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 any extraneous material on H.R. 8874.
  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. 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.
  Mr. WALKINSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to
the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Carter), the sponsor of this bill.
  Mr. CARTER of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative
Walkinshaw for yielding.
  I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 8874, the Homeland Security
Capabilities Preservation Reporting Act of 2026.
  In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, it became evident that
cities across the United States could become targets for terrorist
attacks and that they lacked the capacity and resources to
independently build the critical capabilities needed to prevent,
protect against, and respond to terrorist attacks and other
catastrophic events.
  Beginning in 2003, urban areas across the Nation began receiving
dedicated counterterrorism grants from the Department of Homeland
Security through the Urban Area Security Initiative, or UASI.
  For more than two decades, this program has equipped our local first
responders with advanced tools, equipment, and training necessary to
protect their communities. These investments have built critical
capabilities that strengthen preparedness and emergency responses
across the region.
  However, maintaining these capabilities cannot be sustained by locals
alone. They require reliable, predictable Federal funding.
Unfortunately, unpredictable changes to DHS' risk formula, which
determines which areas receive funding, have often created year-to-year
uncertainty, leaving many cities wondering whether their
counterterrorism funding will suddenly disappear. Recently, these
funding changes have been politically arbitrary.
  We saw this danger firsthand last year, when under the leadership of
former Secretary Kristi Noem, the Department of Homeland Security
attempted to abruptly remove historically funded cities--including, in
my district, the city of New Orleans--from this program.
  Former Secretary Noem tried to cut our Federal counterterrorism
funding support in the same year our community suffered the horrific
attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans on New Year's Day, which killed
14 people and injured dozens more. It took a lawsuit to stop them.
  Here is the bottom line: Expecting locals to independently finance
the massive security required for everyday safety--let alone high-
profile events like Mardi Gras, the World Cup, or Super Bowl--is
unrealistic and unfair. Abruptly turning off these resources is
dangerous.
  Congress previously acknowledged the value of UASI funding to
communities by requiring a one-time report in the 2023 National Defense
Authorization Act, examining how DHS could help cities transition when
they lose grant eligibility.
  I am grateful to former Congresswoman Val Demings for championing
this previous NDAA provision and for her leadership in recognizing the
need to support communities if they transition out of the UASI program.
However, a one-time report leaves Congress in the dark going forward.
We need ongoing data to monitor vulnerable communities after they are
removed from the program and identify whether their security
capabilities are at risk of degrading.
  That is why I introduced H.R. 8874, the Homeland Security
Capabilities Preservation Reporting Act of 2026. This bipartisan bill
closes this oversight gap by requiring FEMA to submit recurring reports
every 3 years on how cities manage and maintain their federally funded
counterterrorism and security capabilities after they lose UASI
funding.
  This bill will improve public safety across the Nation and ensure our
communities are never left defenseless, which is why it is endorsed by
the Major Cities Chiefs Association, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the
National League of Cities, and the National Fusion Center Association,
to name a few.
  I thank Ranking Member Bennie Thompson and Representative Gimenez for
their partnership on this bill. I urge all my colleagues to support
this vital, commonsense legislation.
  Mr. WALKINSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I
thank the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Carter) for his work on this
legislation. I also thank the chairman for his work.
  UASI grants have played a critical role in my region, the D.C.
metropolitan region, in protecting Northern Virginia, Maryland, and the
District of Columbia, including this Capitol complex. This bill that
will improve transparency, strengthen congressional oversight, and
ensure that important security investments made over many years are not
lost is a wonderful piece of legislation.
  Passage of H.R. 8874 will ensure that Congress has the information
needed to understand the impact of UASI transitions and help preserve
the critical Homeland Security capabilities our communities rely on. It
will strengthen oversight, support our local partners, and help ensure
that years of Federal investment and preparedness are not lost.
  I applaud Congressman Carter for his leadership on this issue and
strongly urge my colleagues to support H.R. 8874. I yield back the
balance of my time.
  Mr. GARBARINO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 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.
  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. 8874.
  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.