers at a disadvantage, and this legislation reflects a common-sense, bipartisan commitment to reauthorize the program permanently.

I'm grateful to my colleagues from both parties in the House and Senate for their efforts to help move this legislation forward, and I urge all our colleagues to give it their full support today so we can send this bill to the President's desk.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2468, the Unifying DHS Intelligence Enterprise Act of 2017, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, this measure seeks to help safeguard our Nation's homeland security information. Specifically, it requires the Department of Homeland Security to develop and distribute Departmentwide guidance on the proper procedures for handling and sharing information related to homeland security and terrorism.

The 9/11 Commission Report found that the U.S. Government did not fully share or pool intelligence information prior to the attacks. In response, policies and procedures were reformed at all levels to ensure that critical national security information is properly shared.

Intelligence sharing is critical to terrorism prevention, but it must be carried out in a manner that ensures that sensitive information is properly handled and distributed. H.R. 2468 seeks to do just that.

The bill requires the establishment of rules and regulations for the dissemination of such information both within DHS and with homeland security stakeholders at the State and local levels as well as in the private sector.

I urge my House colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2468 has strong support on both sides of the aisle. Effective security measures to improve our intelligence systems and mechanisms are critical to the mission of protecting the homeland.

I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry) for his work on this important legislation, and I encourage my colleagues to support it.

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 in support of my legislation, H.R. 2433, the Homeland Security Assessment of Terrorists Use of Virtual Currencies Act.

Yesterday marked 16 years since the September 11 attacks when 19 terrorists hijacked four passenger planes, two of which struck the World Trade Center towers in my home State of New York.

In the 16 years since the deadliest terrorist attack in American history, the United States has led the global campaign to combat terrorism, thwarting plots and preventing attacks on American soil, identifying and disrupting terrorist networks around the world, hunting down terrorists wherever they hide, and proving that they can and will be brought to justice.

We know that the threat of terrorism is not the same as it was 16 years ago. It is a threat that constantly evolves, and we need to evolve ahead of it. That is why I introduced H.R. 2433.

In recent years, we have seen instances in which members of some terrorist groups have turned to virtual currencies to support themselves and fund their operations. Last year, the Foundation for Defense of Democracies investigated a terrorist funding campaign in which a terrorist group in the Gaza Strip received donations to the virtual currency bitcoin. Earlier this year, Indonesian authorities reported that a Syria-based Indonesian with ties

to ISIL used virtual currency to fund attacks in Indonesia.

Virtual currencies offer high-speed and low-cost networks and access to users all over the world, which creates significant potential appeal to terrorists, particularly lone-wolf attackers because of the nominal cost often associated with carrying out that type of attack.

Research suggests that terrorists' use of virtual currencies have so far been limited to a handful of instances, two of which I have mentioned. But with groups like ISIL becoming more technologically sophisticated and virtual currencies becoming more widely accessible, the table is set for this threat to grow significantly in a very short time. That is why it is critical that we act now to assess and understand this emerging threat.

My bill requires DHS' Office of Intelligence and Analysis to develop and disseminate a threat assessment of the use of virtual currencies to support terrorist activities. Further, to ensure that this information is shared throughout the law enforcement community, my bill requires the assessment to be shared with State, local, and Tribal law enforcement, including those offices that operate within State, local, and regional fusion centers.

Enacting this bill will give counterterrorism and law enforcement officials at all levels the information they need to evolve ahead of this threat and help keep Americans safe. I urge my House colleagues to support my bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2433 is an important piece of legislation that received overwhelming bipartisan support in the Committee on Homeland Security. Enactment of H.R. 2433 will ensure that the Department of Homeland Security closely monitors this evolving threat so that we are prepared to prevent terrorists from using virtual currencies to finance attacks on the U.S. and around the world. I encourage my colleagues to support my legislation, H.R. 2433.

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 in support of H.R. 2454, the Department of Homeland Security Data Framework Act of 2017.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Homeland Security Data Framework Act directs the DHS to consolidate existing intelligence databases and systems at the Department in order to establish a data framework.

Specifically, H.R. 2454 requires the DHS to ensure that the data framework is accessible to DHS employees who the Secretary determines have an appropriate security clearance, have responsibilities that require access to framework information, and are trained in applicable standards for safeguarding and using such information.

By strengthening the DHS data framework, authorized personnel from each of the components and offices at the Department will have easier access to the data that they need in a timely manner.

Additionally, the DHS Security Data Framework Act of 2017 allows the DHS Secretary to incorporate into the data framework systems capabilities for auditing and ensuring the security of information within the framework. Such capabilities include mechanisms for identifying insider threats and security risks, and safeguards for privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties.

The anniversary of 9/11 is a time for reflection and remembrance, and also a time to enhance our defenses. We cannot allow weak data infrastructure to leave the homeland vulnerable to attacks, and I thank my good friend and colleague from Texas, Mr. Hurd, for introducing this commonsense legislation, and I urge my House colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, this is an important bill that has strong support on both sides of the aisle. It maintains effective security measures while consolidating systems, creating a more feasible way for the men and women at the DHS to access the data that they need to fulfill their critical mission.

I thank Mr. Hurd for his diligence on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 2454, 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.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2443, the Department of Homeland Security Classified Facility Inventory Act of 2017.

This measure addresses a concern to many of us in the counterterrorism arena--the absence of a centralized inventory of classified systems within DHS.

DHS is the third largest Federal agency and has a vast footprint, yet DHS does not maintain a centralized list of all the spaces around the country where individuals with clearances can access classified information.

H.R. 2443 tackles this issue by requiring DHS to maintain an inventory of all DHS certified facilities that house classified systems above the secret level on a regular basis. It requires DHS to share part or all of the inventory, in accordance with standard information- sharing procedures and policies. This legislation will enhance Congress' ability to assist DHS with protecting classified facilities.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my House colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2443 is an important piece of legislation. It has strong support on both sides of the aisle.

Extensive efforts have been made to enhance information sharing, establish the DHS intelligence enterprise, and support the National Network of Fusion Centers. It is important that DHS' partners at all levels know where to go to access classified information, particularly when a terrorist or other national security incident occurs.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 2443, 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. 2471, the Terrorist Release Announcements to Counter Extremist Recidivism Act, or TRACER Act.

Mr. Speaker, today we consider H.R. 2471, a narrowly tailored bill that seeks to ensure that certain local authorities are notified when convicted terrorists who have completed their prison terms are expected to be released into their communities.

This legislation was drafted in response to testimony received by our committee about the need for such information to be shared for situational awareness. The bill requires DHS, in coordination with appropriate Federal partners, as well as State and local law enforcement, to conduct periodic threat assessments regarding the overall threat from known or suspected terrorists currently incarcerated in a Federal correctional facility.

It is our hope that those who were convicted of providing materiel support to foreign terrorist organizations or taking other actions in support of ISIL or an al-Qaida affiliate have turned away from their terrorist past. However, in an age where lone-wolf terrorist attacks are more common, it just makes sense to let local law enforcement know when a former terrorist is returning to the community they are entrusted to safeguard.

I support this bill that seeks to improve situational awareness at all levels of law enforcement to potential terrorist threats. I urge passage of H.R. 2471.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2471 will further enhance the ability of law enforcement, particularly those participating in the National Network of Fusion Centers, to monitor potential terrorist threats and take action to prevent attacks.

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

Mr. Speaker, people in my district and in districts all across the country have been making it clear that they don't want millions of Americans to become uninsured just to cut taxes for the rich. They don't want Congress to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

What they want is for Democrats and Republicans to work together to make it better: to keep expanding coverage, reducing costs, and improving care. Now that the Senate has delayed a vote on the BCRA, we have yet another opportunity to do just that.

I urge my Republican colleagues to move past repeal and replace once and for all. Democrats are ready to work with you. So let's seize this opportunity and start solving problems for the people we serve.