[Pages H1909-H1914]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

PROMOTING ANTITERRORISM COOPERATION THROUGH TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE ACT

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, we have a bill, but in our
traditional, bipartisan way, I yield to the gentleman from New York
(Mr. King).
Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 884) to provide for the establishment of the
Science and Technology Homeland Security International Cooperative
Programs Office, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read as follows:

H.R. 884

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 ``Promoting Antiterrorism
Cooperation through Technology and Science Act'' or the
``PACTS Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

The Congress finds the following:
(1) The development and implementation of technology is
critical to combating terrorism and other high consequence
events and implementing a comprehensive homeland security
strategy.
(2) The United States and its allies in the global war on
terrorism share a common interest in facilitating research,
development, testing, and evaluation of equipment,
capabilities, technologies, and services that will aid in
detecting, preventing, responding to, recovering from, and
mitigating against acts of terrorism.
(3) Certain United States allies in the global war on
terrorism, including Israel, the United Kingdom, Canada,
Australia, and Singapore have extensive experience with, and
technological expertise in, homeland security.
(4) The United States and certain of its allies in the
global war on terrorism have a history of successful
collaboration in developing mutually beneficial equipment,
capabilities, technologies, and services in the areas of
defense, agriculture, and telecommunications.
(5) The United States and its allies in the global war on
terrorism will mutually benefit from the sharing of
technological expertise to combat domestic and international
terrorism.
(6) The establishment of an office to facilitate and
support cooperative endeavors between and among government
agencies, for-profit business entities, academic
institutions, and nonprofit entities of the United States and
its allies will safeguard lives and property worldwide
against acts of terrorism and other high consequence events.

SEC. 3. PROMOTING ANTITERRORISM THROUGH INTERNATIONAL
COOPERATION ACT.

(a) In General.--The Homeland Security Act of 2002 is
amended by inserting after section 313 (6 U.S.C. 193) the
following:

``SEC. 314. PROMOTING ANTITERRORISM THROUGH INTERNATIONAL
COOPERATION PROGRAM.

``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Director.--The term `Director' means the Director
selected under subsection (b)(2).
``(2) International cooperative activity.--The term
`international cooperative activity' includes--
``(A) coordinated research projects, joint research
projects, or joint ventures;
``(B) joint studies or technical demonstrations;
``(C) coordinated field exercises, scientific seminars,
conferences, symposia, and workshops;
``(D) training of scientists and engineers;
``(E) visits and exchanges of scientists, engineers, or
other appropriate personnel;
``(F) exchanges or sharing of scientific and technological
information; and
``(G) joint use of laboratory facilities and equipment.
``(b) Science and Technology Homeland Security
International Cooperative Programs Office.--
``(1) Establishment.--The Under Secretary shall establish
the Science and Technology Homeland Security International
Cooperative Programs Office.
``(2) Director.--The Office shall be headed by a Director,
who--
``(A) shall be selected by and shall report to the Under
Secretary; and
``(B) may be an officer of the Department serving in
another position.
``(3) Responsibilities.--
``(A) Development of mechanisms.--The Director shall be
responsible for developing, in consultation with the
Department of State, understandings or agreements that allow
and support international cooperative activity in support of
homeland security research, development, and comparative
testing.
``(B) Priorities.--The Director shall be responsible for
developing, in coordination with the Directorate of Science
and Technology, the other components of the Department of
Homeland Security, and other Federal agencies, strategic
priorities for international cooperative activity in support
of homeland security research, development, and comparative
testing.
``(C) Activities.--The Director shall facilitate the
planning, development, and implementation of international
cooperative activity to address the strategic priorities
developed under subparagraph (B) through mechanisms the Under
Secretary considers appropriate, including grants,
cooperative agreements, or contracts to or with foreign
public or private entities, governmental organizations,
businesses, federally funded research and development
centers, and universities.
``(D) Identification of partners.--The Director shall
facilitate the matching of United States entities engaged in
homeland security research with non-United States entities
engaged in homeland security research so that they may
partner in homeland security research activities.
``(4) Coordination.--The Director shall ensure that the
activities under this subsection are coordinated with those
of other relevant research agencies, and may run projects
jointly with other agencies.
``(5) Conferences and workshops.--The Director may hold
international homeland security technology workshops and
conferences to improve contact among the international
community of technology developers and to help establish
direction for future technology goals.
``(c) International Cooperative Activities.--
``(1) Authorization.--The Under Secretary is authorized to
carry out international cooperative activities to support the
responsibilities specified under section 302.
``(2) Mechanisms and equitability.--In carrying out this
section, the Under Secretary may award grants to and enter
into

[[Page H1910]]

cooperative agreements or contracts with United States
governmental organizations, businesses (including small
businesses and small and disadvantaged businesses), federally
funded research and development centers, institutions of
higher education, and foreign public or private entities. The
Under Secretary shall ensure that funding and resources
expended in international cooperative activities will be
equitably matched by the foreign partner organization through
direct funding or funding of complementary activities, or
through provision of staff, facilities, materials, or
equipment.
``(3) Loans of equipment.--The Under Secretary may make or
accept loans of equipment for research and development and
comparative testing purposes.
``(4) Cooperation.--The Under Secretary is authorized to
conduct international cooperative activities jointly with
other agencies.
``(5) Foreign partners.--Partners may include Israel, the
United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Singapore, and other
allies in the global war on terrorism, as appropriate.
``(6) Exotic diseases.--As part of the international
cooperative activities authorized in this section, the Under
Secretary, in coordination with the Chief Medical Officer,
may facilitate the development of information sharing and
other types of cooperative mechanisms with foreign countries,
including nations in Africa, to strengthen American
preparedness against threats to the Nation's agricultural and
public health sectors from exotic diseases.
``(d) Budget Allocation.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary, to be derived from amounts
otherwise authorized for the Directorate of Science and
Technology, $25,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008
through 2011 for activities under this section.
``(e) Foreign Reimbursements.--Whenever the Science and
Technology Homeland Security International Cooperative
Programs Office participates in an international cooperative
activity with a foreign country on a cost-sharing basis, any
reimbursements or contributions received from that foreign
country to meet its share of the project may be credited to
appropriate current appropriations accounts of the
Directorate of Science and Technology.
``(f) Report to Congress on International Cooperative
Activities.--
``(1) Initial report.--Not later than 180 days after the
date of enactment of this section, the Under Secretary,
acting through the Director, shall transmit to the Congress a
report containing--
``(A) a brief description of each partnership formed under
subsection (b)(4), including the participants, goals, and
amount and sources of funding; and
``(B) a list of international cooperative activities
underway, including the participants, goals, expected
duration, and amount and sources of funding, including
resources provided to support the activities in lieu of
direct funding.
``(2) Updates.--At the end of the fiscal year that occurs 5
years after the transmittal of the report under subsection
(a), and every 5 years thereafter, the Under Secretary,
acting through the Director, shall transmit to the Congress
an update of the report required under subsection (a).''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents for the
Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by adding after the
item relating to section 313 the following new item:

``Sec. 314. Promoting antiterrorism through international cooperation
program.''.

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

General Leave

Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend
their remarks on this legislation, and insert extraneous material on
the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New York?
There was no objection.
Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, at the outset, let me thank the gentleman from
Mississippi, Chairman Thompson, for his cooperation, not just in the
previous Congress on putting this legislation together, but also today
in his generosity in allowing me to go forward on it. To me, this is
typical and symbolic of the bipartisanship which he has brought to the
committee both as ranking member and now as chairman. I thank him for
that. And more than his personal kindness and generosity, let me also
say that it is so vitally important that on issues such as this that
there be bipartisan cooperation working across the aisle because all of
our lives changed on September 11. All of us realized we had to change
the way we did business, whether it was creating the Department of
Homeland Security, whether it was creating the law enforcement agencies
at all levels of government to cooperate, whether it meant adopting
specific legislation on chemical plants or port security, or any of the
other areas included within the umbrella of Homeland Security.
But it also requires us to establish firmer relationships with our
allies, finding areas of common ground among us and our allies, and
that is what H.R. 884 will do. H.R. 884 is the Promoting Antiterrorism
Cooperation through Technology and Science Act, PACTS.
It is an effort by us to have our Department of Homeland Security and
our government work with our allies and friends around the world to
find common ways to confront terrorism, to use technology to confront
terrorism, and it does that initially by establishing the International
Cooperation Programs Office within the Science and Technology
Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security.
It also authorizes $25 million a year in fiscal years 2008, 2009,
2010, and 2011. So $25 million for each of the next four fiscal years.
It specifies by name Great Britain, Singapore, Israel, Canada, and
Australia as countries that we should especially work more closely with
to exchange technology and research, and to work together on a common
effort at the government level, at the university level, private
foundations, to put aside any technical differences that may separate
us, to try to work through any legal impediments there may be to the
type of cooperation that we believe is absolutely essential.
This legislation did pass our committee in the last Congress and
passed the House. Unfortunately, it was blocked in the Senate. We
certainly hope that under the leadership of Chairman Thompson it will
again pass the House this year, and hopefully the Senate will do the
right thing this year and we can get this legislation to the
President's desk.
The war on terrorism will involve many of us for many years. The more
allies and partners and friends we can have working with us, the more
we can share our expertise and technology that make us stronger and
make the enemy weaker.
I urge the adoption of H.R. 884 and thank the gentleman from
Mississippi for his cooperation.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as
I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 884, Promoting
Antiterrorism Cooperation through Technology and Science Act, a bill
considered in one form or another since the 108th Congress.
There is an old saying we tell school children: if at first you don't
succeed, try, try again.
Although these words of encouragement may have originally applied to
the grade school study of algebra or Latin, they are equally
motivational to those of us serving in the 110th Congress.
I first raised the idea of this bill in January of 2005, soon after I
became the ranking member. I know my Democratic colleagues had pushed
for it in the 108th Congress at well.
Well, after years of trying, this Congress will succeed in sending
this legislation to the President's desk. I know the other body will be
taking up a similar provision attached to their bill seeking to fulfill
the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. I am very pleased that they
will soon join the House in passing this legislation.
Why is this bill so important? The answer lies in the nature of the
terrorist threat. Terrorism is an international threat to the
democratic way of life. Though we have experienced terrible tragedies
of our own, terrorist attacks occur all over the world.
Terrorists have attacked buses in London; hotels in Israel; trains in
Mumbai; embassies in Indonesia; resorts in Bali; and schools in Russia.
As the global threat of terrorism is evident, so too is the solution to
limiting those attacks. By promoting international cooperation, we will
defeat the efforts of our enemies. Cooperation in developing
antiterrorism technologies should be a top priority. The different
challenges faced by our friends around the world have resulted in new
approaches that the United

[[Page H1911]]

States should leverage to protect our citizens.
International cooperation is nothing new for our country. In fact,
the United States has a history of productive scientific and technical
collaborations with Israel, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and
others.
The Department of Homeland Security has participated in some of these
partnerships with foreign governments and other entities.
This legislation will encourage and strengthen those efforts and
direct the Department to look for new partners beyond those we already
have. This includes working with folks in the small business community
who can bring exciting technologies to the table.
I am especially heartened that the bill will strengthen the means for
protecting our Nation from exotic diseases. Active collaborations with
scientists in Africa, where many of these diseases originate, should be
promoted. This bill encourages that collaboration.
Too often, the United States presents a posture of unilateralism to
the world. I hope that through programs like the ones authorized in
this legislation, we encourage a more cooperative approach to fighting
terrorism.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly support H.R. 884. I urge my colleagues to do
the same.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may
consume to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite).
Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking
member of the Homeland Security Committee.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 884, the
Promoting Antiterrorism Cooperation through Technology and Science Act,
a long name for a great bill and an idea whose time clearly has come.
The world knows that we changed on the morning of September 11, 2001.
We found ourselves raw, exposed, attacked on our own soil, and mourning
friends and loved ones killed that tragic morning. We learned the true
nature of Islamic militants and the extent of their indiscriminate
hatred of Americans.
But we did not sit by silently, waiting for another attack. We acted,
molding our government into a new security-focused body, willing and
able to help protect our citizens. And, Mr. Speaker, we partnered with
other countries in the global war on terror working to weed out
terrorist cells across the globe and stop them before they have a
chance to harm anyone else.
This bill today builds on our partnership with international allies,
directing the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate
international research programs and strategic planning coalitions.
H.R. 884 enhances these cooperative tools to improve our interactions
with great allies like Israel, Canada, Australia, Japan, the United
Kingdom, and Singapore.
Mr. Speaker, we cannot fight the war on terror alone. We need our
international partners to stand with us to stop the murderous terrorist
groups wherever they spring up.
Today's bill supports and enhances these partnerships, and I am very
proud to support it. I urge my colleagues to do the same. I want to
commend the chairman of the committee and the ranking member of the
committee for their great work on this bill.

{time} 1515

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he
may consume to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).
Mr. PASCRELL. I thank the chairman and ranking member. I really
commend the work that you have done, both Mr. Thompson and Mr. King, in
this area of reaching across the aisle and not just speaking about it,
but doing something about it.
This is a very important piece of legislation, H.R. 884. It has been
a product of bipartisan effort and collegial dedication by a lot of
people on both sides of the aisle, the staffs of both sides of the
aisle, and I am heartened at the process by which the bill has moved
forward.
The commitment of Mr. Thompson and Mr. King to this vitally important
legislation has been unwavering, and the collaboration offered
epitomizes the very best of what the homeland security can and should
be. I was honored to serve on that committee for 4 years, and this is a
tremendous achievement to see this proposal move forward.
This legislation will help to ensure that the Department of Homeland
Security works with our allies in the war on terror to develop and
share the best homeland security technologies possible, and we will all
be better off because of it.
In fact, it was not that long ago that several of us went to Europe,
to various capitals of Europe, to see what they were doing in terms of
homeland security. That proved to be a very productive trip, and we
learned from the Brits and from the Spanish and from the Italians, and
they learned from us. This is a true collaboration here.
Specifically, H.R. 884 will establish what we call the Science and
Technology Homeland Security International Cooperative Programs Office.
Its objective will be to facilitate international cooperative
activities throughout the Directorate of Science and Technology within
the Department of Homeland Security.
These international cooperative activities will be supported through
grants and cooperative agreements, contracts with the U.S. governmental
organizations, businesses, federally-funded research and developmental
centers, institutions of higher education, and foreign public and
private entities.
This bill seeks to strengthen ongoing partnerships, as well as
encourage new ones. As has been mentioned by both the chairman and the
ranking member, the global war on terrorism is one we have joined with
with Israel and the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Singapore and
many other countries.
To be sure, the United States could greatly benefit from joint
international homeland security development programs between the U.S.
and our allies in this war on terror.
The fact is this: Many of our allies have substantial experience
dealing with terror, and by necessity, they have become op-eds for
counterterrorism research.
The bill would authorize $25 million for international cooperative
activities for each of the fiscal years of 2008 to 2011. Now, that is
not a lot of money when we consider the vast array of benefits that
such cooperative agreements can produce.
Forming these partnerships, Mr. Speaker, and working together in a
way that will ultimately help secure America is the main objective of
the bill, and it should always be the main objective of this whole
body. Passage of this legislation today shows that the House takes this
austere responsibility seriously.
A final point, Mr. Speaker, if I may, the point of global strategy
was at the center of the 9/11 Commission Report, Chapter 12. The
Commission made recommendations about global strategy. The kind of
partnership and cooperation at the heart of our port security, for
instance, is determined by how well the other country where goods and
services are coming from will cooperate with us. We can't check every
ship that comes into our ports, but we certainly could get the
cooperation of other countries with state-of-the-art science and
technology to do that.
Once again, I commend, and I do not speak empty or hollow of the work
that both Mr. Thompson and Mr. King did.
Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, first let me tell the gentleman
from New Jersey that we miss him on the committee. We miss his charm
and his insights and his lively personality and his dedication.
With that, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from
Tennessee (Mr. David Davis), a member of the committee.
Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R.
884. I would like to thank the chairman and the ranking member for
bringing this important piece of legislation.
The development and implementation of technology to combat terrorism
is critical. The United States and our allies in the war on terror
share a common interest in furthering research and development of
homeland security-related technology.
As such, this legislation directs the Department of Homeland
Security's research and development arm, the

[[Page H1912]]

Science and Technology Division, to coordinate international
cooperative programs with our allies in the war on terror to advance
this important homeland security research.
This legislation implements a 9/11 Commission recommendation that the
United States should engage other Nations in developing a comprehensive
coalition strategy against Islamic extremists.
H.R. 884 establishes the Science and Technology Homeland Security
International Cooperative Programs Office within the Science and
Technology Division to promote cooperation between entities of the
United States and its allies to engage in cooperative endeavors focused
on the research, development and commercialization of high-priority
technologies directed at countering acts of terrorism and other high
consequence events to address the homeland security needs of Federal,
State and local governments.
This bill enables the Science and Technology Division within DHS to
coordinate with our allies. By encouraging joint research studies, the
sharing of scientific and technological information, the training and
exchange of scientists and engineers, as well as the joint use of
laboratory equipment and facilities, H.R. 884 further directs DHS to
collaborate with their strongest allies that include Israel, the United
Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Singapore in the development of
homeland security technologies.
This legislation is modeled after a partnership created by Congress
in 1977 between the United States and Israel. That was called the
Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation, also known
as the BIRD Foundation. In 29 years, the BIRD Foundation has invested
$225 million in 690 cooperative research and development projects
mutually beneficial to the United States and to Israel.
H.R. 884 will facilitate collaboration with countries which have
extensive experience in combating terrorism and will enable us to
benefit and tailor their technology solutions to address our needs.
Israel is a country that has developed successful models to mitigate
security threats. Most notably, Israel has pioneered efforts and
behavioral pattern recognition, also known as BPR. The United States
has begun adopting BPR at airports and is now training police and
security officers to detect people who are behaving in a suspicious
manner.
It is for these reasons that I support H.R. 884, and I encourage my
colleagues to do the same.
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers.
I would like to basically thank the gentleman from New York for working
with me on the bill, and I encourage all Members to vote ``aye'' for
its passage.
I also submit the following exchange of letters for the Record.

Committee on Science and

Technology,

Washington, DC, February 26, 2007.
Hon. Bennie G. Thompson,
Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman, I am writing to you concerning the
jurisdictional interest of the Committee on Science and
Technology in H.R. 884, the Promoting Antiterrorism
Cooperation through Technology and Science Act. The Committee
on Science and Technology has jurisdictional interest in this
bill based on the Committee's jurisdiction over the
Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology
Directorate (``DHS S&T'') and other DHS research and
development. [See Rule X(o)(14) which grants the Committee on
Science and Technology jurisdiction over ``Scientific
research, development, and demonstration, and projects
therefor.'']
This bill would amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to
establish a ``Science and Technology Homeland Security
International Cooperative Programs Office.'' All of the
international cooperative activities authorized by the bill
relate to homeland security research (e.g., ``coordinated
research projects, joint research projects, or joint
ventures;'' ``joint studies or technical demonstrations;''
``coordinated field exercises, scientific seminars,
conferences, symposia, and workshops;'' ``training of
scientists and engineers;'' ``visits and exchanges of
scientists, engineers, or other appropriate personnel;''
``exchanges or sharing of scientific and technological
information;'' and ``joint use of laboratory facilities and
equipment''). In addition, the funding for such activities is
to be derived from amounts otherwise authorized to DHS S&T.
The Committee on Science and Technology acknowledges the
importance of H.R. 884 and the need for the legislation to
move expeditiously. Therefore, while we have a valid claim to
jurisdiction over this bill, I agree not to request a
sequential referral. This, of course, is conditional on our
mutual understanding that nothing in this legislation or my
decision to forgo a sequential referral waives, reduces, or
otherwise affects the jurisdiction of the Committee on
Science and Technology, and that a copy of this letter and of
your response will be included in the Congressional Record
when the bill is considered on the House Floor.
The Committee on Science and Technology also expects that
you will support our request to be conferees during any
House-Senate conference on this legislation.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Bart Gordon,
Chairman.
____

Committee on Homeland Security,

Washington, DC, February 26, 2007.
Hon. Bart Gordon,
Chairman, Committee on Science and Technology, Washington,
DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your recent letter
expressing the Science and Technology Committee's
jurisdictional interest in H.R. 884, the ``Promoting
Antiterrorism Cooperation through Technology and Science
Act.'' The Committee on Homeland Security acknowledges your
claim to jurisdiction over provisions contained in this bill,
as amended, and appreciates your agreement not to request a
sequential referral. The Committee on Homeland Security
understands that nothing in the legislation or your decision
to forgo a sequential referral waives, reduces or otherwise
affects the jurisdiction of the Science and Technology
Committee, and that a copy of this letter and of our response
will be included in the Congressional Record when the bill is
considered on the House Floor. The Committee on Homeland
Security will also support your request to be conferees
during any House-Senate conference on this legislation.
Thank you for your cooperation as we work toward the
enactment of H.R. 884.
Sincerely,
Bennie G. Thompson,
Chairman.
____

Committee on Foreign Affairs,

Washington, DC, February 27, 2007.
Bennie G. Thompson,
Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Thompson: I am writing to you concerning the
bill H.R. 884, the ``Promoting Antiterrorism Cooperation
through Technology and Science Act.'' There are certain
provisions in the legislation which fall within the Rule X
jurisdiction of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, including
provisions relating to programs that may provide appropriated
funds to foreign governments and entities.
In the interest of permitting your Committee to proceed
expeditiously to floor consideration of this important bill,
I am willing to waive this Committee's right to sequential
referral on this legislation. I do so with the understanding
that by waiving consideration of the bill the Committee on
Foreign Affairs does not waive, reduce or otherwise affect
any future jurisdictional claim over the subject matters
contained in the bill which fall within its Rule X
jurisdiction. I request that you support our efforts to have
Members of this Committee named to any conference committee
which is formed to consider any such provisions either in
this bill or in any other legislation that includes this
legislation.
Please place this letter into the Congressional Record
during consideration of the measure on the House floor. Thank
you for the cooperative spirit in which you have addressed
this matter and I look forward to working with you as H.R.
884 proceeds through the legislative process.
Cordially,
Tom Lantos,
Chairman.
____

Committee on Homeland Security,

Washington, DC, February 27, 2007.
Tom Lantos,
Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your recent letter
expressing the Committee on Foreign Affairs' jurisdictional
interest in H.R. 844, the ``Promoting Antiterrorism
Cooperation through Technology and Science Act.''
The Committee on Homeland Security appreciates your
willingness to work cooperatively on this important
legislation. The Committee on Homeland Security recognizes
your jurisdictional interest over provisions contained in
this bill, as amended, and appreciates your agreement not to
request a sequential referral. The Committee on Homeland
Security acknowledges that your decision to forgo a
sequential referral on this legislation does not waive,
reduce or otherwise affect the jurisdiction of the Committee
on Foreign Affairs. Accordingly, the Committee on Homeland
Security will support your efforts to participate as
conferees in any House-Senate conference on this legislation
or in any other legislation that includes this legislation.
A copy of this letter, together with the letter you sent on
this matter will be included in the Congressional Record when
the bill is considered on the House floor.

[[Page H1913]]

Thank you for your continued cooperation and I look forward
to working with you as H.R. 884 proceeds through the
legislative process.
Sincerely,
Bennie G. Thompson,
Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, let me again thank Chairman
Thompson for his efforts and his cooperation and for his generosity as
far as moving this bill forward, and I, again, thank him for that. I
think it speaks volumes as to the quality of leadership that he has
brought to the committee.
I would also be remiss if I did not thank staff on our side, Dr.
Diane Berry, Colleen O'Keefe and Adam Paulson for their work in
bringing this together, and again, bring it to fruition today.
Also, Mr. Speaker, what we are doing today is really a very important
continuation of what our governments and other governments have been
trying to do. Just several weeks ago, the Secretary of Homeland
Security signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Israel's minister of
public security, again pledging cooperation. This is codifying that and
making clear we want to do more; we want to keep going forward on that.
Again, I thank the chairman for his support and his cooperation, and
I urge the adoption of H.R. 884.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 884,
which establishes the Science and Technology Homeland Security
International Cooperative Programs Office. H.R. 884 is an improved
version of a similar bill, H.R. 4942, passed by the House during the
109th Congress. The purpose of these minor, non-substantive changes is
to align the House bill more closely with its Senate counterpart, S.
1554, which will be considered when the Senate takes up H.R. 1, which
implements the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission.
The purpose of H.R. 884 and S. 1554 is to establish an office charged
with promoting cooperation between entities of the United States and
its allies in the global war on terrorism in the areas of research,
development, and commercialization of high-priority technologies
intended to detect, prevent, respond to, recover from, and mitigate
against acts of terrorism and other high consequence events. The bill
also addresses the homeland security needs of Federal, State, and local
governments.
The House bill authorizes $25 million per year for international
cooperative activities for the fiscal years 2008 through 2011 and
establishes an International Cooperative Programs Office within the
Science and Technology Directorate of the Department of Homeland
Security, DHS, headed by a Director. The Director is responsible for:
Promoting cooperative research between the U.S. and its allies on
homeland security technologies;
Developing strategic priorities for international cooperative
activity and addressing them through agreements with foreign entities;
Facilitating the matching of U.S. entities--including small
businesses--engaged in homeland security research with appropriate
foreign research partners;
Ensuring that activities of the office are coordinated with other
relevant research agencies; and
Planning and executing conferences and workshops to improve contact
among technology developers and to help establish direction for future
technology goals.
H.R. 884 also establishes a Science and Technology Homeland Security
International Cooperative Programs Office to facilitate international
cooperative activities throughout the Directorate of Science and
Technology.
The United States currently participates in similar bilateral
programs such as the Bi-National Industrial Research and Development--
BIRD Foundation--in which the United States and Israel cooperate on
defense-related R&D. The office would conduct similar activities, but
they would be run by the Department of Homeland Security rather than a
private foundation.
The Director of the Office reports directly to the Under Secretary
for Science and Technology and is responsible for developing
understandings and agreements that allow and support international
cooperative activity in support of homeland security research,
development, and comparative testing. The legislation also makes the
Director responsible for developing strategic priorities for
international cooperative activity in support of homeland security
research, development, and comparative testing.
Mr. Speaker, facilitating international cooperative activity to
address strategic priorities through appropriate mechanisms such as
grants, cooperative agreements or contracts with foreign public or
private entities is another important objective that this legislation
prudently vests in the Director. The Director shall also be mandated to
identify and match domestic entities engaged in homeland security
research with foreign entities so that they may partner in homeland
security research activities.
Finally, the Director is obligated to work toward bringing about the
coordination of the Department's international cooperative activities
with the activities of other relevant research agencies and to holding
international homeland security technology workshops and conferences.
These international cooperative activities are to be supported through
grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts with Federal governmental
organizations, businesses--including small businesses, federally funded
research and development centers, institutions of higher education, and
foreign and private entities.
Mr. Speaker, this bill would encourage equal partnership by requiring
that the foreign partner equitably match U.S. funding expended through
direct funding or funding of complementary activities, or through
provision of staff, facilities, material, or equipment. It strengthens
ongoing partnerships and encourages new ones.
In addition, partnerships are encouraged with the nations of Africa
to facilitate the development of information sharing and other types of
collaboration to strengthen American preparedness against threats to
our Nation's agricultural sector and public health from exotic
diseases.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly support H.R. 884 and urge my colleagues to
do so as well.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 884, and I
commend the gentlemen from New York and Mississippi for moving this
legislation forward.
In the war on terrorists, we are often racing against our enemies as
they develop new threats and we develop new countermeasures. This has
been true throughout the history of warfare and it remains true today,
whether we are talking about improvised explosive devices, shoe bombs,
or attacks using chlorine gas.
In this competition to combat new threats, cooperation on science and
technology with our allies is a key force multiplier, and I commend the
gentlemen for moving forward with this legislation.
But we have to make sure that these cooperative programs are properly
coordinated and consistent with existing programs and law. I believe
that before the Department of Homeland Security initiates a new
program, the Secretary of State should be in full agreement with the
proposed cooperation to ensure that there is no duplication of efforts
with State Department anti-terrorism efforts. In addition, this new
framework should recognize that:
In accordance with section 622(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act of
1961, the Secretary of State is responsible ``for continuous
supervision and general direction'' of U.S. foreign assistance;
In accordance with section 504 of the Foreign Relations Authorization
Act, fiscal year 1979, the Secretary of State shall have primary
responsibility for coordination and oversight with respect to all major
science or science and technology agreements and activities between the
United States and foreign countries; and
In accordance with the Case-Zablocki Act, no international agreement
may be signed or otherwise concluded without prior consultation by the
Secretary of State.
While I do not believe that H.R. 844 is inconsistent with
coordination with the Secretary of State or with these authorities and
requirements, I look forward to working with the gentleman from
Mississippi and gentleman from New York as H.R. 844 moves forward on
legislative language to provide for a specific role for the Secretary
of State in this process and to reflect these existing authorities. And
I appreciate the gentlemen's willingness to work with me on these
issues.
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 884 to
establish a Science and Technology Homeland Security International
Cooperative Programs Office. In an ongoing effort to promote effective
methods of addressing antiterrorism, this legislation would establish a
Science Technology Homeland Security International Cooperative Programs
Office to facilitate international cooperative activities throughout
the Directorate of Science and Technology.
Terrorism is no longer confined to one country. It is now a threat to
international security. The means, missions and motives of terrorism
have changed, forcing the counter-terrorism community to react
accordingly. Our strategies and implementations, in order to be more
effective, need to be global. The most disturbing developments have
been a growing partnership in organized crime between countries. As a
result, and since the 9/11 attacks, the international community has
focused on the issue of terrorism with renewed intensity. Gathering,

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coordinating and sharing of information among the international
community is a critical effort to prevent and combat terrorism. H.R.
884 creates this opportunity by facilitating international cooperative
activity that encourages international partnerships in the fight
against terrorism.
Mr. Speaker, it is important that we join our allies on and off the
battlefield. Terrorism is a global phenomenon that requires a
coordinated global response. H.R. 884 provides a global response to
terrorism. This legislation was passed in the House during the 109th
Congress and I urge my colleagues to support it again.
Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, as a cosponsor of H.R. 884, the PACTS Act, I
am pleased we are moving quickly and considering this legislation,
which implements a key 9/11 Commission recommendation that ``the United
States should engage other nations in developing a comprehensive
coalition strategy against Islamist terrorism.''
The bill enables the Department of Homeland Security to join forces
with our closest international allies to develop homeland security
technologies and share scientific information to help prevent terrorist
attacks.
As co-chairman of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission Caucus, I know how
important it is to implement the core recommendations of the 9/11
Commission and to hold the administration and relevant Federal agencies
accountable to implement them.
Mr. Speaker, I urge the support of this legislation.
Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, 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. King) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 884.
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. THOMPSON of Mississippi. 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 and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question will
be postponed.

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