[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 16 (Tuesday, January 31, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H785-H786]
CBRN INTELLIGENCE AND INFORMATION SHARING ACT OF 2017
Ms. McSALLY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 677) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish
chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear intelligence and
information sharing functions of the Office of Intelligence and
Analysis of the Department of Homeland Security and to require
dissemination of information analyzed by the Department to entities
with responsibilities relating to homeland security, and for other
purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 677
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 ``CBRN Intelligence and
Information Sharing Act of 2017''.
SEC. 2. CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL, RADIOLOGICAL, AND NUCLEAR
INTELLIGENCE AND INFORMATION SHARING.
(a) In General.--Subtitle A of title II of the Homeland
Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 121 et seq.) is amended by
adding at the end the following new section:
``SEC. 210G. CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL, RADIOLOGICAL, AND NUCLEAR
INTELLIGENCE AND INFORMATION SHARING.
``(a) In General.--The Office of Intelligence and Analysis
of the Department of Homeland Security shall--
``(1) support homeland security-focused intelligence
analysis of terrorist actors, their claims, and their plans
to conduct attacks involving chemical, biological,
radiological, or nuclear materials against the United States;
``(2) support homeland security-focused intelligence
analysis of global infectious disease, public health, food,
agricultural, and veterinary issues;
``(3) support homeland security-focused risk analysis and
risk assessments of the homeland security hazards described
in paragraphs (1) and (2), including the transportation of
chemical, biological, nuclear, and radiological materials, by
providing relevant quantitative and nonquantitative threat
information;
``(4) leverage existing and emerging homeland security
intelligence capabilities and structures to enhance
prevention, protection, response, and recovery efforts with
respect to a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear
attack;
``(5) share information and provide tailored analytical
support on these threats to State, local, and tribal
authorities, other Federal agencies, as well as relevant
national biosecurity and biodefense stakeholders, as
appropriate; and
``(6) perform other responsibilities, as assigned by the
Secretary.
``(b) Coordination.--Where appropriate, the Office of
Intelligence and Analysis shall coordinate with other
relevant Department components, including the National
Biosurveillance Integration Center, other agencies within in
the intelligence community, including the National Counter
Proliferation Center, and other Federal, State, local, and
tribal authorities, including officials from high-threat
urban areas, State and major urban area fusion centers, and
local public health departments, as appropriate, and enable
such entities to provide recommendations on optimal
information sharing mechanisms, including expeditious sharing
of classified information, and on how such entities can
provide information to the Department.
``(c) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Intelligence community.--The term `intelligence
community' has the meaning given such term in section 3(4) of
the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 401a(4)).
``(2) National biosecurity and biodefense stakeholders.--
The term `national biosecurity and biodefense stakeholders'
means officials from Federal, State, local, and tribal
authorities and individuals from the private sector who are
involved in efforts to prevent, protect against, respond to,
and recover from a biological attack or other phenomena that
may have serious health consequences for the United States,
including infectious disease outbreaks.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section
1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by
inserting after the item relating to section 201F the
following new item:
``Sec. 210G. Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear
intelligence and information sharing.''.
(c) Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of
the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, the
Secretary of Homeland Security shall report to the
appropriate congressional committees on--
(A) the intelligence and information sharing activities
under section 210G of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (as
added by subsection (a) of this section) and of all relevant
entities within the Department of Homeland Security to
counter the threat from attacks using chemical, biological,
radiological, or nuclear materials; and
(B) the Department's activities in accordance with relevant
intelligence strategies.
(2) Assessment of implementation.--The reports required
under paragraph (1) shall include--
(A) an assessment of the progress of the Office of
Intelligence and Analysis of the Department of Homeland
Security in implementing such section 210G; and
(B) a description of the methods established to carry out
such assessment.
(3) Termination.--This subsection shall terminate on the
date that is five years after the date of the enactment of
this Act.
(4) Definition.--In this subsection, the term ``appropriate
congressional committees'' means the Committee on Homeland
Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and
any committee of the House of Representatives or the Senate
having legislative jurisdiction under the rules of the House
of Representatives or Senate, respectively, over the matter
concerned.
SEC. 3. DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION ANALYZED BY THE
DEPARTMENT TO STATE, LOCAL, TRIBAL, AND PRIVATE
ENTITIES WITH RESPONSIBILITIES RELATING TO
HOMELAND SECURITY.
Paragraph (8) of section 201(d) of the Homeland Security
Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 121(d)) is amended by striking ``and to
agencies of State'' and all that follows through the period
at the end and inserting ``to State, local, tribal, and
private entities with such responsibilities, and, as
appropriate, to the public, in order to assist in preventing,
deterring, or responding to acts of terrorism against the
United States.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Arizona (Ms. McSally) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr.
Keating) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Arizona.
General Leave
Ms. McSALLY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include any extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Arizona?
There was no objection.
Ms. McSALLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 677, the CBRN
Intelligence and Information Sharing Act of 2017.
We know that terrorist groups have long sought to employ chemical,
biological, radiological, and nuclear, or CBRN, materials in their
attacks. In his 2016 Worldwide Threat Assessment, Director of National
Intelligence James Clapper noted that weapons of mass destruction
continue to pose a threat to the United States, whether from North
Korea's nuclear tests or the dual-use nature of biological materials
that make threats difficult to detect.
In addition, last year, the Organisation for the Prohibition of
Chemical Weapons completed a year-long investigation that found both
Syria and ISIS have used chemical weapons. ISIS' interest in using
weapons of mass destruction material in its attack against the West is
also well documented.
H.R. 677 will enhance intelligence analysis and information sharing
and will work to ensure that State and
[[Page H786]]
local officials get the actionable intelligence information necessary
to stop or mitigate a CBRN attack.
As the previous chairwoman of the Emergency Preparedness, Response,
and Communications Subcommittee, I held a number of hearings on the
threat posed by terrorist attacks using CBRN agents. Many national
security experts, first responders, and members of the law enforcement
community have testified to the need of increased information sharing
with appropriate State and local officials and emergency responders.
This budget-neutral bill seeks to address these findings. It requires
the Office of Intelligence and Analysis at DHS to support homeland
security-focused intelligence analysis of CBRN threats, including
emerging infectious diseases. It directs the Office of Intelligence and
Analysis to share information with State, local, tribal, and private
entities and get their feedback to improve two-way sharing of
information. Finally, H.R. 677 directs the Secretary of DHS to report
annually for 5 years on the Department's intelligence and information
sharing activities and DHS' activities in accordance with relevant
intelligence strategies.
The House passed a nearly identical bill I introduced last Congress
by a vote of 420-2. I urge Members to join me in supporting this bill.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise in support of H.R. 677, the CBRN Intelligence and Information
Sharing Act of 2017.
Mr. Speaker, last Congress, the Committee on Homeland Security held
several hearings to evaluate Federal, State, and local capabilities to
prevent, identify, and respond to a chemical, biological, radiological,
or nuclear attack, a CBRN threat.
Although the State and local stakeholders we heard from were
generally aware of the evolving CBRN threat, there was a consistent
message from everyone who testified--from public health professionals
to emergency managers, to first responders--improved information
sharing would make our communities safer.
H.R. 677 would facilitate improved CBRN information sharing by
directing DHS to analyze CBRN-related terrorist threats and share
relevant threat information with Federal, State, and local
stakeholders. These activities will both improve situational awareness
at all levels of government and help DHS grant recipients better target
their limited grant dollars to address this particular threat.
The CBRN Intelligence and Information Sharing Act passed the House
overwhelmingly last Congress, and I urge my colleagues to support the
measure once again.
Information sharing is at the core of our ability to prevent, thwart,
and respond to threats posed by bad actors. H.R. 677 would facilitate
information sharing in the CBRN space where the threats are constantly
evolving. This commonsense legislation costs next to nothing but will
reap significant benefits.
I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 677.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. McSALLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I once again urge my colleagues to support H.R. 677,
this legislation that will enhance the sharing of CBRN-related threat
information.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from Arizona (Ms. McSally) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 677.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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