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DHS Intelligence Rotational Assignment Program Act of 2017

Floor Speech

Date: Sept. 12, 2017
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: National Security

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Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my friend's bill, H.R. 2453, the DHS Intelligence Rotational Assignment Program Act of 2017.

Mr. Speaker, 16 years ago, Americans were jarred by the spectacle of the mighty Twin Towers collapsing and fires at the Pentagon and in a Pennsylvania field. The perpetrators of the attacks sought to bring the United States to its knees. While, without question, a deep wound that may never fully heal was inflicted on the heart of this Nation on that day, we remain strong and resolute.

We emerged from that devastating experience more determined and with lessons learned about the need for better information sharing, interoperability, and coordination.

One major reform was the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security as a multimission agency, which today has 240,000 men and women serving in a range of capacities at our land, air, and seaports, as well as in the field, working to protect critical infrastructure from cyber and other attacks.

The DHS Intelligence Rotational Assignment Program Act seeks to provide DHS employees with the opportunity to do a rotational assignment within the DHS' Intelligence and Analysis division.

By establishing this program, officers and analysts across the DHS who have a passion for keeping our Nation secure would be provided the opportunity to develop or broaden their intelligence and counterterrorism skills. Organizations with such programs find that they yield benefits far beyond what the individuals who participate learn.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2453 was overwhelmingly approved by the Committee on Homeland Security. The rotational program that it authorizes has the potential to not only provide some dedicated DHS employees a boost in morale and fresh perspective on the mission, but also to enrich DHS' contributions to the intelligence enterprise.

Mr. Speaker, as such, I encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 2453, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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