Homeland Security Capabilities Preservation Reporting Act of 2026

Floor Speech

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Mr. GARBARINO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 8874) to amend the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 to require recurring reports on the transition of jurisdictions no longer eligible for Urban Area Security Initiative funding, and for other purposes.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 8874

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 ``Homeland Security Capabilities Preservation Reporting Act of 2026''. SEC. 2. REPORTS ON TRANSITION OF JURISDICTIONS NO LONGER ELIGIBLE FOR URBAN AREA SECURITY INITIATIVE FUNDING.

Paragraph (1) of section 7102(b) of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117-263) is amended, in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting ``and every three years thereafter'' after ``Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act''.

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Mr. GARBARINO. 8874.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 8874, the Homeland Security Capabilities Preservation Reporting Act of 2026.

This legislation requires DHS to provide a report to Congress every 3 years on the Homeland Security capabilities of urban areas that have previously received funding through the Urban Area Security Initiative, or UASI.

The FEMA Grant Programs Directorate provides preparedness funding to assist States, localities, urban areas, and Tribal and territorial governments and strengthen the Nation's ability to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies.

Every year, FEMA determines eligible high-risk urban areas for UASI funding through analysis of relative risk of terrorism experienced by urban areas in the United States. As relative terrorism risk undertaken by urban area jurisdictions changes every year, this can sometimes lead to urban areas that were once eligible for UASI funding in one year no longer being eligible in future years.

This legislation will provide consistent information to Congress on the ability of urban areas at risk of terrorism threats to maintain their Homeland Security capabilities.

I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

I also applaud the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Carter) for his leadership on this piece of legislation.

As a Member from New York, I have seen firsthand the benefits and the need for UASI grants. I think it is very important that Congress be kept informed of decisions being made when it comes to these grants.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill, H.R. 8874, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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