May 14, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 80 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Pages H3762-H3763]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       DHS INTELLIGENCE ROTATIONAL ASSIGNMENT PROGRAM ACT OF 2019

  Ms. TORRES SMALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the 
rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2066) to amend the Homeland Security Act 
of 2002 to establish the Intelligence Rotational Assignment Program in 
the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2066

       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 ``DHS Intelligence Rotational 
     Assignment Program Act of 2019''.

     SEC. 2. INTELLIGENCE ROTATIONAL ASSIGNMENT PROGRAM.

       Section 844 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 
     414) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
     subsection:
       ``(b) Intelligence Rotational Assignment Program.--
       ``(1) Establishment.--Not later than one year after the 
     date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall 
     establish an Intelligence Rotational Assignment Program as 
     part of the Rotation Program under subsection (a).
       ``(2) Administration.--The Chief Human Capital Officer, in 
     conjunction with the Chief Intelligence Officer, shall 
     administer the Intelligence Rotational Assignment Program 
     established pursuant to paragraph (1).
       ``(3) Eligiblity.--The Intelligence Rotational Assignment 
     Program shall be open to employees serving in existing 
     analyst positions within the Department's Intelligence 
     Enterprise and other Department employees as determined 
     appropriate by the Chief Human Capital Officer and the Chief 
     Intelligence Officer.
       ``(4) Coordination.--The responsibilities specified in 
     paragraph (3)(B) of subsection (a) that apply to the Rotation 
     Program under such subsection shall, as applicable, also 
     apply to the Intelligence Rotational Assignment Program under 
     this subsection.''.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
New Mexico (Ms. Torres Small) and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. 
Joyce) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New Mexico.


                             General Leave

  Ms. TORRES SMALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent 
that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their 
remarks and to include extraneous material on this measure.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from New Mexico?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. TORRES SMALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time 
as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, almost 18 years ago, Americans were horrified by the 
devastating September 11 attacks. While the perpetrator sought to bring 
us to our knees, we emerged more determined to protect our Nation.
  In the years since the attacks, efforts to improve information 
sharing, interoperability, and coordination across all levels of 
government have been redoubled. H.R. 2066, the DHS Intelligence 
Rotational Assignment Program Act, continues in the same vein by 
providing DHS employees with the opportunity to complete a rotational 
assignment within DHS' Office of Intelligence and Analysis.
  By establishing this program, officers and analysts across DHS who 
have a passion for keeping our Nation secure would be provided the 
opportunity to develop and broaden their intelligence and 
counterterrorism skills. Organizations with such programs find that 
they yield benefits far beyond what the individuals who participate 
learn.
  As the threat landscape continues to rapidly change, ensuring that 
those charged with keeping us safe have ample opportunities to enhance 
their analytical skills must remain a priority. Mr. Speaker, I urge my 
House colleagues to support this bipartisan

[[Page H3763]]

legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2066, the DHS Intelligence 
Rotational Assignment Program Act of 2019.
  I want to commend the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Gallagher) for 
introducing this legislation.
  The goal of H.R. 2066 is to establish a robust rotation program for 
intelligence analysts across the Department of Homeland Security. As a 
former intelligence officer, Representative Gallagher certainly 
understands the value of robust, interagency intelligence cooperation.
  This legislation addresses specific shortfalls within the Department 
of Homeland Security where the different component intelligence offices 
do not reliably coordinate and analysts from one agency are rarely 
detailed to another.
  This bill was originally introduced last Congress and received 
overwhelming bipartisan support. I urge my colleagues to support the 
bill.
  Mr. Speaker, establishing a rotation program for intelligence 
analysts from individual DHS component intelligence offices is 
essential for building a robust DHS intelligence enterprise.
  I applaud Congressman Gallagher for his work on this issue, and I 
want to thank Chairman Thompson and Ranking Member   Mike Rogers for 
bringing this bill to the floor.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge support for the measure, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Ms. TORRES SMALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, last year, H.R. 2066 
passed the House of Representatives under a suspension of the rules. 
Authorizing this program will help to improve the effectiveness of DHS' 
intelligence analysis operations for years to come. As such, I 
encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 2066, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. GALLAGHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill H.R. 
2066, the DHS Intelligence Rotational Assignment Program Act of 2019.
  Having spent nearly a decade working on intelligence issues for the 
military and the Intelligence Community, I know first-hand the 
importance of collaboration between different intelligence offices. 
Understanding the mission sets and key intelligence questions of 
partner agencies not only makes the entire Intelligence Community 
better, but keeps our nation safer. We must do all we can to strengthen 
participation in programs that seek to encourage this type of cross 
pollination.
  The Intelligence Rotational Assignment Program, or TRAP, was 
established to provide the Department's intelligence analysts with the 
opportunity to gain experience in the different mission areas across 
the DHS intelligence enterprise.
  While the establishment of IRAP was an important step for improving 
intra-agency communication, the program has seen low levels of 
participation due to the fact that most DHS intelligence offices are 
unaware of the program's existence, and there are no incentives for 
analysts to partake.
  H.R. 2066 seeks to reverse this trend by authorizing IRAP within the 
larger ``Homeland Security Rotation Program,'' or HSRP. Operated by the 
Under Secretary of Management, the HSRP encourages rotations for senior 
level employees throughout the Department to broaden their knowledge of 
various component operations.
  Establishing a specific intelligence rotation program through this 
framework will raise the program's profile within the Department and 
encourage new incentives. Further, by creating a more robust and 
transparent rotation program, this bill encourages DHS intelligence 
analysts to gain the skills and competencies that elevate the 
Department's Intelligence Enterprise above its individual program 
missions while ensuring the program's existence in the future.
  I want to thank Chairman Thompson and Ranking Member Rogers for 
bringing this bill to the Floor, and my colleagues for supporting its 
passage. I urge the Senate to swiftly adopt this important legislation, 
and yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Torres Small) that the House suspend 
the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2066.
  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.

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