The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Garbarino) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Walkinshaw)
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.

                             General Leave

  Mr. GARBARINO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on H.R. 3106.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GARBARINO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3106, the Weatherizing
Infrastructure in the North and Terrorism Emergency Readiness Act of
2025.
  This legislation requires the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting
through appropriate offices and components of DHS to develop and
conduct an exercise featuring the participation of Federal, State,
local, Tribal, territorial agencies, and private-sector stakeholders
focusing on a collective response to terrorism that includes the
management of the cascading effects on critical infrastructure that
results from the occurrence of a terrorist attack during an extreme
cold weather event.
  DHS must then provide an after-action report to Congress consisting
of initial findings, plans to incorporate any lessons learned into
future DHS operations, and any proposed legislative changes informed by
this exercise.
  This legislation will help strengthen the United States' ability to
respond to terrorist threats, especially when they might coincide with
extreme weather events.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WALKINSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to
the gentleman from New York (Mr. Kennedy), the sponsor of this bill.
  Mr. KENNEDY of New York. I thank Representative Walkinshaw for
yielding me time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my bill, H.R. 3106, the
Weatherizing Infrastructure in the North and Terrorism Emergency
Readiness Act, also known as the WINTER Act.
  As a nation, we must be prepared to prevent and respond to terrorist
threats in every circumstance, including during the harshest winter
weather. That is why I introduced the WINTER Act, to strengthen our
Homeland Security posture during extreme cold weather conditions and
ensure that the Department of Homeland Security is prepared to respond.
  My hometown of Buffalo, New York, is no stranger to cold weather
events. In December of 2022, Winter Storm Elliott hit western New York
with historic force. During the Christmas holiday, this powerful storm
brought dangerous blizzard conditions, including 60-mile-per-hour
winds, dangerous levels of lake-effect snowfall, and life-threatening
subfreezing temperatures. Thousands lost power, phone lines went dark,
and roads became impassable, bringing emergency operations and critical
infrastructure in the city of Buffalo to a screeching halt.
  This catastrophic storm claimed 47 precious lives in our community.
Families endured unimaginable hardship and heartbreak, and local
governments have spent years responding to the disaster to help
neighborhoods recover.
  Now, imagine the devastation if, amid a major winter storm of this
caliber, our Nation was forced to respond to a terrorist attack. Severe
winter conditions often strain emergency response capabilities, disrupt
communications, and damage critical infrastructure, making an already
dangerous situation even more dire.
  These challenges are precisely why terrorists may view extreme
weather as an opportunity to exploit vulnerabilities and magnify the
impact of an attack.
  My legislation directs the Department of Homeland Security to conduct
a terrorist preparedness exercise focused on the effects of an attack
on critical infrastructure during an extreme cold weather event.
  It also requires DHS report to Congress on successes and potential
pitfalls of the preparedness analysis, ensuring that we understand
where existing security gaps remain.
  The insights and expertise gained from this exercise will strengthen
coordination among emergency managers, State officials, and community
partners, helping to better anticipate and mitigate the consequences of
such an attack.
  By identifying security gaps before a disaster strikes, we can
enhance our resilience and be better prepared to withstand and respond
to increasingly sophisticated acts of terrorism.
  We cannot control when the next severe winter storm will strike, and
we cannot predict when terrorists will look to exploit our
vulnerabilities. But we can ensure that our Homeland Security
enterprise is prepared for both. That is exactly what this legislation
will help us do.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the chairman of the committee,
Representative Garbarino, for his support. I especially thank
Representative and Ranking Member Bennie Thompson for his partnership
on this bill. I urge all of my colleagues to support this vital
legislation.
  Mr. WALKINSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, I applaud Representative Kennedy's leadership on this
bill, and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3106.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GARBARINO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to
close.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Kennedy and congratulate him on
his hard work. Nobody knows how to remove snow quite like those Buffalo
Bills fans, especially on game day.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3106, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Garbarino) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3106.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. GARBARINO. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

                              {time}  1640
               IMPROVING TRAVEL FOR AMERICAN FAMILIES ACT

  Mr. GARBARINO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 8897) to improve travel for American families, and for other
purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 8897