Bennie Thompson

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable public servant, Mrs. Allie D. Foster Jackson. Allie was born August 4, 1927 in Kosciusko, Mississippi. Mrs. Jackson confessed Christ at an early age and joined Wesley United Methodist Church in Kosciusko, Mississippi and later became a lifelong member of Anderson United Methodist Church. While at Anderson, she served as the church pianist, organist, coordinator of the annual Christmas and Easter presentations. She graduated from Piney Woods High School and received her B.S. degree in Education from Jackson State College. She further attended Atlanta University and Indiana University to specialize in librarianship. Mrs. Jackson's teaching career spanned over 33 years and included English, band, choir and library science. After retiring from the Jackson Public School System, she volunteered at Tougaloo College in their College Library System where she received the Volunteer of the Year Award in 2001. She leaves to cherish her memory two siblings and three sister-in- laws: Mary Virginia Ukegbu Kosciusko, Mississippi and Charles (Faye) Foster, Jackson, Mississippi; Bessie L. Foster, Kosciusko, Mississippi and Betty Foster, Atlanta, Georgia; a son, Embra K. Jackson, Jr. (Rosia), Starkville, Mississippi; grandchildren: Keith Payne, Kevin (Sandy) Payne, and Krystal Payne, Embra K. Jackson, III (Suyapa), Ebony K. Nance (Chris), Emmanuel K. Jackson (Ashley) and Katelyn Jackson; 15 great grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the late Mrs. Allie D. Foster Jackson.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. My amendment, Madam Chair, would prohibit any Department of Defense resources from being used to allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement to expand its detention capacity. The fiscal year 2019 appropriations bill for the Department of Homeland Security allows for 40,520 detention beds for ICE, which is the highest amount Congress has ever provided. Despite this historic capacity, ICE continues to exceed this detention capacity and currently has more than 52,000 migrants in detention--a record high. In fact, ICE has exceeded its detention bed capacity for multiple fiscal years in a row. To pay for this excess, ICE has, in the past, turned to Congress for more funding or siphoned off funds from other components in DHS. In 2018, when ICE went beyond its detention bed limit, it took almost $200 million from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Coast Guard, TSA, FEMA, and ICE criminal investigations. ICE continually expands beyond its means and then expects to be bailed out. This cannot go on. ICE needs to operate within its appropriated limits and make more strategic decisions about whom to detain. ICE should prioritize detaining migrants who pose a serious threat to our society as well as those who will not be deported unless they are detained. ICE cannot be given a blank check. Madam Chair, my amendment restricts defense resources from being used for ICE detention. We have already seen President Trump defy the will of Congress on border wall funding. When Congress refused to fund this ineffective and wasteful border wall, he decided to take money away from other departments to build his wall, and his prime funder was the Department of Defense. Madam Chair, I hope you will join me in preventing the Department of Defense's funding from being used as President Trump's personal piggy bank to circumvent the will of Congress. I urge my House colleagues to support this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. ICE continually overspends on detention and doesn't face any consequences. Not only are they holding on to more people than ever before, they are doing so when there are alternatives to detention that have proven to be reliable and effective. On average, it has cost $130 for ICE to detain an adult a day. One person in family detention costs $319 a day. Alternatives to detention cost less than $20 a day, and that includes services to help them understand our immigration system and show up for court hearings. I would note that Congress recently appropriated more money for ICE to use these alternatives to detention for migrants who do not pose a threat or have criminal backgrounds. ICE needs to operate responsibly, and that includes following a budget. The Trump administration cannot be allowed to turn to the Department of Defense every time it has a new demand. Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to support my amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable public servant from the Backwoods of Deovelente (a few miles northeast of Belzoni), to the Mississippi State Capital--Alyce Griffin Clarke, 1st African American female elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives in 1985. In the backwoods of Deovelente, in the last house near the Yazoo River, a beautiful baby girl was born to the late Mr. Henry Griffin and Mrs. Fannie Alice Merriweather Griffin. They named this beautiful precious baby girl, Alyce Myrtle Griffin. This young lady walked the dusty roads of Deovelente to Deovelente Elementary School, to Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, where she was baptized, to Mt. Arratt Methodist Church, and to the one store in the community. As a matter of fact, she walked everywhere she went. The family did not own a car as they were sharecroppers. She chopped and picked cotton as so many of us did. She still boasts about being able to pick 300 pounds before quitting time and teasing others still in the field. As the years passed, Ms. Griffin graduated from McNair High School, Belzoni, Mississippi in 1957. She went on to graduate from Alcorn College and other universities. She later became Mrs. Alyce Griffin Clarke when she married the late Mr. L.W. Clarke. They became the proud parents of one son, Demarquis Clarke. In 1985, Mrs. Alyce Griffin Clarke became the first African American female elected to the Mississippi Legislature. Currently, Representative Alyce Griffin Clarke is still active in the same post where she first made history, and we are all very proud of her accomplishments. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Representative Alyce Griffin Clarke.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Kevin Boshears, the Director of the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) upon his retirement from Federal service. Over the past sixteen years, Mr. Boshears has forged a reputation as a trusted resource to small businesses that seek to provide goods and services to DHS. From the Department's earliest days, Mr. Boshears helped create a culture within DHS that prioritizes engagement with small businesses in furtherance of its diverse missions. In my work on the Committee on Homeland Security, I have come to appreciate his steadfast commitment to opening doors of opportunity to small, disadvantaged and minority-owned business that face barriers to entering the Federal marketplace. Under Mr. Boshear's leadership, DHS has the distinction of being the largest agency to earn a ``A'' grade on the Small Business Administration's (SBA) Small Business Procurement Scorecard and it has retained that score for nine years in a row. Remarkably, in fiscal year 2017, DHS earned its third ``A+'' rating, awarding nearly 35 percent of total contracting dollars to small businesses, exceeding the government-wide goal of 23 percent. Mr. Boshears dedication to the small business community has resulted in many other accolades throughout his impactful career. In 2005, Mr. Boshears received the SBA's Federal Gold Star Award of Excellence in recognition of his efforts to carry out the aggressive goals and strategic initiatives that help ensure a role for small businesses in the federal marketplace. And, in July 2018, Mr. Boshears received the prestigious DHS Management's Award for Technical Excellence, followed by the DHS Secretary's Award for Leadership Excellence in November 2018. As Mr. Boshears closes out his time at DHS and as a civil servant, I rise to honor his contributions and wish him well.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable professional, Ms. Gail F. Hood. Ms. Hood started her Law Enforcement career in 1990 with the Belzoni Police Department as a Telecommunicator. Ms. Hood later became a TAC Officer (Training Agency Coordinator) for the Belzoni Police Department. Ms. Hood's responsibilities included: Implementing policies and procedures, scheduling of work assignments, preparing for audits, and executing telecommunication training. In April 2000, Ms. Hood transferred to the Humphrey's County Sheriffs Department, as Office Administrator. Ms. Hood is responsible for the direction, coordination and overall management of the department. Ms. Hood is responsible for assisting in implementing personnel policies and procedures, scheduling of work assignments and executing the objectives set by the Executive Officer. As Administrator, Ms. Hood additionally has an opportunity to apply and assist in obtaining grant funds for the Sheriffs Department. She also assists in other areas of the grant process including initializing, research, following-up communication and reports. Ms. Hood analyzes, monitors, and prepares weekly and monthly reports; cash journal reports, request for purchase orders, inventory receiving clerk, assisting in budget formulation and modification, audit preparation and reimbursements. Ms. Hood will follow all the guidelines set forth by the state for the allocation of said funds. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Ms. Gail Hood for her dedication to serving others and giving back to the community.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable public servant, Lieutenant Colonel George Torrie Jackson, Jr. who is a native of Jackson, MS. LTC Jackson holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science and master's degree in Education Administration, both from Jackson State University. LTC Jackson is a 30-year member of the U.S. Army Reserve/ Mississippi Army National Guard and veteran of Operation Iraq Freedom. He began his military career as a Petroleum Laboratory Specialist (E-3) (894th Quartermaster Company, Jackson, MS--1988-1992), then as a Finance Specialist (E-4) (210th Finance Battalion, Jackson, MS--1992- 1996). LTC Jackson was commissioned through the Mississippi Military Academy (Class 38), Camp Shelby, MS in 1996. As a commissioned officer, LTC Jackson has held many duty assignments to include positions as a Subsistence Officer, (114th Area Support Group, Hattiesburg, MS--1996- 1997), Platoon Leader (3656th Maintenance Company, Camp Shelby, MS-- 1997-1998), Detachment Commander (3656th Maintenance Company, DET 1, Waynesboro, MS--1998-2000), Maintenance Control Officer/Executive Officer (3656th Maintenance Company, Camp Shelby, MS--2000-2001), Detachment Commander/Executive Officer (3656th Maintenance Company, DET 2, Gloster, MS--2001-2002), S-1 Personnel Officer (298th Maintenance Battalion, Philadelphia, MS--2002-2003), Service and Support Officer (114th Area Support Group, Hattiesburg, MS--2003-2006). During Operation Iraqi Freedmon (2004) LTC Jackson served as the C4 Sustainment Battle Captain and Coalition Acquisition Review Board (CARB and Super CARB) secretary. His next successive assignments included Company Commander (1/185th Aviation Battalion, E Company, Jackson, MS-- 2006-2008), S-3 Operations Officer (8/108th Transportation Battalion, Jackson, MS--2008-2012), Executive Officer (8/108th Transportation Battalion, Jackson, MS--2012-2014 ), and Materiel Readiness Branch Chief (377th Theater Sustainment Command, Belle Chasse, LA--2014-2016). LTC Jackson currently serves as the Battalion Commander of the 5th Logistic Civil Augmentation Program (LOGCAP) Support Battalion, located in Sheffield, AL. LTC Jackson's awards and commendations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, NATO Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Army Achievenment Medal, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War On Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Overseas Service Ribbon, Humanitarian Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Mississippi Emergency Service Medal and the Mississippi Longevity Medal. In his civilian capacity, LTC Jackson serves as a school administrator for the Holmes County School District Central High School, located in Lexington, MS, and holds the rank of Lieutenant with the Hinds County Sheriffs Office--Reserve Division in Jackson, MS. LTC Jackson, his wife, Dr. Debra Mays-Jackson, and two sons, Cameron and Kendall, currently live in Terry, MS. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the late Lieutenant Colonel George Torrie Jackson, Jr.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable person, Ms. Earlean Marshall. Earlean Marshall was born on September 14, 1948 in Greenwood, Mississippi to U.S. Army Veteran, Mr. O.Z. Marshall, Sr. and Mrs. Mildred Macy Debro Marshall. She was the eldest of seven children. Her brother John D. Marshall and parents preceded her in death. Growing up, Earlean's life journeys would take her to Chicago where her parents also lived. They would later relocate to Mississippi, settling in the Rosebank Community of Holmes County. Earlean began her early public-school education at Mt. Olive School in the Mt. Olive Community. She dearly loved Mt. Olive School and would later serve on the Mt. Olive All-Class Reunion Committee. And, then she attended high school at Tchula Attendance Center (TAC) but would later finish high school in Los Angeles, California where she relocated in 1964 to live with her Aunt ``Lovie'' and cousins. Earlean graduated from LA High in 1967 and received bachelor's degrees from California State and UCLA. She was very smart where many of her colleagues asked for her assistance. She was well liked by friends, co-workers and neighbors. Earlean joined Liberty Baptist Church and was active on the youth usher Board as well as sang in the youth choir. Years later, Earlean joined Holman United Methodist Church in May 20, 1979. She was very active within her church community. She participated on the Holman Church Board, Advisory and Trustee Committee, The Women's Organization, The Holman Mass Choir, and the Usher Board. Earlean was always willing to serve and was very appreciated. A business-minded individual, Earlean began her career in retail at Broadway Department Store in California but would later further her career for years in the corporate world as a contractor with TRW, Inc. and with The Boeing Company--The Aerospace & Tech Leader. Her work took her on numerous business travels. Following Earlean's lengthy career in corporate America, she returned to Mississippi after her father died and made her home once again in the Rosebank community. She reunited with Rosebank M.B. Church where she would share her beautiful, melodious voice during devotion, served as acting secretary, was mistress of ceremony on numerous occasions, very active in Sunday School, and was a faithful supporter of the church. She remained active until her health began to decline. An education advocate and family historian, Earlean often rejoiced in the achievements of her nieces and nephews and other relatives of the family, always encouraging them on achieve greatness. God called her home to rest in His arms with sweet, sweet peace early Monday morning on February 25, 2019. She will truly be missed. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the late Earlean Marshall.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a tenacious and self-driven community servant, William L. Nettle. William Nettle is a lifelong resident of Vicksburg, Mississippi. After graduating from Warren Central High School in 2004, he earned his bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from Jackson State University. During his college tenure he worked at Factory Brand Shoes, where he learned the art of customer service. William started his real estate career in 2010, after a short time spent working in the television industry. In August of 2016, William joined the Keller Williams family. William Nettle is a member of the Bypass Church of Christ, where he serves as the Youth Coordinator, LIFE Group Leader, Bible School Teacher and Audio/Visual Coordinator. He serves the community in numerous ways. William is on the Board of Directors for two nonprofit organizations: Warren County Habitat for Humanity and It's Time Media. He is a member of the Vicksburg Kiwanis Club, the Vicksburg Optimist Club, Vicksburg Young Professionals, and the Vicksburg/Warren County Chapter of the Jackson State University National Alumni Association. Mr. Nettle also frequently volunteers with United Way of West Central Mississippi by reading to 3rd graders as a part of the L.E.A.R.N. (Leaders Encouraging Advancements in Reading Now) Program. For fun, William likes watching sports, fishing, watching comedy and action movies and listening to good music. He also enjoys playing sports, especially bowling. He loves to sing and make people laugh. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing William L. Nettle for his hard work, dedication and tenacity to serving others.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor His Imperial Majesty Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Babtunde Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, Ooni of Ife. Ojaja II is a Nigerian monarch; since coronation he has been able to harmonize the relationships between all the Yoruba Royal leaders and with the Nigerian government. He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria. He is an Associate Accounting Technician. Oba Ogunwusi is a certified member of the Institute of Directors. He is also a member of the Global Real Estate Institute. He holds multiple honorary doctorate degrees: one in Public Administration from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and another in Law from Igbinedion University. Oba Ogunwusi is the Chancellor at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He has been described as an astute entrepreneur driven by the need to turn impossibilities into possibilities. He is an advocate for the empowerment and emancipation of women and young people. He is a renowned philanthropist who is committed to humanity and an advocate for the less privileged. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing His Imperial Majesty Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Babtunde Ogunwusi, Ojaja II for his endeavors to the citizens of Nigeria and for visiting the ``Jewel of the Delta,'' Mound Bayou, MS.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a valiant and selfless community servant, Hezekiah Watkins. In the summer of 1961, Hezekiah Watkins sought out to see the Freedom Riders make history at the Greyhound bus station in Jackson, Mississippi. Though his mother warned him of his potential demise, their home being burned, and other risks of activism; Watkins couldn't be dissuaded from watching the protesters combat segregated public transportation up close and personal. At age 13, Watkins's life changed forever when he was pushed into the bus station, mistaken for an ``outside agitator,'' and sent to Parchman Farm, the Mississippi State Penitentiary. While incarcerated, Watkins was celled with two inmates convicted of murder, who tormented, molested, and physically abused him. They also stole his food leaving him with only scraps of fat, syrup and a biscuit. He was returned to his mother in Jackson five days later, who anticipated identifying his remains. Hearing of Watkins' incarceration, James Bevel, a prominent civil rights leader, visited Watkins' home in Jackson. While Watkins still had no intentions of joining the movement, Bevel insisted he was needed. After hearing Bevel deliver a powerful sermon at church, Bevel gained the trust of both Watkins and his mother, who believed Bevel was a God-sent man. She allowed Watkins to join the Freedom Riders under the sole condition that Bevel would keep him safe, which he did. Watkins participated in the 1964 Mississippi Summer Project, also known as Freedom Summer, where he and other activists worked to increase the black voter turnout in Mississippi. They also instituted Freedom Schools which worked to academically empower black students by offering free summer classes. Today, Watkins can be found at the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum in Jackson, not as a part of a display, but as an employee, sharing his story to daily visitors.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2476 would, for the first time, formally authorize the Department of Homeland Security's Nonprofit Security Grant Program. This important grant program makes funding available to nonprofit organizations that are at risk of a terrorist attack. Increasingly, nonprofit organizations throughout the United States and abroad have experienced an alarming increase in violence and threats of violence. In just the first six months of 2019, the level of bloodshed in places of worship have shocked the world. In addition to the April 27th shooting, where a gunman opened fire on congregants at a Passover celebration at a California synagogue, there was the April 21st coordinated terrorist attack on churches and hotels in Sri Lanka that killed nearly 250 people and the March 15th live- streamed mass shooting at a mosque in New Zealand, where 50 people were killed. The horror of these attacks was compounded by the three church burnings in Louisiana in April. Prior to this year, there were the 2018 ``Tree of Life'' synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh, where 11 people were killed; the 2017 Sutherland Springs, Texas church shooting, where 26 people were killed; and the 2012 shooting at a Sikh Temple in Milwaukee. These attacks amplify the need for religious and other nonprofit organizations to have access to resources to keep themselves safe from bad actors. Enactment of H.R. 2476 will help non-profits and places of worship take steps to be safer. I introduced this legislation to authorize $75 million in grants with Representatives Peter King (R-NY), Max Rose (D-NY), Steve Stivers (R- OH), Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), and Troy Balderson (R-OH) in early May and, to date, it has over 100 Democrats and Republicans. H.R. 2476 was endorsed by The Jewish Federations of North America. I truly appreciate their support and commitment to this vital homeland security program. Prospects for enactment of this legislation are good, as a bipartisan companion bill has been introduced. Mr. Speaker, I urge support for H.R. 2476.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Ms. Unita Zelma Blackwell on her great contributions to civil rights activism. Born in Lula in 1933 into a sharecropping family, Blackwell left Mississippi as a child to attend school in West Helena, Arkansas, because black children weren't allowed to consistently attend school at that time in the Mississippi Delta. Blackwell forfeited school at the eighth grade and began sharecropping with her family. During the early 70s, Blackwell became an important pillar in the civil rights movement in the South. She served as a project director and field secretary for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), helping organize voter drives for African Americans across Mississippi. These efforts landed her in jail at least 70 times. In 1967, she co-founded Mississippi Action Community Education, a community development organization which helped districts to incorporate as towns. Incorporation enabled them to set their geographical boundaries so that they could have a legal identity-an important advantage when they wanted government help in installing streetlights or electricity. In 1976, Unita Blackwell became the first African American woman mayor in the state of Mississippi (Mayersville, MS) where she developed the city's infrastructure with an annual $30,000 budget. She also served as an adviser to Presidents Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. Blackwell's career path was very diverse: Key organizer, Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, 1964; National President of the U.S.-China People's Friendship Association, 1977 through 1983; elected Mayor of Mayersville, 1976 through 2001; had the town incorporated, 1976; appointed by President Carter to the U.S. National Commission on the International Year of the Child, 1979; vice-chairman of the Mississippi Democratic Party, 1976 through 1980; established Mayors' Exchange Program between U.S. and China; 1984; national president of the National Conference of Black Mayors, 1990 through 1992. Notable awards achieved by Blackwell: Southern Christian Leadership Award, 1990; Institute of Politics Fellow, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, 1991; MacArthur Foundation Genius Grant, 1992; APA leadership award for elected official, 1994; honored with a Mississippi Freedom Trail marker, 2016. Her son, Jeremiah Blackwell, Jr., informed Mississippi Today of his mother's death on Monday, May 13, 2019 at age 86. Madam Speaker, today I honor the life of Ms. Unita Blackwell for her many contributions to education, civil rights, and the great state of Mississippi. Blackwell made a career of serving others, and her work had a direct and positive influence on the lives of thousands.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1589) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear intelligence and information sharing functions of the Office of Intelligence and Analysis of the Department of Homeland Security and to require dissemination of information analyzed by the Department to entities with responsibilities relating to homeland security, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on this measure.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1589, the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Intelligence and Information Sharing Act of 2019. In the last two Congresses, the Committee on Homeland Security has held several hearings on Federal, State, and local capabilities to prevent, identify, and respond to a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear attack. At those hearings, State and local stakeholders, including public health professionals, emergency managers, and first responders, expressed general awareness of the evolving CBRN threat, but expressed frustration with the level of information sharing about such threats. H.R. 1589 seeks to facilitate improved CBRN information sharing by directing DHS to analyze CBRN-related terrorist threats and share relevant threat information with Federal, State, and local stakeholders. These activities could help improve situational awareness at all levels of government and help DHS grant recipients better target their limited resources. Prior versions of this measure passed the House overwhelmingly in the last two Congresses. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the measure once again, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1433 would help improve morale among the Department's 240,000 employees by creating and cataloging leadership development opportunities, identifying and addressing factors that impact employee engagement, and recognizing employee contributions. The DHS MORALE Act continues to have the support of the National Border Patrol Council, National Treasury Employees Union, and American Federation of Government Employees. Enactment of the bill will help DHS examine the root cause of the longstanding morale concerns and determine the best strategy to move the Department forward in a positive direction. Mr. Speaker, I ask for my colleagues' support, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1433, the DHS MORALE Act. Mr. Speaker, every day, the Department of Homeland Security's workforce carries out dozens of critical missions, which are as diverse as preventing terrorism, securing cyberspace, transportation security, and disaster recovery. These 240,000 men and women deserve to have their contributions to keeping the Nation secure valued by not only the American people but also by DHS itself. Yet, even before the President's 35-day partial government shutdown earlier this year, morale within DHS was a persistent problem. In fact, for the past 7 years, DHS has ranked dead last among all large Federal agencies in the Partnership for Public Service's annual ``Best Places to Work in the Federal Government'' survey. This is unacceptable. Senior DHS leadership, most especially the Secretary of Homeland Security, needs to prioritize improving morale within the DHS workforce. In the Obama administration, then-DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson began to address this operational imperative through a range of programs under the unity of effort umbrella. Unfortunately, the current administration largely abandoned those promising efforts. I have long been committed to improving conditions for the DHS workforce. To that end, I reintroduced H.R. 1433, the DHS MORALE Act, a bill that passed the House unanimously and received tremendous support from the labor organizations representing the DHS labor force. The DHS MORALE Act requires DHS to develop and implement policies related to leadership development, employee engagement, career progression, and employee recommendations. This Congress, two new provisions were added to the bill. The first directs the DHS Chief Human Capital Officer to analyze government-wide Federal workforce satisfaction or morale surveys to inform efforts to improve morale. The second provision requires a report to Congress on the impact of the recent government shutdown on DHS human resources and morale. Both of these measures would be a step toward fixing the longstanding morale problems at DHS. Mr. Speaker, I urge the passage of H.R. 1433, and I reserve the balance of my time. MR. GUEST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Today, I rise in support of H.R. 1433, the DHS MORALE Act. The bill seeks to address an issue that has plagued the Department of Homeland Security since its creation: low employee morale. DHS has consistently reported low employee morale on the ``Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey'' and today remains dead last out of large agencies in employee satisfaction. These numbers are troubling. DHS must find ways to improve employee morale. The Department's mission is too important for these issues to be ignored. H.R. 1433 will address the morale problem at DHS by improving leadership development, workforce planning, and employee engagement programs. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1433 to improve morale throughout DHS and its components, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on this measure.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1433) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to improve morale within the Department of Homeland Security workforce by conferring new responsibilities to the Chief Human Capital Officer, establishing an employee engagement steering committee, requiring action plans, and authorizing an annual employee award program, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1593) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish a school security coordinating council, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, school shootings have claimed the lives of too many young people. Passage of the CLASS Act would ensure that the Department of Homeland Security is positioned to be impactful in its efforts to address the escalating risk to school security. I commend the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) for his leadership on this issue. Mr. Speaker, I ask for my colleagues' support, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on this measure.