Quadrennial Homeland Security Review Technical Correction Act of 2016
Floor Speech
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Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5385) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to make technical corrections to the requirement that the Secretary of Homeland Security submit quadrennial homeland security reviews, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 5385
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Quadrennial Homeland Security Review Technical Correction Act of 2016''. SEC. 2. TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS TO QUADRENNIAL HOMELAND SECURITY REVIEW.
(a) In General.--Section 707 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 347) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(3)--
(A) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``and'';
(B) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (D); and
(C) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following new subparagraph (C):
``(C) representatives from appropriate advisory committees established pursuant to section 871 of this Act, including the Homeland Security Advisory Council and the Homeland Security Science and Technology Advisory Committee, or otherwise established, including the Aviation Security Advisory Committee established pursuant to section 44946 of title 49, United States Code; and'';
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) in paragraph (2), by inserting before the semicolon at the end the following: ``based on the risk assessment required pursuant to subsection (c)(2)(B)'';
(B) in paragraph (3)--
(i) by inserting ``, to the extent practicable,'' after ``describe''; and
(ii) by striking ``budget plan'' and inserting ``resources required'';
(C) in paragraph (4)--
(i) by inserting ``, to the extent practicable,'' after ``identify'';
(ii) by striking ``budget plan required to provide sufficient resources to successfully'' and inserting ``resources required to''; and
(iii) by striking the semicolan after ``paragraph (2)'' and inserting ``, including any resources identified from redundant, wasteful, or unnecessary capabilities and capacities that can be redirected to better support other existing capabilities and capacities; and'';
(D) in paragraph (5), by striking ``; and'' and inserting a period; and
(E) by striking paragraph (6);
(3) in subsection (c)--
(A) in paragraph (1)--
(i) by striking ``December 31 of the year'' and inserting ``60 days after the date of the submittal of the President's budget for the fiscal year after the fiscal year''; and
(ii) by striking ``conducted'' and inserting ``required under subsection (a)(1)'';
(B) in paragraph (2)--
(i) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``description of the threats to'' and inserting ``risk assessment of'';
(ii) in subparagraph (C), by inserting ``, as required under subsection (b)(2)'' before the semicolon at the end;
(iii) in subparagraph (D), by inserting ``to the extent practicable,'' before ``a description'';
(iv) in subparagraph (F)--
(I) by inserting ``to the extent practicable,'' before ``a discussion''; and
(II) by striking ``the status of'';
(v) in subparagraph (G)--
(I) by inserting ``to the extent practicable,'' before ``a discussion'';
(II) by striking ``the status of'';
(III) by inserting ``and risks'' before ``to national homeland''; and
(IV) by inserting ``and'' after the semicolon;
(vi) by striking subparagraph (H); and
(vii) by redesignating subparagraph (I) as subparagraph (H);
(C) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and
(D) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following new paragraph (3):
``(3) Documentation.--The Secretary shall retain and, upon request, provide to Congress the following documentation regarding the quadrennial homeland security review:
``(A) Records regarding the consultation carried out the pursuant to subsection (a)(3), including--
``(i) all written communications, including communications sent out by the Secretary and feedback submitted to the Secretary through technology, online communications tools, in-person discussions, and the interagency process; and
``(ii) information on how feedback received by the Secretary informed the quadrennial homeland security review.
``(B) Information regarding the risk assessment, as required under subsection (c)(2)(B), including--
``(i) the risk model utilized to generate the risk assessment;
``(ii) information, including data used in the risk model, utilized to generate the risk assessment;
``(iii) sources of information, including other risk assessments, utilized to generate the risk assessment; and
``(iv) information on assumptions, weighing factors, and subjective judgments utilized to generate the risk assessment, together with information on the rationale or basis thereof.''; and
(4) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(e) Review.--Not later than 90 days after the submission of the report pursuant to subsection (c)(1), the Secretary shall provide to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate information on the degree to which the findings and recommendations developed in the review were integrated into the acquisition strategy and expenditure plans for the Department.''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this Act shall apply with respect to a quadrennial homeland security review required to be submitted after December 31, 2017.
I rise in strong support of H.R. 5385, the Quadrennial Homeland Security Review Technical Correction Act of 2016.
Congress mandated through the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 that the Department of Homeland Security conduct a quadrennial homeland security review, or a QHSR, every 4 years. This review is intended to outline the DHS' vision and strategy to effectively implement its mission to protect the homeland. Given the threats we face from radical Islamist terrorists, it is vital that the DHS has a sound strategy to keep the American public safe.
Earlier this year, the Government Accountability Office reported on opportunities for the DHS to improve the QHSR process. The GAO made four recommendations for executive action, and this legislation leverages the GAO's findings to make the QHSR better. Specifically, this legislation requires the DHS to conduct a risk assessment to better inform the QHSR. The bill also mandates that the DHS maintain a paper trail of communications related to the QHSR. This should allow Congress and watchdogs to conduct more effective oversight of the DHS.
I thank the gentlewoman from New Jersey for introducing this legislation.
I absolutely urge all Members to join me in supporting this commonsense legislation.
H.R. 5385 is a great move forward in the QHSR. Mrs. Watson Coleman and I believe in transparency and also believe in being on the same page when it comes to security and the safety of our Nation and in making sure that we can follow the metrics that the DHS is using to evaluate that so we can do better in the future. I applaud her for her efforts on this legislation as well as for her ability to get it passed through the committee on a bipartisan basis.
Once again, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5385.
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