January 29, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 18 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Pages H1263-H1264]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              COUNTERTERRORISM ADVISORY BOARD ACT OF 2019

  Miss RICE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 769) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to 
establish in the Department of Homeland Security a board to coordinate 
and integrate departmental intelligence, activities, and policy related 
to counterterrorism, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 769

       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 ``Counterterrorism Advisory 
     Board Act of 2019''.

     SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY COUNTERTERRORISM 
                   ADVISORY BOARD.

       (a) In General.--At the end of subtitle A of title II of 
     the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 121 et seq.) 
     insert the following new section:

     ``SEC. 210H. DEPARTMENTAL COORDINATION ON COUNTERTERRORISM.

       ``(a) Establishment.--There is in the Department a board to 
     be composed of senior representatives of departmental 
     operational components and headquarters elements. The purpose 
     of the board shall be to coordinate and integrate 
     departmental intelligence, activities, and policy related to 
     the counterterrorism mission and functions of the Department.
       ``(b) Charter.--There shall be a charter to govern the 
     structure and mission of the board. Such charter shall direct 
     the board to focus on the current threat environment and the 
     importance of aligning departmental counterterrorism 
     activities under the Secretary's guidance. The charter shall 
     be reviewed and updated every 4 years, as appropriate.
       ``(c) Members.--
       ``(1) Chair.--The Secretary shall appoint a Coordinator for 
     Counterterrorism within the Department who will serve as the 
     chair of the board.
       ``(2) Additional members.--The Secretary shall appoint 
     additional members of the board from among the following:
       ``(A) The Transportation Security Administration.
       ``(B) United States Customs and Border Protection.
       ``(C) United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
       ``(D) The Federal Emergency Management Agency.
       ``(E) The Coast Guard.
       ``(F) United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.
       ``(G) The United States Secret Service.
       ``(H) The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
       ``(I) The Office of Operations Coordination.
       ``(J) The Office of the General Counsel.
       ``(K) The Office of Intelligence and Analysis.
       ``(L) The Office of Policy.
       ``(M) The Science and Technology Directorate.
       ``(N) Other Departmental offices and programs as determined 
     appropriate by the Secretary.
       ``(d) Meetings.--The board shall meet on a regular basis to 
     discuss intelligence and coordinate ongoing threat mitigation 
     efforts and departmental activities, including coordination 
     with other Federal, State, local, tribal, territorial, and 
     private sector partners, and shall make recommendations to 
     the Secretary.
       ``(e) Terrorism Alerts.--The board shall advise the 
     Secretary on the issuance of terrorism alerts pursuant to 
     section 203 of this Act.
       ``(f) Prohibition on Additional Funds.--No additional funds 
     are authorized to carry out this section.''.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section 
     1(b) of such Act is amended by inserting after the item 
     relating to section 210G the following new item:

``Sec. 210H. Departmental coordination on counterterrorism.''.

       (c) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary, acting through the 
     Coordinator for Counterterrorism, shall submit to the 
     Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and 
     Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report on the status and 
     activities of the board established under section 210H of the 
     Homeland Security Act of 2002, as added by subsection (a).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
New York (Miss Rice) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Katko) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New York.


                             General Leave

  Miss RICE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks 
and to

[[Page H1264]]

include extraneous material on this measure.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Miss RICE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, there is no question that the challenges in securing our 
homeland have become more complex and diverse in nature. As such, it is 
imperative that the DHS Secretary and any successors have a stable, 
codified mechanism for counterterrorism decisionmaking.

                              {time}  1345

  H.R. 769, the Counterterrorism Advisory Board Act of 2019 does just 
that. It would codify the Board into law, and ensure that it remains an 
integral part of counterterrorism policy recommendations and responses 
across the Department.
  Since 2010, the Counterterrorism Advisory Board, or CTAB, which is 
comprised of top DHS officials, has synthesized counterterrorism 
programs and activities across the Department.
  The CTAB helps keep America safe. H.R. 769 would authorize the CTAB 
to coordinate and integrate DHS' intelligence, policies, and activities 
related to counterterrorism. H.R. 769 also directs the Board to meet on 
a regular basis, to coordinate and integrate the Department's 
counterterrorism efforts, assess the current threat environment, and 
establish the leadership and composition of the Board. H.R. 769 also 
requires DHS to report to Congress on the board's status, activities, 
and progress.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my House colleagues to support this legislation, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. KATKO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, in 2015, I was selected to chair the Congressional Task 
Force on Combating Terrorist and Foreign Fighter Travel. After months 
of briefings, site visits, and hearings, it became clear that the 
Department of Homeland Security had to improve internal and external 
coordination and intelligence sharing to address a growing threat of 
foreign fighter travel, as well as other counterterrorism efforts.
  As a result, I introduced legislation to authorize and enhance the 
Department of Homeland Security Counterterrorism Advisory Board. 
Established in 2010, the CTAB brings senior officials across the 
spectrum in the Department to share information and coordinate 
counterterrorism activities.
  The CTAB has improved the Department's ability to respond to 
terrorism threats and harmonize counterterrorism programs and 
activities across DHS components.
  Given that the CTAB has never been authorized in law, the Board could 
be dismantled at any time, and the counterterrorism gains achieved 
could be lost. The bill ensures that the CTAB will be formally 
established in law. The bill also ensures the CTAB includes robust 
participation from DHS-component agencies in order to ensure all 
homeland security resources are utilized and the one DHS vision is 
realized.
  With ISIS having lost nearly all of its territory and all of al-
Qaida's senior leaders calling for unity among jihadist groups, it is 
more important than ever to ensure DHS is using all available resources 
to identify and prevent terrorists from coming to the United States.
  The bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to establish a 
charter to govern the roles and responsibilities of the CTAB, and 
further requires that the charter be reviewed and updated at least 
every 4 years to ensure the Department of Homeland Security is keeping 
pace with the ever-evolving terrorist threats.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Thompson and Ranking Member 
Rogers for selecting this bill as a priority for floor consideration so 
early in a new Congress. I look forward to working with our Senate 
colleagues to move this legislation through the process, and as always, 
I look forward to working with my colleague, the gentlewoman from New 
York (Miss Rice).
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud that this body is working to continue to 
strengthen our national security by debating the legislation before us 
today.
  I introduced this bill in the 114th Congress and 115th Congress, and 
it passed the House by an overwhelming majority.
  I urge my colleagues to again pass this measure and support the 
Department of Homeland Security's counterterrorism mission, and I hope 
the Senate will get it through this time.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Miss RICE of New York. Mr. Speaker, again, H.R. 769 will authorize 
within the Department of Homeland Security, the Counterterrorism 
Advisory Board to coordinate and integrate the Department's 
intelligence activities and policies as they relate to 
counterterrorism.
  This Board already plays a central and necessary role within DHS, and 
H.R. 769 will ensure that the Counterterrorism Advisory Board will 
remain in place for decades to come.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague and friend and fellow New 
Yorker, Congressman Katko. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 769, 
and I yield back the balance of my time
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from New York (Miss Rice) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 769.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Miss RICE of New York. 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.

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