Michael McCaul

Mr. McCAUL

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, let me give my heartfelt thanks to the ranking member for his work on this important legislation, first ever. It was a real team effort on both sides of the aisle. I want to thank all of the staff on both sides of the aisle, Rosaline Cohen and Jennifer Gorski, who worked tirelessly. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a January 11, 2017, memorandum of understanding, signed by myself and seven other committee chairmen. Memorandum Regarding Authorization of the Department of Homeland Security We, the chairs of the committees with jurisdiction over the Department of Homeland Security or its components, are hereby recording our agreement on the following principles for the 115th Congress: 1. The Department of Homeland Security (``the Department'') and its components should be authorized on a regular basis to ensure robust oversight and improve its operation. 2. Committees with jurisdiction over the Department and its components will prioritize the authorization of the Department and any unauthorized or expiring component in that committee's authorization and oversight plan. 3. To the maximum extent practicable, the committees with jurisdiction over unauthorized or expiring components of the Department shall coordinate with the Committee on Homeland Security to produce a comprehensive authorization bill for the Department. 4. The Committee on Homeland Security shall coordinate with the committees with jurisdiction over unauthorized or expiring components of the Department in the development of any comprehensive authorization bill for the Department. 5. The Committee on Homeland Security and the committees with jurisdiction over components of the Department shall jointly develop a process for the vetting and pre-clearing of base text and amendments offered at subcommittee and full committee markups of a DHS authorization bill in the Committee on Homeland Security that fall within the jurisdiction of a committee other than or in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security. 6. The committees will expedite consideration of any comprehensive authorization bill for the Department, including timely resolution of any matters subject to a sequential or additional referral. 7. To the extent that there are policy differences between the committees regarding a provision of the comprehensive authorization bill for the Department, the committees will make best efforts to resolve any such dispute. 8. The Committee on Homeland Security shall not include any provision in a comprehensive authorization bill that the chair of the Committee on Ways and Means has determined to be a revenue provision or a provision affecting revenue. If the chair of the Committee on Ways and Means makes such a determination, nothing in this agreement shall be construed to preclude that chair from exercising an additional or sequential referral over the measure, or a point of order under clause 5(a) of Rule XXI of the Rules of the House of Representatives. 9. Nothing in this agreement shall be construed as altering any committee's jurisdiction under rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives or the referral of any measure thereunder. 10. Further, nothing in this memorandum precludes a further agreement between the committees with regard to the implementation of a process to ensure regular comprehensive authorizations of the Department. Signed, Gregg Walden, Chair, Committee on Energy and Commerce; Michael T. McCaul, Chair, Committee on Homeland Security; Devin Nunes, Chair, Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence; Bob Goodlatte, Chair, Committee on the Judiciary; Jason Chaffetz, Chair, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform; Lamar Smith, Chair, Committee on Science, Space and Technology; Bill Shuster, Chair, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure; Kevin Brady, Chair, Committee on Ways and Means.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Estes).

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, in conclusion of this debate, it is very important to remember that a comprehensive reauthorization of the Department of Homeland Security has never been done before. While various reauthorization efforts have been tried in the past, we finally have a chance to get it across the finish line and have it signed into law. So let's stand together as Republicans and Democrats and show the people we represent both parties and that both parties can work with one another by putting our national security above politics. This legislation is not just about good governance or bureaucratic reforms. It is absolutely essential to making sure we are able to defeat the grave and growing threats facing the United States. Once again, I want to thank the ranking member and all of his staff; leadership, as well, and their staff; and, also, all of the members of the Office of the Legislative Counsel, who got us to this point here today. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on Homeland Security, Washington, DC, July 18, 2017. Hon. Devin Nunes, Chairman, Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Nunes: Thank you for your follow up letter regarding H.R. 2825 dated June 27, 2017. I appreciate your continued willingness to work with me to bring H.R. 2825 to the House Floor. As I stated in my June 22, 2017 letter, the Committee on Homeland Security concurs with the mutual understanding that by foregoing seeking a sequential referral at this time, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence does not waive any jurisdictional interest it may have over provisions in the bill. Regarding the provisions referenced in your recent letter, each of the sections listed were introduced as stand alone bills, as well as included in H.R. 2825, and the Committee on Homeland Security was granted the primary referral on such provisions. As discussed between our staff and in the exchange of letters, I recognize that your Committee could request a sequential referral on those provisions. I reiterate my continued appreciation for the cooperation of you and your staff in moving H.R. 2825 through the legislative process. Per your request, I will include your letters, my response letters, the ``Memorandum Regarding Authorization of the Department of Homeland Security'' and accompanying January 11, 2017 exchange of letters in the Congressional Record when H.R. 2825 is considered on the Floor. Sincerely, Michael T. McCaul, Chairman.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Higgins), a member of the Homeland Security Committee.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Garrett), a member of the Homeland Security Committee.

Mr. McCAUL

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Walden for including my bill, the Research to Accelerate Cures and Equity, or RACE, for Children Act, in this FDA reauthorization. I introduced the bill with my colleague, Mr. Butterfield, to strengthen the FDA's ability to require pediatric studies of cancer drugs during development. Despite current programs in place to require similar studies, they have never been undertaken for cancer drugs. This bill will require a study into any cancer drug that uses ``molecular targeting,'' which attacks specific cancer cells rather than the part of the body where the cancer resides. By requiring these studies, doctors can determine whether a drug is safe and effective in children and, ultimately, provide accurate labeling for pediatric use. I founded the Childhood Cancer Caucus when I first entered Congress to give a voice to the 15,000 children diagnosed with cancer every year and the hundreds of thousands of survivors who face a lifetime of medical challenges. Passing this bill will provide these children access to the treatments they deserve. I thank all those involved for their tireless work in bringing this bill to the House floor. As my good friend, little Sadie Keller, who is battling leukemia as I speak, once said: ``Together, we can make a difference.'' To Sadie and all the children who are in the fight of their lives, I want you to know that today we are making a difference.

Mr. McCAUL

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Colorado as well. I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2581, the Verify First Act. I helped introduce this legislation with my good friend and colleague, Mr. Barletta from Pennsylvania, to ensure illegal immigrants are not able to use healthcare tax credits to purchase health insurance. Under ObamaCare, the Federal Government paid these tax credits up front on a temporary basis to people before verifying their immigration status. This created a pay-and-chase system where the Federal Government would seek repayment only after it found it had paid out benefits to an illegal immigrant. This bill puts an end to this taxpayer abuse by requiring the Social Security Administration, or the Department of Homeland Security, to verify the immigration status of every tax credit applicant before the Treasury Department issues a credit. Texans and hardworking taxpayers around the country already struggle to pay for their healthcare. Their hard-earned dollars should not be used to foot the bill for those who broke the law to come here. My constituents in Texas and American taxpayers deserve better. I want to thank Congressman Barletta for his dedication and continued leadership on this issue, and, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation.

Mr. McCAUL

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Carter), the chairman of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 374, I call up the bill (H.R. 2213) to amend the Anti-Border Corruption Act of 2010 to authorize certain polygraph waiver authority, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and in support of the Anti-Border Corruption Reauthorization Act of 2017. Mr. Speaker, the failed immigration policies of the previous administration have kept our borders open, weakened our national security, and put millions of American lives at risk from an increasing number of grave and growing threats. These threats come from drug cartels, gang members, human traffickers, and international terrorists who seek to do our country harm. Fortunately, we now have a partner in the White House who understands that we cannot rely on the oceans or other natural boundaries alone to separate us from those looking to infiltrate our homeland. This morning, I was once again pleased to welcome Secretary Kelly before the Committee on Homeland Security and listen to him articulate the importance of border security to the Trump administration. We know we need a 21st century border to meet 21st century threats. Sadly, every few days, we hear a story on the news that reminds us of the dangerous consequences of Washington's inability to achieve that goal. As a former Federal prosecutor and the chief of counterterrorism and national security in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Texas, I have seen how people take advantage of our Nation's open borders. Over time, those who are determined to come here illegally become agile. They adapt to the measures that we take to stop them. It is obvious that we need a new approach. When it comes to strengthening our borders, additional funds and new technology will be necessary. However, our strongest assets are the courageous men and women who serve as Border Patrol agents and Customs and Border Protection officers. These patriots put their lives on the line every single day to protect us while also safeguarding our economic relationships that boost American jobs and grow American businesses. However, we are almost 1,800 Border Patrol agents and 1,000 CBP officers short of having the force that we need to keep our borders secure. Our forces are stretched thin and our efforts to recruit additional officers and agents have slowed due to strict requirements for new applicants. Currently, it takes an average of 113 applicants to hire just one new officer or agent. This is a major problem that must be addressed. This legislation offers a solution by providing the CBP Commissioner with the flexibility to hire State and local law enforcement officers who have already served for 3 years without a break in service, are not under investigation or have been found guilty of misconduct, and have previously passed a law enforcement polygraph exam. It also provides the CBP Commissioner with the authority to hire members and veterans of the armed services who have held security clearances and who have already completed a robust background check. To put it simply, this bill will make it easier for some of America's finest law enforcement officers and soldiers to help protect our borders. As drugs continue to creep into our neighborhoods and wreak havoc on our communities and terrorists advance their plans to attack our country and disrupt our way of life, we must make sure we have an adequate force to protect our borders. This needs to be a priority. This should not be a partisan issue. In fact, Mr. Speaker, this bill passed unanimously out of my committee. Members from both parties should come together, as they did at the committee level, as Mr. Vela did, and support this effort. American families deserve to know that we are doing everything we can to keep our homeland safe. This legislation gives us a chance to do just that. I would like to thank my colleague and chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security, Congresswoman McSally from Arizona, for all of her hard work on this bill. As a Representative from a district along our Southern border, she fully understands more than any Member the seriousness of this issue. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Arizona (Ms. McSally), the sponsor of the bill and the chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on the bill, H.R. 2213.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the question of adopting amendment No. 1 to H.R. 2213 may be subject to postponement as though under clause 8 of rule XX.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Higgins).

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Arrington).

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

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time to close.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, in concluding this debate, it is important to note this bill is a bipartisan effort, passing unanimously out of my committee. It is supported by Ranking Member Thompson, Congressman Vela, and we thank you for that, and others. Again, it passed out unanimously. I was pleased to see also a Dear Colleague letter sent by my Democratic counterparts on the Homeland Security Committee urging the passage of this bill. This only further underscores the bipartisan nature of this effort. It is also supported, Mr. Speaker, by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Border Trade Alliance, the CBP officers' union, and the Fraternal Order of Police, among others. The issue is very clear. Not passing this bill will continue to keep American families at risk from dangers of human traffickers, drug smugglers, and international terrorists. Right now, we simply don't have an adequate number of Border Patrol agents and CBP officers to safeguard our Nation's border. We need to fix that. That is what this legislation does. It will allow us to bolster our forces with talented law enforcement officials and military personnel who have been previously vetted and have already demonstrated their commitment and patriotism to their fellow Americans. As I have stated before, while new infrastructure and technology will be important in protecting this Nation, the brave men and women who confront threats to our homeland are our greatest assets. Once again, I thank Congresswoman McSally, Ranking Members Vela and Thompson, and all those who supported this bill. It will help strengthen our borders. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the Lujan Grisham amendment. Let me say, first, that the Secretary of Homeland Security testified before my committee this morning, a decorated four-star general serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is the head of SOUTHCOM. This man knows the border. Secretary Kelly supports this legislation. I find it a bit offensive that decorated veterans who have already received clearances somehow would present a threat to the security of the United States, so I reject that argument. This amendment strikes me as an unnecessary and harmful delay tactic that would prevent CBP from implementing the much-needed flexibility provided for in the underlying bill. If the delays called for in this amendment were put in place, CBP would have to sit and wait until certain unnecessary obstacles were overcome, some of which are completely out of their control. All the while, they would continue to hemorrhage officers and agents, threatening the Nation's border security and the flow of commerce in and out of the country. This could put our national security at risk and would be, further, detrimental to the flow of legitimate trade and travel. CBP has missed hiring targets for Border Patrol agents for 4 years and CBP officers for almost 18 months. We need additional officers and agents now, simply to meet the congressionally mandated CBP staffing levels that have been put in place for a year. We cannot wait for more reports and evaluations. Sadly, this amendment looks to me like an attempt by opponents of the bill to prevent the important provisions of this bill from going into effect in a timely manner, thus preventing the hiring of already trusted and vetted individuals who have served their Nation and the military with honor and distinction. It is also important to underscore two points here: one, that all applicants will continue to be fully vetted, including a rigorous tier 5 background investigation, which is equivalent to the investigation performed for all servicemembers who hold a top secret clearance; and second, the authority granted under this bill is discretionary. If the CBP Commissioner wishes to require a polygraph examination for any applicant for any reason, he can and should still do so. Mr. Speaker, we cannot afford to wait any longer. As the Speaker knows, who is briefed on the threats, as do I, in a classified setting, the threats are real. This Nation is at risk, and we cannot afford to wait. So, for these reasons, I oppose the amendment, and I urge my colleagues to reject it. Let me just close, again, by saying I oppose the amendment. The men and women wearing the uniform on the front lines of our ports and borders need relief now, and any delay tactics should be rejected. Therefore, I urge opposition, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. McCAUL

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion at the desk.

Mr. McCAUL

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. McCAUL

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1370) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to issue Department of Homeland Security-wide guidance and develop training programs as part of the Department of Homeland Security Blue Campaign, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of my bill, H.R. 1370, to combat human trafficking. According to the FBI, human trafficking, which includes forced labor, domestic servitude, and commercial sex trafficking, is the third largest criminal activity in the world. It is a multibillion-dollar industry that enslaves 20 million innocent victims around the world. We need a collaborative multiagency approach to combat this criminal activity. My bill recognizes and supports the work of the Department of Homeland Security to join these partners to combat this scourge on our society. This bill authorizes a vital lifesaving campaign at the Department to prevent human trafficking. This campaign is called the Blue Campaign. It is a Department-wide effort to conduct outreach and raise awareness of trafficking. It provides training and materials to those in the best position to identify trafficking victims. This campaign works in collaboration with law enforcement, governmental and private organizations to identify and save those victims. The Blue Campaign has entered into agreements to provide training, raise awareness, and combat human trafficking. Currently, it enlists the help of numerous organizations who have witnessed trafficking such as airlines, hotels, truck stops, convenient stores, and package delivery services. The Department uses the resources and expertise of the CBP, ICE, USCIS, and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers to help with this effort. Of note, my bill adds the Transportation Security Administration to this fight by training its personnel to recognize the victims of trafficking and pull these victims out of its viscous cycle. My bill also requires the Department to share information on patterns of trafficking and possible connections with terrorist activity, both internally and with the National Network of Fusion Centers. In 2014, I held a field hearing in Houston, Texas, to address the issue of human trafficking in our major cities, and we heard personally from the victims their stories of sexual abuse and human trafficking. That hearing highlighted the importance of collaboration and community involvement in combating this terrible crime. This DHS campaign furthers these collaboration efforts. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this legislation and the efforts of the Department to address human trafficking. I thank Chairman Goodlatte of the Judiciary Committee for his cooperation in bringing this bill to the floor. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. House of Representatives, Committee on the Judiciary, Washington, DC, May 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. 1370, the ``Department of Homeland Security Blue Campaign Authorization Act.'' As a result of your having consulted with us on provisions within H.R. 1370 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. 1370 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. 1370 and would ask that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be included your committee report and in the Congressional Record during floor consideration of H.R. 1370. Sincerely, Bob Goodlatte, Chairman.