Daniel Donovan

Mr. DONOVAN

Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5460) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish a review process to review applications for certain grants to purchase equipment or systems that do not meet or exceed any applicable national voluntary consensus standards, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to include any extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. As chairman of the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications, I rise in support of H.R. 5460, the First Responder Access to Innovative Technologies Act, which passed out of my subcommittee with bipartisan support on June 16 and was reported favorably by the Committee on Homeland Security earlier this month. With threats consistently evolving, it is reassuring to see new technology being developed to ensure the safety of our communities and first responders. However, emerging technology is frequently developed faster than voluntary consensus standards can be implemented. Recipients of grants under FEMA's State Homeland Security Grant Program and the Urban Areas Security Initiative must procure equipment that meets these standards. Unfortunately, if emerging technology or equipment does not have a voluntary consensus standard and a grant recipient would like to use those funds to purchase such technology, FEMA does not have a uniform review process to consider applications for that equipment. This legislation requires FEMA to develop such a process for reviewing these requests. I want to thank the subcommittee's ranking member, Representative Payne, for introducing this commonsense bill. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of H.R. 5460 because it will ensure first responders have the ability to purchase equipment and emerging technology needed to effectively adapt to the current threat landscape. First responders in multiple jurisdictions in New York and New Jersey were recently called upon to respond to a series of improvised explosive devices. It is clear that the threat to our communities is not going away; and we, as Members of Congress, must ensure our first responders can easily access emerging technology without being hampered by unnecessary bureaucracy. I urge all Members to join me in supporting this bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I once again urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5460. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DONOVAN

Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, September is National Preparedness Month, and as chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security's Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications, I think it is fitting that we are here today to consider a number of bills that will enhance our homeland security, including legislation I introduced, H.R. 5459, the Cyber Preparedness Act of 2016. Cybersecurity is a major national security issue, and the threat is real and immediate. For instance, a cyber attack causing widespread power outages could have major cascading consequences on public health and safety; however, it appears that the Nation is not adequately prepared to prevent and respond to cyber attacks. Since 2012, FEMA has released an annual National Preparedness Report, which highlights States' progress in meeting 32 core capabilities as defined by the National Preparedness Goal. Each year, States have ranked their cybersecurity capabilities as one of their lowest. In May, my subcommittee, the Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications Subcommittee, held a joint hearing with the Homeland Security Committee's Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies to look at the current state of cyber preparedness and how the Federal Government can help the States address some of the challenges that they face. Witnesses explained that, while great progress has been made in enhancing their cybersecurity capabilities, challenges still remain, especially with regard to information sharing of cyber threats and risks and whether Homeland Security grants may be used for cybersecurity enhancements. I introduced H.R. 5459, the Cyber Preparedness Act of 2016, to address a number of findings from this hearing. My legislation addresses these findings by enhancing cyber risk information sharing with State and major urban area fusion centers; authorizing representatives from State and urban area fusion centers to be assigned to the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center, and permitting the NCCIC personnel to be deployed to fusion centers; sharing information on cyber preparedness best practices with State and local stakeholders; clarifying the eligibility of State Homeland Security Grant Program and Urban Areas Security Initiative funding for cybersecurity enhancements; and working to combat the overclassification of cyber risk information so that it can be shared more broadly with stakeholders with a need to know. I appreciate that Chairmen McCaul and Ratcliffe and Ranking Member Payne have joined me as original cosponsors of H.R. 5459. This bipartisan legislation was reported favorably by the Committee on Homeland Security earlier this month. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bipartisan bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5459) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to enhance preparedness and response capabilities for cyber attacks, bolster the dissemination of homeland security information related to cyber threats, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include any extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I once again urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5459. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DONOVAN

Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5943) to amend the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 to clarify certain allowable uses of funds for public transportation security assistance grants and establish periods of performance for such grants, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to include any extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, once again, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5943. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. We know that terrorists have an interest in and a track record of targeting mass transit. We saw it in London, Madrid, and Brussels, and recently, again, when a terrorist left a backpack of IEDs at a train station in Elizabeth, New Jersey. We must ensure that our first responders and transit agencies have the tools they need to secure our transit systems. That is why I introduced H.R. 5943, the Transit Security Grant Program Flexibility Act. This bill addresses concerns that were raised during a June 21 field hearing that the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications held in Ranking Member Payne's district on preparedness for incidents that impact surface transportation. As chairman of the subcommittee, I introduced this legislation to ensure action follows our subcommittee's oversight. Witnesses at this field hearing testified about the importance of the Transit Security Grant Program but found that the period of performance was a challenging time frame to meet, especially for completing vital, large-scale capital security projects. H.R. 5943 addresses this challenge by codifying the period of performance for Transit Security Grant Program awards at 36 months for the majority of eligible projects and by extending the period of performance for large-scale capital security projects to 55 months. Additionally, Transit Security Grant Program awards can be used to provide personnel with security training. Unfortunately, the recipients of these awards are not allowed to use Transit Security Grant Program funds to pay for backfilling personnel who attend such training. In some cases, that extra cost at the transit agency has resulted in an inability to send staff for security training. My bill will permit Transit Security Grant Program funds to be used for this purpose, which is consistent with other Homeland Security grant programs. With more than 10 billion riders using surface transportation annually, it is vital that the Transit Security Grant Program provide flexible solutions for grant recipients. I am proud to sponsor this bipartisan legislation, which passed out of the Committee on Homeland Security earlier this month. I urge all Members to join me in supporting H.R. 5943. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DONOVAN

Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5346) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to make the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for Health Affairs responsible for coordinating the efforts of the Department of Homeland Security related to food, agriculture, and veterinary defense against terrorism, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include any extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5346, Securing Our Agriculture and Food Act, introduced by Congressman David Young of Iowa. This bill seeks to authorize the Department of Homeland Security's Food, Agriculture, and Veterinary Defense Program within the Office of Health Affairs. Earlier this year, the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications held a hearing to examine the potential devastating impacts of an intentional attack on, or natural disruption of, U.S. agricultural or food production systems. The food and agriculture sector is critically important to our Nation's economy. U.S. food and agriculture accounts for roughly one- fifth of the Nation's economic activity, contributed $835 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product in 2014, and is responsible for 1 out of every 12 United States jobs. Coming from Iowa, Congressman Young knows all too well the importance of protecting this sector, which is vital to the economy and our way of life. I appreciate him introducing this bill, which I am pleased to cosponsor. I want to thank Chairman Upton of the Committee on Energy and Commerce and Chairman Conaway of the Committee on Agriculture for working with us to advance this bill. This legislation received bipartisan support in the Committee on Homeland Security. I urge all Members to join me in supporting this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Agriculture, Washington, DC, September 6, 2016. Hon. Michael McCaul, Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman McCaul: Thank you for the opportunity to review H.R. 5346, ``Securing our Agriculture and Food Act.'' As you are aware, the bill was primarily referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, while the Agriculture Committee received an additional referral. I recognize and appreciate your desire to bring this legislation before the House in an expeditious manner and, accordingly, I agree to discharge H.R. 5346 from further consideration by the Committee on Agriculture. I do so with the understanding that by discharging the bill, the Committee on Agriculture does not waive any future jurisdictional claim on this or similar matters. Further, the Committee on Agriculture reserves the right to seek the appointment of conferees, if it should become necessary. I ask that you insert a copy of our exchange of letters into the Congressional Record during consideration of this measure on the House floor. Thank you for your courtesy in this matter and I look forward to continued cooperation between our respective committees. Sincerely, K. Michael Conaway, Chairman.

Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Young).

Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I, once again, urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5346. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DONOVAN

Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Richmond County Pipes and Drums. Formed in 1975, the Richmond County Pipes and Drums have been actively involved in the Staten Island community. They have marched in parades, played at community events, and participated in fundraisers for local causes, bringing joy to anyone who gets the chance to listen. In fact, the first parade they marched in was in March 1976 for America's Bicentennial, for which they were appropriately dressed in red, white, and blue uniforms. Furthermore, they perform at almost every Celtic event throughout New York City. They have even participated in hundreds of events in Upstate New York, Long Island, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania over the years. Most importantly, however, is the work that the Richmond County Pipes and Drums do for those who put their lives on the line to protect others. They are enthusiastic and patriotic supporters of our military and our veterans, for whom they have performed on numerous occasions. They have paid tribute to our nation's servicemen killed or missing in action, as well as local firefighters and policemen. They have demonstrated tremendous support for our first responders, proving just how dedicated to giving back they are. Mr. Speaker, the Richmond County Pipes and Drums are dedicated servants in the Staten Island community. I thank them for their great work and congratulate them on their 40 years of performance.

Mr. DONOVAN

Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a local postal employee from the 11th Congressional District, Mr. Leonard Montalto. Lenny, as his friends called him, was a lifelong resident of Staten Island. He was a loving father and a dedicated public servant. He worked for 28 years as a clerk at the mail processing station in the Tottenville section of Staten Island. H.R. 5150 renames that postal facility after Leonard Montalto, who tragically passed away during Superstorm Sandy. Lenny was at his family's home in Oakwood Beach during Superstorm Sandy. At the height of the storm, his basement began to flood rapidly. He became trapped inside just hours after warning his daughter to evacuate. Superstorm Sandy, sadly, took Lenny, an honest and hardworking family man. Earlier this year, my office reached out to one of Lenny's daughters, Angela, about renaming the postal facility in her father's honor, an idea first offered by my predecessor, former Congressman Michael Grimm. I want to thank all three of Lenny's daughters, Angela, Nicole, and Ashley, for helping me advocate for this bill's passage. I also want to thank Chairman Chaffetz, Ranking Member Cummings, and the entire Oversight and Government Reform Committee for passing H.R. 5150, as well as the entire New York delegation for their strong support of the bill. Mr. Speaker, today we remember Leonard Montalto and all the men and women who tragically lost their lives during Superstorm Sandy. I encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 5150.

Mr. DONOVAN

Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne), my friend, who is on the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications with me, a subcommittee of Chairman McCaul's Committee on Homeland Security. I rise in support of H.R. 5859, the Community Counterterrorism Preparedness Act. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this bill that was introduced by the leadership of Chairman McCaul. Mr. Speaker, we recently commemorated the 15th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. In the 15 years since that tragedy, first responders have taken steps--often with the help of Federal homeland security grant funding--to enhance their ability to prevent, prepare for, and respond to terrorist attacks. Much progress has been made in that time. But the terrorist threat is evolving. As Chairman McCaul noted, terrorists have transitioned from the 9/11-type, large-scale attacks to smaller attacks that are either directed or inspired by overseas terrorist organizations. We must ensure that our first responders are prepared to counter changing terrorist tactics, and that is why this bill is so important. H.R. 5859 will provide first responders in major metropolitan areas across our great Nation with funding to address the evolving terror threats facing our homeland, a need reinforced by this weekend's attacks in New York City and New Jersey. On Saturday morning at 8:30 at a Marine Corps race honoring our veterans, a bomb exploded. Less than 12 hours later, in a busy, restaurant-filled section of Manhattan known as Chelsea, at 8:30, another explosion occurred. And the next evening in Elizabeth, New Jersey, at a train station, another bomb was discovered and eventually exploded as a robot tried to dismantle it. All three of these locations were picked because they are heavily traveled, there were many people there, and it could have caused great destruction. Twenty-nine people were injured in the Chelsea incident. During the investigation that led to the apprehension of the villain who masterminded these attacks on our innocent citizens, Mr. Rahami, law enforcement tracked and detained associates of his while they were driving through my district, and it was Mr. Payne's district in which Rahami was apprehended. This is personal to us. I recently attended a number of memorials for first responders from my district who made the ultimate sacrifice on September 11. When I was elected to Congress 16 short months ago, I requested to become a member of the Committee on Homeland Security so I could work with my colleagues to ensure that our first responders, those brave men and women, have the tools they need to ensure our communities are protected. When the 2017 Presidential budget proposal cut the Urban Area Security Initiative grants in half, there were people on this floor, particularly people on the Committee on Homeland Security, who advocated for and restored those grants. I want to thank Chairman McCaul for his leadership and for introducing this bipartisan bill. I urge all Members to join me in supporting the legislation.

Mr. DONOVAN

Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, to begin, I would like to acknowledge and thank Speaker Ryan, Chairman Goodlatte, and Chairman Upton. I have been a Member of this distinguished institution for only 16 months, and, in that time, they have done right by the heroes I represent in Congress. I thank them, and the thousands of heroes and their families from my district thank them as well. My good friend, the gentleman from New York (Mr. King), has been a fierce advocate for all 9/11 heroes and their families for the last 15 years, and it is an honor to stand by his side. I would like to read into the Record part of a letter written to me last week by Lori Mascali, the widow of firefighter, and my good friend, Joseph Mascali from New York City Fire Department's Rescue 5: ``It's Sunday morning, and the smell of coffee fills the air as I wait to hear the sound of the key in the front door. I know that sound of that key will be followed by the words, `I'm home,' and my heart is excited. No longer do I hear the sound of the key in the door on a Sunday morning. No longer do I hear the simple words, `I'm home.' Sovereign immunity should not be allowed as a shield of protection for persons or nations that fund terrorists and cause mass murder. JASTA must be passed to send a strong message to all nations: if you fund terrorism, there will be accountability.'' Mr. Speaker, this bill is about giving victims of terror attacks on United States soil their day in court and the chance to hold everybody accountable--including foreign governments that may have been involved. 9/11 devastated families in my district--and for me, their priorities are my priorities. I support this bill, and ask my colleagues to join me in voting for passage. As my good friend from New Jersey (Mr. Lance) said, the President has threatened to veto this bill, but, for those Americans who have earned the right for justice, I hope he has the conviction and courage to sign JASTA into law.

Mr. DONOVAN

Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 100th Birthday of Brooklyn's Mary Sansone. Mary was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, where she became a prominent activist from a young age. Taking part in movements since she was eight years old, advocacy became second nature. Following World War II, she helped the Red Cross provide aid to Italians. In 1964, along with her husband, Mrs. Sansone founded the Congress for Italian- American Organizations (CIAO). In the 1970s, Mrs. Sansone helped forge alliances between the African-American, Hispanic and Italian communities via the New York Urban Coalition. Mrs. Sansone hosted community leaders at her home serving up her famous meatballs and hoping to find common ground. At the age of 100, Mary Sansone is still involved in causes that are close to her heart. Her birthday was recently celebrated at Dyker Beach Golf Course in Brooklyn with hundreds of friends and admirers coming to celebrate. Mrs. Sansone currently resides in Borough Park, Brooklyn, living in the same home for the past 70 years. She is a true lifelong Brooklynite. Mr. Speaker, Mary Sansone's decades of activism and advocacy truly show what America is about, regardless of one's political affiliation. I commend her outstanding life and I am proud to honor this citizen from New York's 11th District on her 100th birthday.

Mr. DONOVAN

Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the amendment offered by myself and Mr. Turner. This amendment expands eligibility for existing family-based substance abuse treatment grants to include pregnant women. In New York State alone, over 1,700 pregnant women pass through our corrections system each year. On any given day, there are 12 to 15 pregnant women in New York State prisons and 110 in local jails, and many of these women are coming in with drug addictions that pose harm to not only themselves, but to their unborn children. States across the country have passed laws and implemented programs to provide community and family-based alternatives to incarceration for nonviolent parent offenders. However, State programs targeting offenders who are parents-to-be are not currently eligible for grants. This peculiarity makes it difficult for States to develop programs addressing the particularly vulnerable population of nonviolent pregnant offenders. This amendment would make clear that such funding could be provided to States to develop and expand family-based substance abuse treatment programs that focus on expectant mothers. When a drug-addicted pregnant woman comes through the criminal justice system, we make every effort to help that expectant mother beat her drug addiction both for herself and for her child. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Turner), my friend and cosponsor of this amendment.