Date: 2016-05-16
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of H.R. 4407. Counterterrorism Advisory Board Act of 2016. because it will establish a board to coordinate and integrate DHSs intelligence. activities. and clarify policy related to its counterterrorism mission and functions. As a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security since its establishment. and current Ranking Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime. Terrorism and Homeland Security this bill is of importance to me. It was said of the George W. Bush Administration by the 911 Commission that it did not connect the dots that would have allowed the intelligence and law enforcement communities to detect and possibly deter the September 11. 2001 attack against our nation. We have learned a great deal over the nearly 15 years since Al Qaeda attacked our nation. One of the more important lessons is the need to have coordination and unity of effort among and within intelligence and law enforcement agencies in our battle to defeat terrorists. H.R. 4407 establishes a board that will: (1) advise the Secretary of DHS on the issuance of terrorism alerts. and meet on a regular basis to discuss intelligence. and (2) coordinate ongoing threat mitigation efforts and departmental activities. The terrorism alert system initiated following September 2001. caused confusion and uncertainty. In November 2002. I was proud to join my colleagues in voting to create the Department of Homeland Security. H.R. 4407 will develop a process for determining when alerts should be issued. which will make it easier for the Department of Homeland Security to develop messages that will guide public and interagency actions. My work on the Homeland Security Committee has allowed me the privilege of serving as Chair of the Subcommittee on Transportation Security. and the Ranking Member of the Border and Maritime Security Subcommittee. The Homeland Security Committee has worked over the years since its founding to ensure that this agency is prepared and staffed to meet the challenges and demands of its mandate. As we have worked to define and support the mission of the Department of Homeland Security we have worked to keep the efforts of the agency focused not only on the threats we have faced. but also the new ones that may come. It is the responsibility of Congress not only to provide DHS with new guidelines. but also to provide the agency with the funding it needs to do the work of protecting this great nation. For several Congresses DHS has faced a government shutdown and sequestration that has depleted its resources and stranded its efforts to do all of the work members of this body demands. Mr. Speaker. since DHS initiated its headquarters consolidation in 2006. it has progressed despite changes in senior leadership and waning funding support from Congress. As I urge my colleagues to support this bill. I also remind them that the passage of new laws that require more of the agency should also mean that we should require more of ourselves as members of Congress. We should support the work of the men and women of DHS as they stand on the front line of our nations domestic security by making sure that they have the tools and the skills needed to do the job we require. I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 4407.