Nanette Barragán

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3359 has broad support on both sides of the aisle. We talk a lot about the need to harden our cyber defenses against an evolving array of virtual threats. Reorganizing and rebranding NPPD as the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has the potential of enhancing DHS' cybersecurity capacity, boosting morale, and bringing its critical infrastructure protection workforce together in an unprecedented way. As an operational agency, CISA will be positioned to foster better collaboration between the cyber and physical sides of the house, bringing its cybersecurity analysts together with chemical inspectors, protective security advisers, emergency communication specialists, and Federal Protective Service officers for a more holistic approach to critical infrastructure protection. Mr. Speaker, mapping out a new agency is a complicated task, but this measure is long overdue. I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3669, the Securing General Aviation and Commercial Charter Air Carrier Service Act of 2017, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, general aviation flights, such as those that fly out of Compton/Woodley Airport in my district, are integral to our Nation's aviation system. The Securing General Aviation and Commercial Charter Air Carrier Service Act of 2017 seeks to improve and streamline security measures for general aviation and commercial charter air carriers. Importantly, H.R. 3669 incorporates two key Democratic amendments that were adopted with bipartisan support. First, an amendment from the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Mrs. Watson Coleman) ensures that the Aviation Security Advisory Committee can continue to operate independently and clarifies that the TSA Administrator retains the authority to make security decisions. As amended, the bill would drive TSA to move swiftly to act upon recommendations, with which it concurs, that the TSA's advisory committee issued regarding general aviation security. Secondly, the bill incorporates an amendment by Representative Bennie Thompson, our ranking member, to require TSA to conduct a feasibility study of requiring security threat assessments for all candidates seeking flight school training to operate large aircraft. Such a study would help inform our efforts in Congress to push TSA towards more effective and comprehensive vetting of flight students. Under current TSA procedures, a student seeking flight training on aircraft weighing more than 12,500 pounds is not always vetted against the terrorist watch list prior to the commencement of such training. Sixteen years after 9/11 attacks, more must be done to block security loopholes that were exploited by the 9/11 hijackers. Making sure that anyone who wishes to pilot a large plane is subject to the same level of vetting that a passenger who boards the plane would receive is common sense. Mr. Speaker, I urge my House colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3669, is a sensible piece of legislation that seeks to ensure general aviation transportation in our country is secure. H.R. 3669 includes language which passed the House in a bipartisan fashion as part of the Department of Homeland Security Authorization Act to ensure available TSA resources can be used to assist in securing commercial charter flights. The bill also incorporates Democratic amendments to ensure the independence of the ASAC and to push TSA to study flight school student vetting. While large commercial aircraft operations receive the majority of TSA's attention and resources, we must not ignore the damage that could be inflicted by a terrorist attack on a general aviation flight. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 3669, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend Honorable Maria Teresa Santillan-Beas for her fourteen years of service to the City of Lynwood; Tuesday, December 5th, she will be ending her term as Mayor. Whereas Maria Teresa Santillan-Beas was first elected to the Lynwood City Council in 2003, and made history as the first woman elected in a decade, and first Latina to ever be elected; and Whereas during her time in office, she has worked tirelessly to provide affordable housing opportunities for low-income families, to improve the quality of life for senior citizens, and to increase public safety programs in the City of Lynwood; and Whereas she has remained an active participant in the community and service organizations and is a member of the Lynwood Lions Club, and serves as a Big Sister for the Big Brothers Big Sisters Club; and Whereas she has also held other leadership roles in community-based organizations, such as the Lynwood Neighborhood Block Watch, the St. Emydius School Parent Teacher Organization, and others: now therefore I commend Honorable Maria Teresa Santillan-Beas for fourteen years of outstanding service to the City of Lynwood and neighboring communities.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to oppose the Republican tax plan and to highlight another devastating proposal in it. The Republican tax plan proposes to eliminate the medical expense deduction. Eliminating this deduction could raise taxes on nearly 9 million people, including cancer patients and their families, seniors, and those with disabilities and chronic health plans. Currently, people with high healthcare costs can deduct medical expenses that exceed 10 percent of their total income. Let me give you an example. If you are a retiree living in southern California suffering from multiple sclerosis and you live on $75,000 a year annual pension, you could write off $70,000 a year in medical expenses, giving that person a tax break of about $20,000. Removing the itemized medical deduction would spell financial disaster for that person. Now, half of those claiming the deduction have an income below $50,000 per year. So just think about how devastating losing this deduction will be. I can't stand idly by while my Republican colleagues put forth a tax plan that takes money from the sickest and neediest among us in order to give tax cuts to corporations and the top 1 percent of earners. This is a bad bill.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today because I think education is the number one equalizer. It is the door to opportunity, yet the GOP tax plan will make it harder to afford to be able to go to college. When I was a kid, my parents--both immigrants from Mexico, where mom only had a third grade education--told me that I had to become a doctor or a lawyer. That was the only way to get out of the poverty that we lived in. As a result, I went to college. I was saddled in student loan debt when I came out. As a matter of fact, I still have over $50,000 of student loan debt. It shouldn't be this way. Congress should be working to make it easier to go to college so that there is debt-free college, or at least make it more affordable. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Instead, Congress is considering a terrible GOP tax plan that proposes to eliminate the student loan interest deduction and lifetime learning credits. Under current rules, borrowers paying off education loans can deduct up to $2,500 of interest paid on student loans. Deductions lower your taxable income. About 12.4 million people claimed it for the year 2015. You can claim the student loan break for several years after college while paying off the loans. The GOP tax plan would destroy this key deduction for young graduates and workers getting the job training they need to succeed in the 21st century economy. Millenials and young workers, if you disagree, rise and have your voice heard today. Just say no to the GOP tax plan that only makes it harder to afford college.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3551, the C-TPAT Reauthorization Act of 2017. H.R. 3551 reauthorizes, for the first time in 11 years, the Customs- Trade Partnership Against Terrorism Program, also known as C-TPAT. C-TPAT is a voluntary public-private sector partnership program where CBP works with the trade community to provide high-level cargo security through close cooperation with the principal stakeholders of the international supply chain, such as importers, carriers, consolidators, licensed customs brokers, and manufacturers. Today, more than 11,400 certified partners spanning the gamut of the trade community have been accepted into the program. CBP pre-vets and certifies C-TPAT partners they consider to be low risk in exchange for benefits, such as fewer examinations and access to expedited or dedicated lanes. This bill incorporates Democratic amendments, including one of my own that establishes a standard system for C-TPAT partners to report suspicious activity instead of the patchwork system that exists now. Another important amendment offered by my colleague, Mr. Correa, was adopted in committee to ensure that when CBP changes up the rules and security criteria for C-TPAT, stakeholders are given adequate notice to comply. Furthermore, I would like to thank the majority for working with us to recognize that suspension and expulsion from the C-TPAT program has serious economic and repudiation ramifications for companies. The majority agreed to include Democratic language supported by the Border Trade Alliance and other stakeholders that urges CBP not to publish suspended C-TPAT participants, as is the current practice, until appeals and complete due process is carried out. We found some cases where companies were reinstated in the appeals process, but since they were tagged as a suspended company by CBP in the Federal Register, their business suffered. This language would prevent that from reoccurring. Mr. Speaker, at a time when U.S. ports, like the Port of Los Angeles in my district, are experiencing CBP staffing shortages, the C-TPAT program helps the supply chain be more efficient and safe. I support the program's reauthorization. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3551 is an important piece of legislation that has strong support on both sides of the aisle and a broad range of stakeholders. C-TPAT offers importers and other partners a win-win situation where they voluntarily allow CBP to prescreen them in exchange for benefits, such as shorter wait times and dedicated services. The more we know about our supply chain, the safer we will be. C-TPAT is a big way we stay informed. As such, I encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 3551, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of S. 504, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, APEC, Business Travel Cards Act of 2017. Mr. Speaker, the APEC Business Travel Cards Act permanently reauthorizes the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Card Program. This trusted-traveler program provides access to fast-track immigration lanes in airports for travelers who conduct verified business in the APEC region. APEC is a forum for 21 Pacific Rim countries, including the U.S. and Australia, to support sustainable economic growth and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region. U.S. Customs and Border Protection started issuing cards to eligible Americans in 2014 after Congress passed the APEC Business Travel Cards Act in 2011. Today, the program facilitates travel for Americans working on behalf of 30,000 U.S. businesses. Under that law, the authority to issue these travel cards to Americans is set to expire on September 30, 2018. S. 504, the APEC Business Travel Cards Act of 2017, is supported by a diverse range of stakeholders, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Asia-Pacific Council of American Chambers of Commerce, the U.S. Council for International Business, the U.S. Travel Association, and the American Hotel and Lodging Association. On the House Homeland Security Committee, companion legislation to S. 504 was championed by Congresswoman Kathleen Rice of New York. With the leadership of Miss Rice and others, her bill was passed unanimously by our committee. Allowing ABT cards to expire would be a mistake that puts American businesses at a disadvantage. I urge my House colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation. Mr. Speaker, S. 504 is an important piece of legislation that has strong support on both sides of the aisle. The ABT Card Program allows business travelers and government officials with business in APEC countries to access fast-track processing lanes at APEC airports. The program saves an estimated 43 minutes per trip, according to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, and operates entirely on user fees, costing taxpayers nothing. Importantly, it preserves authority for the Department of Homeland Security to revoke or suspend an individual's card for security reasons at any time. This is a commonsense, bipartisan bill, and I encourage my colleagues to support S. 504 to ensure that the bill gets to the President's desk. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2142, the INTERDICT Act of 2017. H.R. 2142, the International Narcotics Trafficking Emergency Response by Detecting Incoming Contraband with Technology Act, or the INTERDICT Act, is an important piece of legislation in our ongoing fight to stop the flow of illicit opioids like fentanyl from places like China and Mexico. According to the CDC, the death rate from synthetic opioids, which includes drugs such as tramadol and fentanyl, increased by 72.2 percent from 2014 to 2015. In 2016, CBP seized nearly 200 pounds of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, primarily from along the southwest border. This is 25-fold increase over seizures from the previous year. The INTERDICT Act before us today ensures that CBP will have the necessary tools to better combat the flow of these opioids. More specifically, this bill provides CBP high-tech chemical screening devices to help detect and interdict fentanyl and other illicit synthetic opioids. Additionally, the bill provides for the laboratory equipment, facilities, and personnel for support during all operational hours. This bill was passed by our committee unanimously, and I commend the sponsors of this bill, the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Tsongas) and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fitzpatrick), for their leadership on this issue. I urge my colleagues to supports this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Tsongas).

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2142 is an important piece of legislation that has strong bipartisan support. Passage of this bill will go a long way in our fight against opiates. As such, I encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 2142. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Los Angeles Dodgers for winning the National League Champion Series. They will appear in the World Series for the first time in 29 years. I hope they win it all. Earlier this year, I had the honor of wearing the Dodgers uniform to the Congressional Baseball Game. I am a huge fan, and we Angelinos love our Dodgers. When I was a kid, as my father battled Parkinson's disease, we watched every game together. It was our bonding time. As we watch the game this week, may every kid enjoy our national pastime with a loved one--in person or in spirit. Go Dodgers.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today because nearly 9 million children are in danger of losing health insurance. The Children's Health Insurance Program has reduced the uninsured rate among children from 14 percent in 1997 to 5 percent, today. Nearly 30,000 children from my state, California, stand to lose their healthcare coverage this winter because of Congress's failure to reauthorize this vital program. Healthcare is a human right, and working-class families need affordable doctors for their kids. This is especially true for Latinos. More than half of Latino children have Medicaid or CHIP coverage. Congress must act immediately to pass a five-year extension for CHIP funding. Every day we delay, we give families another reason to worry--that their son or daughter will fall sick and they won't be able to afford a doctor. That ongoing care for a chronically ill child will become too expensive. That hospitals will close their doors to them. It's time to stop playing politics and get to work on a bipartisan reauthorization for CHIP.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today because this Thursday, October 5, is an important deadline: 154,000 young men and women have until this Thursday to renew their status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA. Those 154,000 DACA recipients, whose authorization expires before March 6, 2018, must renew their application. If you are one of them, please send in your application today. Under the new DACA rules, you are entitled to receive two more years of deferral, but only if the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services receives your application by October 5. If you have not already sent in your application, send it in the fastest way possible. A regular first class stamp will likely not arrive in time. My district is home to many DACA beneficiaries known as DREAMers. Do not wait. To all the other DREAMers, I say: Don't lose hope. You have the support of the vast majority of the American people, and we are fighting every day to get the Dream Act to the House floor.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to include in the Record the following Proclamation to commemorate the extraordinary life of Thurgood Marshall and declare October 2, 2017 to be Thurgood Marshall Day in California's 44th Congressional District: Whereas in 1940 while an attorney for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Thurgood Marshall won the case of The State of Connecticut v. Joseph Spell, which helped lay the groundwork for the Civil Rights Movement to come; and Whereas Thurgood Marshall was the Chief Counsel in the case of Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, the landmark Supreme Court decision that declared state laws establishing segregated public schools to be unconstitutional; and Whereas the Honorable Thurgood Marshall, on October 2, 1967, became the first African-American appointed to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States of America; and Whereas date of October 2, 2017, marks the 50th anniversary of this historic achievement; and Whereas the legacy of Thurgood Marshall continues to serve as an example and inspiration to both individuals and groups that continue to fight for justice and equality for all throughout the United States of America: and Now therefore I declare and hereby recognize October 2, 2017 to be Thurgood Marshall Day in the 44th Congressional District of California.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today because American citizens are suffering in Puerto Rico. Twelve days after Hurricane Maria made landfall, more than half of the island's residents are still without running water. Low-income communities have been hit especially hard. They are trying to survive through unsafe and unsanitary conditions, where the basics of life can be impossible to find. After an earthquake struck Haiti in 2010, I was proud to see that America deployed every available resource the very next day at the crack of dawn to help out. But I wonder why the same response wasn't deployed to help Americans in Puerto Rico. I call on the administration and Congress to ensure that Puerto Rico receives the emergency aid it needs now so we don't lose more American lives to the storm. Congress must also provide real relief and aid to our brothers and sisters there. The situation in Puerto Rico is dire, and our fellow Americans are counting on us to act now.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to a health care success story that so many of us here, on both sides of the aisle, can appreciate: the role that our nation's community health centers play in providing high-quality primary and preventive care to more than 27 million patients in nearly 11,000 communities nationwide. Unfortunately, these centers are at risk unless Congress acts quickly to extend funding for programs that support CHCs. CHCs have provided care for low-income, rural, and underserved communities for more than fifty years. In that time, many of these health centers have expanded to offering integrated services like behavioral health, dental care, and--increasingly--substance use disorder treatments essential to combating nationwide epidemics like opioid addiction. It's this kind of integrated and patient-centered care that leads to better health outcomes for patients, as well as cost-savings for both our nation's health care system and for taxpayers. In my district, we have 15 federally funded health center organizations who collectively leverage $46.4 million in federal investment to serve 500,328 people at 22 locations. I've been to many of these locations, and seen in person what a difference these organizations make in the lives of our neighbors, and in the health of our community. Two years ago, the House of Representatives voted overwhelming to extend funding for CHCs as part of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015. Now that that deadline is upon us, Congress must act again. This time Congress must pass a long-term extension of at least five years, so that our CHCs can have the predictability and stability they need to recruit providers, purchase equipment, and plan strategically for how to meet the current and future needs of communities. I strongly support keeping funding levels for CHCs whole, something more than 350 members in both the House and Senate signed letters supporting earlier this year. For the sake of our communities and their health, we can't delay in securing funding for CHCs. It's time to fix the health center funding cliff and invest in a local solution we all know delivers results.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to sign the discharge petition to force a vote on the Dream Act. I believe this legislation would pass today if the Speaker would put it to a vote. Survey after survey confirms that a vast majority of Americans support DREAMers and believe they should be allowed to stay in the United States, the only country they have known since childhood. Let's be clear: DREAMers' lives are not bargaining chips, DREAMers' future is not a real estate deal. DREAMers have started businesses, they have bought homes, they have mentored high school students, they have found work in nonprofits. They give back to their community every day. They are teachers, they are nurses and doctors, they are our neighbors, our friends, and, for some of us like me, they are family. Failing to extend legal protections for DREAMers would be a historic betrayal, a permanent stain on our country. If you have yet to sign the discharge petition, I urge my colleagues to do so now.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today because there are nearly a million young men and women known as DREAMers who are depending on Congress to take action to protect them so they are not deported. DREAMers were brought to this country as children. Many barely remember their birth country. They are our teachers, our nurses, and our doctors. They are our neighbors, our friends, and for some of us, like me, they are our family. They also contribute to our economy. The Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce estimates that DREAMers in Los Angeles County alone contribute $5.5 billion annually to California's economy. Across the country, DREAMers would add billions to GDP over the next decade. Americans overwhelmingly want Congress to take action, and the vast majority of Members would support legislation to protect DREAMers. Let's not wait another moment. Let's bring the Dream Act to the floor for a vote so that we can protect these young men and women. I urge a ``no'' vote on the previous question so we can bring the Dream Act to the floor.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3284, the Joint Counterterrorism Awareness Workshop Series Act of 2017. Mr. Speaker, in a crisis like the attacks of September 11, 2001, our Nation's first responders--police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel--take on enormous responsibilities. They contain the situation, care for the injured, and keep people safe while putting their own lives at risk. These weighty responsibilities are central in terrorism-related crises. Today there is an appreciation of the importance of the whole-of- Nation response where efforts among diverse stakeholders, including nontraditional first responders, are well coordinated and thoroughly planned. The Joint Counterterrorism Awareness Workshop Series is a program where one-day events are hosted across the country that bring people together who play a critical role in keeping their city's residents safe during a terrorist attack. The multicity series is a collaborative effort among Federal, State, local and private sector entities that empowers cities to provide the best response to an organized, coordinated, and multisite terrorist attack. One of these workshops was conducted in Los Angeles, near my district. I represent the Port of Los Angeles--America's port. It touches every congressional district and faces a variety of threats that require coordinated preparation and response from Federal, State, and local agencies. Enactment of H.R. 3284, the Joint Counterterrorism Awareness Workshop Series Act, would codify this important program in law. Specifically, H.R. 3284 requires the FEMA Administrator, in consultation with the Directors of the National Counterterrorism Center and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, to establish a Joint Counterterrorism Workshop Series. Importantly, this bill requires that, at the conclusion of each event, the FEMA Administrator, in consultation with the NCTC and FBI Directors and officials from the participant city hosting the workshop series, provide all participants with an after-action report that includes key findings about lessons learned and best practices from the event, and potential mitigation strategies and resources to address gaps identified during the event. I strongly support this counterterrorism training program, and I believe that Congress should show its support for the program by enacting this legislation. I urge my House colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3284 is an important piece of legislation that has strong support on both sides of the aisle. It empowers officials and individuals on the local level to come together to make their communities more secure. This workshop series helps address new, evolving terrorist threats. It also enhances the ability of State and local jurisdictions to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from terror attacks here in the homeland. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3284, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my friend's bill, H.R. 2453, the DHS Intelligence Rotational Assignment Program Act of 2017. Mr. Speaker, 16 years ago, Americans were jarred by the spectacle of the mighty Twin Towers collapsing and fires at the Pentagon and in a Pennsylvania field. The perpetrators of the attacks sought to bring the United States to its knees. While, without question, a deep wound that may never fully heal was inflicted on the heart of this Nation on that day, we remain strong and resolute. We emerged from that devastating experience more determined and with lessons learned about the need for better information sharing, interoperability, and coordination. One major reform was the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security as a multimission agency, which today has 240,000 men and women serving in a range of capacities at our land, air, and seaports, as well as in the field, working to protect critical infrastructure from cyber and other attacks. The DHS Intelligence Rotational Assignment Program Act seeks to provide DHS employees with the opportunity to do a rotational assignment within the DHS' Intelligence and Analysis division. By establishing this program, officers and analysts across the DHS who have a passion for keeping our Nation secure would be provided the opportunity to develop or broaden their intelligence and counterterrorism skills. Organizations with such programs find that they yield benefits far beyond what the individuals who participate learn. Mr. Speaker, I urge my House colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2453 was overwhelmingly approved by the Committee on Homeland Security. The rotational program that it authorizes has the potential to not only provide some dedicated DHS employees a boost in morale and fresh perspective on the mission, but also to enrich DHS' contributions to the intelligence enterprise. Mr. Speaker, as such, I encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 2453, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2427, Pathways to Improving Homeland Security at the Local Level Act. Sixteen years ago, the terrorist attacks of September 11 brought home the reality that terrorism prevention and preparedness is a shared Federal, State, and local responsibility. Today, the Department of Homeland Security's training catalog is a primary resource for State and local jurisdictions to find opportunities to enhance their counterterrorism and preparedness capabilities. H.R. 2427 seeks to ensure that, going forward, this vital resource remains available to the first responder community. Specifically, H.R. 2427 directs DHS' Office for State and Local Law Enforcement to produce and distribute an annual catalog of DHS' training, programs, and services for State, local, and tribal law enforcement. Further, to ensure that this information is shared throughout the law enforcement community, the Pathways to Improving Homeland Security at the Local Level Act requires this comprehensive catalog be posted on the DHS website, as well as on the Homeland Security Information Network. My district is home to the Coast Guard, DHS personnel, and officials from the Port of Los Angeles, who all have to work together to prepare and respond to threats. This bill would provide the information they need to work together and get the necessary training. This measure, which was introduced by my Democratic colleague on the Homeland Security Committee, Representative Val Demings, highlights the importance of equipping law enforcement with necessary tools so that they can quickly adapt and discover new ways to evolve with the current terrorist threat landscape. Enactment of this bill will further strengthen the Department's partnership with State and local law enforcement to help protect the homeland. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2427 is an important piece of legislation that has strong support on both sides of the aisle. Consideration of this measure today is particularly timely, as this week we remember those who sacrificed their lives and ran toward danger during the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil. We owe it to their memory and to the men and women that today stand on the front lines to ensure that they have access to the training and tools they need to keep their communities secure. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 2427, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2470, the Homeland Threat Assessment Act of 2017. Mr. Speaker, since the attacks of September 11, 2001, which claimed the lives of over 3,000 innocent people, the terrorist threat has metastasized and is decentralized. That was how then-DHS Secretary John Kelly described it in April. He went on to warn that ``the risk is as threatening today as it was that September morning almost 16 years ago.'' Whereas, in 2001, there was a centralized, well-funded terrorist organization planning and carrying out major attacks, today the landscape is a patchwork of small cells and lone wolves eager to embrace violence in furtherance of their terrorist ideology. Today, we consider H.R. 2470 a bill that requires DHS to conduct an assessment of the terrorist threat to the homeland on an annual basis. The factors to be considered include: data on terrorist incidents and activity in the U.S.; current and potential future terrorist tactics; cyber threats, particularly those to critical infrastructure and Federal IT networks; threats to surface and aviation transportation; and the efficacy of foreign terrorist propaganda. In my district, these threats are an everyday reality for the Port of Los Angeles, which has the largest container volume in the country and faces threats to their shipping, cybersecurity, and infrastructure. This bill will help DHS assess those threats and provide the right response after an incident. We learned from the September 11 attacks about the importance of recognizing and analyzing the ever-evolving terrorist threat landscape. This annual assessment will ensure that DHS comprehensively examines all forms of terrorism and extremism that could damage the homeland today so that, as a nation, we can be vigilant. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I want to again express my support for this bill and highlight a particular provision that seeks to strengthen interagency collaboration on examining the threat. The provision requires DHS' Office of Intelligence and Analysis to continue working with fusion centers, which are the focal points for sharing threat-related information between Federal, State, local, and private sector partners. DHS must continue to address and improve the Nation's fusion centers' capabilities in gathering, analyzing, and sharing threat-related information between partners on every level. I thank the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Rogers) for sponsoring this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BARRAGAN

Ms. BARRAGAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 3440, the DREAM Act, to protect DREAMers like Elaine, who is studying for her master's in public health at UCLA.