Will Hurd

Mr. HURD

Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of National Library Week to recognize the importance of our Nation's libraries to local communities. Our local libraries cultivate lifelong learning and reading and a profound sense of community across south and west Texas. They serve as community gathering places and local epicenters of educational innovation. At our libraries, folks of all ages can learn about their community's history, while accessing technological tools that lead us into the future. In many towns in the 23rd District of Texas, our public libraries go far beyond providing books and serve as the primary provider of literacy programming, especially in underserved rural areas. This is why I have taken advantage of an important program within the Library of Congress that allows Members of Congress to donate books to local libraries across their districts. For National Library Week, I would like to express gratitude for all the local librarians who provide these priceless services.

Mr. HURD

Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, a premiere resource for businesses and leading advocate of economic growth in the state of Texas. The El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce has been a critical institution in the area for the past 26 years, supporting a range of businesses in the Border Area. In just the past 15 years, the Chamber has served over 10,000 clients, providing crucial counseling and training services. Since 2003, the Chamber has helped to secure over $250 million in funding for small businesses in the El Paso community. Today, I applaud the extraordinary efforts of this Chamber of Commerce, and congratulate them for both their State Recognition as Small Chamber of the Year and their national recognition as Chamber of the Year at the 2018 U.S. Chamber Convention. The work of the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will have a lasting positive impact across Texas, the United States, and the entire world. The work of this institution resonates across Texas' 23rd Congressional District.

Mr. HURD

Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 125th Anniversary of Uvalde Volunteer Fire Department, a critical community institution and group of dedicated individuals in South Texas. The Uvalde Volunteer Fire Department was founded in 1892, just 36 years after Uvalde County was established by Reading Wood Black, a twenty-two year old from New Jersey. In addition to fighting fires and educating the people of Uvalde on fire safety and prevention, this Department regularly participates in community events, like the Newspapers in Education and Christmas Posada and Parade, truly going the extra mile for public service. Today I applaud the countless members of the Uvalde Volunteer Fire Department who have helped to keep Uvalde safe. The positive impact of this volunteer fire department resonates across Texas' 23rd Congressional District.

Mr. HURD

Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, many decades ago, we swore it wouldn't happen again, yet it happened in Rwanda in 1990, in Bosnia in 1995, Darfur in 2003, and it is happening right now in Burma. The word is ``genocide.'' It is unclear how many Rohingya men, women, and children have been lost to violent beatings, arson, and indiscriminate firings because the government is refusing access to human rights investigators. What we do know is that, since August, over 600,000 Rohingya civilians have fled to neighboring Bangladesh to escape systematic persecution, mass rape, killings, and disappearances committed by the Burmese military. These are crimes against humanity and the very definition of ethnic cleansing. There is no place for genocide in 2017. The international community needs to increase the humanitarian access to Rohingya. In addition, we must consider the crisis from a national security perspective. Not only are the squalid refugee camps teeming with contamination and disease, but the mass exodus and horrible conditions are a breeding ground for terrorist recruitment. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the resolution.

Mr. HURD

Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to vote on the bill this morning due to travel to Sutherland Springs, Texas, to meet with the victims, their families, and the first responders of the attack that took place on November 5th, 2017. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 622. Stated against:

Mr. HURD

Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to vote on the bills and subsequent amendments due to travel to Sutherland Springs, Texas, to meet with the victims, their families, and the first responders of the attack that took place on November 5th, 2017. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 616, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 617, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 618, ``nay'' on rollcall No. 619, and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 620.

Mr. HURD

Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to vote on the bills and subsequent amendments this afternoon due to travel to Sutherland Springs, Texas, to meet with the victims, their families, and the first responders of the attack that took place on November 5th, 2017. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 621. personal explanation

Mr. HURD

Mr. HURD. Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``Yea'' on rollcall No. 591.

Mr. HURD

Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 100th Anniversary of Fort Stockton Independent School District, a premiere public school district dedicated to the education of students in West Texas. Fort Stockton Independent School District was approved in the 35th state legislature on May 17, 1917. It is now home to five public schools and over 2,500 students, teachers, and staff. Over the past two-and-a-half years, I have visited Fort Stockton Independent School District on numerous occasions. In fact, I was able to participate in the Coin Toss at a Panther football game this month. Today I applaud the graduates and countless faculty and staff members who have helped spread the knowledge, skills, and values they learned at Fort Stockton Independent School District with Texas, the United States, and the entire world. The positive impact of this public school system resonates across Texas' 23rd Congressional District.

Mr. HURD

Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the extraordinary and selfless acts that have been demonstrated in my home State of Texas in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. The good folks in Houston, Rockport, and the rest of the Gulf Coast did not face this devastating storm alone. Among the many helping hands that were lent to the rescue and assistance of fellow Texans were those from my hometown of San Antonio. The San Antonio Emergency Operations Center worked to prepare for the storm and shifted to disaster response along the Gulf Coast. Given San Antonio's geographic location within the State, the EOC has become a crucial disaster response point for the State of Texas. They provided critical, round-the-clock support to local and statewide efforts in the days and weeks following the hurricane. These efforts, along with other private companies and nonprofit partners, have been nothing short of remarkable. Through donations of clothing, water, food, funds, and blood drives, San Antonians came out to show their solidarity with the folks in the impacted towns. I was humbled to witness a few of these selfless acts firsthand. I am proud of my hometown's swift response to our fellow Texans in need. I commend the organizations, businesses, and neighbors who have touched the lives of the thousands of hurricane survivors. They are the reason that we are Texas Strong.

Mr. HURD

Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2454) to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish a data framework to provide access for appropriate personnel to law enforcement and other information of the Department, and for other purposes, as amended.

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

Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Sixteen years after the 9/11 attacks by al-Qaida terrorists on our homeland, most Americans would be dismayed that information-sharing stovepipes still exist. While information sharing since that fateful day has improved dramatically, we still have work to do at the Department of Homeland Security. When the DHS was created, 22 component agencies were brought together with different missions, databases, and legal authorities. The DHS personnel have to deal with a costly, cumbersome process to search and vet information against a large number of databases, using different logins, passwords, and legal restrictions. The DHS data framework was designed to bring together these vital DHS datasets, including travel and cargo information, investigative data, and critical infrastructure data, among others. The other important element of the framework is the replication of the platform on a classified network to allow classified analysis and vetting of law enforcement data against intelligence information. Given the importance of the Data Framework Initiative, the need to weigh security versus civil liberties, as well as the Federal Government's history of delays and cost overruns on IT projects, it is critical that this program receive congressional oversight. This bill provides the first authorization for the data framework, mandates privacy and security safeguards, as well as training for Department personnel with access to the system. In addition to the personnel training and privacy safeguards, this bill also requires the Secretary to ensure information in the framework is both protected and audible. I was pleased that the Committee on Homeland Security included this bill in the DHS authorization bill, which passed the floor in July, and I urge my colleagues to again support this measure. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from New York (Miss Rice), for her work on these initiatives. And I thank Chairman McCaul and the ranking member for the bipartisan way in which we focus on these important issues of homeland security. Mr. Speaker, again, I want to urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2454, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HURD

Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2442) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require an annual report on the Office for State and Local Law Enforcement, as amended.

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

Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2442, the Office for State and Local Law Enforcement Information Sharing Review Act, introduced by the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee). The Office for State and Local Law Enforcement is authorized in section 2006(b) of the Homeland Security Act and is located within the DHS Office of Partnership and Engagement. The office largely serves as a source of information on DHS resources available to State and local law enforcement partners, as well as a point of contact for questions regarding DHS policies and programs. This bill requires a report on the activities of Office of State and Local Law Enforcement within the Department of Homeland Security. The report must include how the office is working to improve information sharing between DHS and law enforcement agencies, an overview of the performance metrics used by the office to measure success, feedback from State and local stakeholders, and an overview of ongoing activities. This reporting requirement will ensure the office is continually identifying areas for improvement in the Department's information- sharing efforts with State and locals, and coordinating with relevant DHS component agencies to close these gaps. I applaud the gentlewoman from Texas for including a sunset on the reporting requirement after 5 years. While the information gathered through this report will be valuable for congressional oversight, it is important that we do not continue to require never-ending reporting requirements from the Department. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this measure, and I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on the Judiciary, Washington, DC, September 5, 2017. Hon. Michael T. McCaul, Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman McCaul, I write with respect to H.R. 2442, the ``Federal Information Resource to Strengthen Ties with State and Local Law Enforcement Act.'' As a result of your having consulted with us on provisions within H.R. 2442 that fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on the Judiciary, I forego any further consideration of this bill so that it may proceed expeditiously to the House floor for consideration. The Judiciary Committee takes this action with our mutual understanding that by foregoing consideration of H.R. 2442 at this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction over subject matter contained in this or similar legislation and that our committee will be appropriately consulted and involved as this bill or similar legislation moves forward so that we may address any remaining issues in our jurisdiction. Our committee also reserves the right to seek appointment of an appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate conference involving this or similar legislation and asks that you support any such request. I would appreciate a response to this letter confirming this understanding with respect to H.R. 2442 and would ask that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be included in the Congressional Record during floor consideration of this bill. Sincerely, Bob Goodlatte, Chairman.

Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues once again to support H.R. 2442, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HURD

Mr. HURD. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the extraordinary contributions Mr. Stewart Adair has made on my hometown of Helotes, Texas. Since first becoming the Walmart store manager in 2013, Mr. Adair has dedicated his professional and personal life to helping the people of Helotes. Stewart and his family have become pillars of the community. As the store manager, Mr. Adair was responsible for leading hundreds of employees, where he quickly grew to become a role model and mentor to many. In addition to his commitments to his job and his family, Stewart has spent much of his personal time supporting our Nation's troops. Stewart is well known in Helotes for organizing the annual Turkey for Troops program, which he has helped grow into a thriving charity event. As many in the community of Helotes know, Stewart was recently diagnosed with cancer. This past Saturday, I was honored to volunteer my time for a man who has done so much to help his community. Mr. Adair is a perfect example of a Good Samaritan, and I am proud to recognize all that he has done for our community in Helotes.

Mr. HURD

Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 345, and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 346.

Mr. HURD

Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2227) to modernize Government information technology, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 2227, the Modernizing Government Technology Act, or the MGT Act. Each year, the Federal Government spends over $80 billion a year on information technology, with nearly 75 percent of that directed just towards operating and maintaining existing IT systems. Couple this with innovation and management strategies that are decades behind the private sector when it comes to IT, and the increasing cost of maintaining these aging and insecure systems, this is unsustainable. These systems pose increasing operational and security risks for the Federal Government, as we saw with the devastating OPM data breach, which impacted over 20 million people. As we see cybersecurity attacks on the rise across the globe, it is imperative that we modernize and protect our information technology systems. The American people deserve better from their government, especially on an issue that is completely solvable. Our government needs to be able to introduce cutting-edge technology into their networks to improve operational efficiency and decrease operational cost. This bipartisan IT reform package is designed to reduce wasteful IT spending and strengthen information security by accelerating the Federal Government's transition to modern technology, like cloud computing. This legislation is an innovative solution and a tremendous step forward in strengthening our digital infrastructure. This bill passed the House on voice vote last year and passed out of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee by voice this year. Unfortunately, we ran out of time on this bill last Congress with the Senate, but we have an opportunity to act this year with an improved bill. H.R. 2227 authorizes two types of funds to modernize legacy IT and incentivize IT savings in Federal agencies. The bill authorizes funds within individual CFO Act agencies, and it authorizes a centralized fund located within Treasury and overseen by OMB. The two funds will incentivize IT savings and reward cost-sensitive and responsible chief information officers. Under MGT, savings obtained by Federal agencies, by doing things like streamlining IT systems, replacing legacy products, and transitioning to cloud computing, can be placed in a working capital fund that can be accessed for up to 3 years for further modernization efforts. This approach eliminates the traditional use-it-or-lose-it approach that has plagued government technology for decades. This approach to technology investments will transform government technology by keeping our information and digital infrastructure secure from cyber attacks while saving billions of taxpayer dollars. This important bill has enjoyed widespread support from colleagues in the House and the Senate. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member, the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Kelly), my friend, for her support on this. I thank the gentleman from the Commonwealth of Virginia (Mr. Connolly) for all he has done. I especially thank Chairman Chaffetz and Ranking Member Cummings for their support. The majority leader, Kevin McCarthy, and the minority whip, Steny Hoyer, have been vital to the success of getting this bill moving forward. I thank all of the other Members as well who have provided support and leadership for the MGT Act. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record letters of support from a number of industry and trade groups in support of this bill. Professional Services Council, Arlington, VA, April 27, 2017. Hon. Jerry Moran, U.S. Senator, Washington, DC. Hon. Will Hurd, Chairman, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Subcommittee on Information Technology, Washington, DC. Hon. Tom Udall, U.S. Senator, Washington, DC. Hon. Gerry Connolly, Ranking Member, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Subcommittee on Government Operations, Washington, DC. Dear Senators Moran and Udall, Chairman Hurd and Ranking Member Connolly: On behalf of the over 400 member companies of the Professional Services Council (PSC), I write to convey our association's strong support for your legislation, the Modernizing Government Technology Act of 2017 (the ``MGT Act''), and to thank you for your continued leadership to advance policies that will upgrade the government's legacy IT systems. The MGT Act would establish a critical source of dependable funding for federal agencies to invest in IT system modernization, incentivize agencies to utilize the funds for agency priorities, and accelerate the transition to the cloud. PSC supports the Act because we believe the bill will help make government more effective and its networks more secure, while reducing overall costs. Enactment would be a much- needed and critical step to begin addressing the immense challenges associated with upgrading federal information technology systems and limiting cybersecurity vulnerabilities inherent in the government's outdated computer systems. PSC looks forward to working with you to see this legislation enacted. Thank you for your leadership and attention to this important issue. If you or your colleagues have any questions or need additional information, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. Yours Respectfully, David J. Berteau, President and CEO.

Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform my friend from the Commonwealth that I have no further speakers and am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. HURD. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.