September 30, 2020 - Issue: Vol. 166, No. 170 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 2nd Session
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HOMELAND SECURITY ACQUISITION PROFESSIONAL CAREER PROGRAM ACT; Congressional Record Vol. 166, No. 170
(House of Representatives - September 30, 2020)
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[Pages H5084-H5085] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] {time} 1345 HOMELAND SECURITY ACQUISITION PROFESSIONAL CAREER PROGRAM ACT Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5822) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish an acquisition professional career program, and for other purposes, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 5822 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 ``Homeland Security Acquisition Professional Career Program Act''. SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF THE ACQUISITION PROFESSIONAL CAREER PROGRAM. (a) In General.--Title VII of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 341 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section: ``SEC. 711. ACQUISITION PROFESSIONAL CAREER PROGRAM. ``(a) Establishment.--There is established in the Department an acquisition professional career program to develop a cadre of acquisition professionals within the Department. ``(b) Administration.--The Under Secretary for Management shall administer the acquisition professional career program established pursuant to subsection (a). ``(c) Program Requirements.--The Under Secretary for Management shall carry out the following with respect to the acquisition professional career program. ``(1) Designate the occupational series, grades, and number of acquisition positions throughout the Department to be included in the program and manage centrally such positions. ``(2) Establish and publish on the Department's website eligibility criteria for candidates to participate in the program. ``(3) Carry out recruitment efforts to attract candidates-- ``(A) from institutions of higher education, including such institutions with established acquisition specialties and courses of study, historically Black colleges and universities, and Hispanic-serving institutions; ``(B) with diverse work experience outside of the Federal Government; or ``(C) with military service. ``(4) Hire eligible candidates for designated positions under the program. ``(5) Develop a structured program comprised of acquisition training, on-the-job experience, Department-wide rotations, mentorship, shadowing, and other career development opportunities for program participants. ``(6) Provide, beyond required training established for program participants, additional specialized acquisition training, including small business contracting and innovative acquisition techniques training. ``(d) Reports.--Not later than December 31, 2020, and annually thereafter through 2026, the Secretary 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 acquisition professional career program. Each such report shall include the following information: ``(1) The number of candidates approved for the program. [[Page H5085]] ``(2) The number of candidates who commenced participation in the program, including generalized information on such candidates' backgrounds with respect to education and prior work experience, but not including personally identifiable information. ``(3) A breakdown of the number of participants hired under the program by type of acquisition position. ``(4) A list of Department components and offices that participated in the program and information regarding length of time of each program participant in each rotation at such components or offices. ``(5) Program attrition rates and post-program graduation retention data, including information on how such data compare to the prior year's data, as available. ``(6) The Department's recruiting efforts for the program. ``(7) The Department's efforts to promote retention of program participants. ``(e) Definitions.--In this section: ``(1) Hispanic-serving institution.--The term `Hispanic- serving institution' has the meaning given such term in section 502 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1101a). ``(2) Historically black colleges and universities.--The term `historically Black colleges and universities' has the meaning given the term `part B institution' in section 322(2) of Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061(2)). ``(3) Institution of higher education.--The term `institution of higher education' has the meaning given such term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).''. (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 710 the following new item: ``Sec. 711. Acquisition professional career program.''. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Espaillat). Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Underwood) and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joyce) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Illinois. General Leave Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 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 Illinois? There was no objection. Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5822, the Homeland Security Acquisition Professional Career Program Act. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5822 authorizes an existing program within the Department of Homeland Security focused on strengthening its acquisition workforce. DHS established the Acquisition Professional Career Program in 2008 to create a pipeline for hard-to-fill acquisition workforce positions, such as contract specialists. Since its inception, the program has had over 300 program graduates join the ranks of DHS' acquisition workforce, which oversees billions of dollars of transactions to procure what DHS needs to carry out its diverse missions. They are charged with purchasing everything from cybersecurity software for protecting Federal networks, to disaster response supplies, to sophisticated security screening equipment. And when it comes to COVID-19, they have been responsible for spending over $1.7 billion on a wide range of response activities. Unfortunately, the Government Accountability Office has highlighted workforce shortages as a persistent challenge for DHS acquisition programs--one that can negatively affect their ability to deliver vital capabilities on time and on budget. H.R. 5822 will help address this challenge by authorizing DHS' rigorous development program, which provides participants with acquisition training, mentorship, department-wide rotations, and other career development opportunities. H.R. 5822, if enacted, will help DHS maintain a pipeline for its acquisition workforce that directly supports the Department's frontline officers with the tools that they need to perform their jobs. Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentlewoman from Nevada, Representative Titus, for introducing this measure, and I urge my colleagues to support it. Mr. Speaker, 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. 5822. The Department of Homeland Security has an important mission to protect the homeland and secure our borders. To accomplish this mission, DHS must enter into contracts for equipment and services. To protect taxpayer dollars and ensure that DHS is getting the most bang for its buck, the Department must utilize experienced acquisition professionals. In the past decade, GAO has consistently identified issues that must be addressed to improve acquisition operations at DHS, including shortages in the number of trained acquisition professionals. This bill addresses this specific issue by developing trained acquisition professionals within DHS. H.R. 5822 provides the on-the-job acquisition training, rotations throughout the Department, mentoring, and other opportunities to enhance acquisition knowledge, and experience for the participants. I applaud my colleague, Representative Titus, for her efforts to bring this bill forward. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time. Ms. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, enactment of H.R. 5822 would help ensure that DHS maintains a pipeline for hard-to-fill acquisition positions throughout the Department. Given the critical nature of DHS' mission, it is essential that it have a robust acquisition workforce in place. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5822, and I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Underwood) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5822, as amended. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________
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