The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“HOMELAND SECURITY UNIVERSITY-BASED CENTERS REVIEW ACT” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Energy was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H4574-H4576 on June 23, 2015.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
HOMELAND SECURITY UNIVERSITY-BASED CENTERS REVIEW ACT
Mr. RATCLIFFE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2390) to require a review of university-based centers for homeland security, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 2390
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Homeland Security University-based Centers Review Act''.
SEC. 2. REVIEW OF UNIVERSITY-BASED CENTERS.
(a) GAO Study of University-Based Centers.--Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall initiate a study to assess the university-based centers for homeland security program authorized by section 308(b)(2) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 188(b)(2)), and provide recommendations to the Committee on Homeland Security and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate for appropriate improvements.
(b) Subject Matters.--The study under subsection (a) shall include the following:
(1) A review of the Department of Homeland Security's efforts to identify key areas of study needed to support the homeland security mission, and criteria that the Department utilized to determine those key areas for which the Department should maintain, establish, or eliminate university-based centers.
(2) A review of the method by which university-based centers, federally funded research and development centers, and Department of Energy national laboratories receive tasking from the Department of Homeland Security, including a review of how university-based research is identified, prioritized, and funded.
(3) A review of selection criteria for designating university-based centers and a weighting of such criteria.
(4) An examination of best practices from other agencies' efforts to organize and use university-based research to support their missions.
(5) A review of the Department of Homeland Security's criteria and metrics to measure demonstrable progress achieved by university-based centers in fulfilling Department taskings, and mechanisms for delivering and disseminating the research results of designated university-based centers within the Department and to other Federal, State, and local agencies.
(6) An examination of the means by which academic institutions that are not designated or associated with the designated university-based centers can optimally contribute to the research mission of the Directorate of Science and Technology of the Department of Homeland Security.
(7) An assessment of the interrelationship between the different university-based centers and the degree to which outreach and collaboration among a diverse array of academic institutions is encouraged by the Department of Homeland Security, particularly with historically Black colleges and universities and minority serving institutions.
(8) A review of any other essential elements of the programs determined in the conduct of the study.
(c) Information Relating to University-Based Centers.--Subparagraph (D) of section 308(b)(2) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 188(b)(2)) is amended to read as follows:
``(D) Annual report to congress.--Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this subparagraph and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the implementation of this section. Each such report shall--
``(i) indicate which center or centers have been designated pursuant to this section;
``(ii) describe how such designation or designations enhance homeland security;
``(iii) provide information on any decisions to revoke or modify such designation or designations;
``(iv) describe research that has been tasked and completed by each center that has been designated during the preceding year;
``(v) describe funding provided by the Secretary for each center under clause (iv) for that year; and
``(vi) describe plans for utilization of each center or centers in the forthcoming year.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Ratcliffe) and the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.
General Leave
Mr. RATCLIFFE. 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 any extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Texas?
There was no objection.
Mr. RATCLIFFE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise this afternoon in support of H.R. 2390, the Homeland Security University-based Centers Review Act of 2015, authored by the ranking member, the gentleman from Mississippi.
Mr. Speaker, this bill will require the Government Accountability Office to initiate a study to assess the university-based centers for homeland security and provide recommendations to Congress on improvements.
The Department of Homeland Security Centers of Excellence play a vital role in providing long-term research and support of technology development in areas of emerging threats.
Additionally, these centers play key roles in supporting the Department of Homeland Security and its mission in protecting our homeland. I look forward to seeing the results of this study and how we can better improve the effectiveness of these university centers.
I reserve the balance of my time.
House of Representatives, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology,
Washington, DC, June 17, 2015.Hon. Michael T. McCaul,Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, House of
Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing concerning H.R. 2390, the
``Homeland Security University-based Centers Review Act,'' which your Committee reported on May 20, 2015.
H.R. 2390 contains provisions within the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology's Rule X jurisdiction. As a result of your having consulted with the Committee and in order to expedite this bill for floor consideration, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology will forego action on the bill. This is being done on the basis of our mutual understanding that doing so will in no way diminish or alter the jurisdiction of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology with respect to the appointment of conferees, or to any future jurisdictional claim over the subject matters contained in the bill or similar legislation.
I would appreciate your response to this letter confirming this understanding, and would request that you include a copy of this letter and your response in the Committee Report and in the Congressional Record during the floor consideration of this bill. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
Lamar Smith,Chairman.
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House of Representatives,
Committee on Homeland Security,
Washington, DC, June 17, 2015.Hon. Lamar Smith,Chairman, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Smith: Thank you for your letter regarding H.R. 2390, the ``Homeland Security University-based Centers Review Act.'' I appreciate your support in bringing this legislation before the House of Representatives, and accordingly, understand that the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology will forego further action on the bill.
The Committee on Homeland Security concurs with the mutual understanding that by foregoing further action on this bill at this time, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology does not waive any jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in this bill or similar legislation in the future. In addition, should a conference on this bill be necessary, I would support your request to have the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology represented on the conference committee.
I will insert copies of this exchange in the Congressional Record during consideration of this bill on the House floor. I thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
Sincerely,
Michael T. McCaul,
Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security.
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2390, the Homeland Security University-based Centers Review Act.
I introduced H.R. 2390, the Homeland Security University-based Centers Review Act, with my colleague Mr. Richmond, to provide Congress with the full picture of the Department's management of the Centers of Excellence program.
This program dates back to the Department's earliest days. It was authorized in the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to be ``a coordinated, university-based system to enhance the Nation's homeland security.'' Since that time, however, we have not had a comprehensive review of the Department's management of this vital research and development program.
H.R. 2390 marks the most significant effort to assess the Centers of Excellence program to date. The measure directs the Government Accountability Office to issue a comprehensive report that, among other things, evaluates how the Department aligns decisions about establishing, maintaining, or eliminating a center with its research needs; how DHS identifies, prioritizes, and funds projects; and how DHS measures progress on its research goals.
The bill also directs GAO to examine how DHS promotes collaboration among the centers, as well as with institutions outside of the network, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other minority-serving institutions.
I have the privilege of representing Jackson State University, which is part of the Department's Coastal Resilience Center of Excellence program. I am proud that in its capacity, Jackson State has contributed research and modeling that informed realtime operational decisions at the Coast Guard and FEMA in the wake of Hurricane Sandy and other disasters.
I know that throughout this country, there are other institutions that could benefit from and bring unique knowledge and expertise to DHS' ten standing Centers of Excellence.
Mr. Speaker, the Homeland Security Committee has been involved in vigorous oversight of the Centers of Excellence, particularly encouraging the Department to adopt policies that help diversify university and student participation in the homeland security enterprise.
In my opinion, the DHS Science and Technology Directorate's robust outreach effort to universities and institutions of recent years is that direct result of our oversight, but we need to understand whether S&T's outreach, along with its effort to better manage the Centers of Excellence, are really working.
H.R. 2390 is an important first step in effectively assessing the value of the Centers of Excellence and evaluating whether or not the research and development potential of our Nation's universities are being effectively leveraged.
Mr. Speaker, again, I am grateful for the cooperation of the subcommittee chairman, Mr. Ratcliffe, and the full committee chairman, Mr. McCaul, for their help to improve the Department's Centers of Excellence; and I urge passage of this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. RATCLIFFE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman McCaul and Ranking Member Thompson for their leadership on this bill.
I, once again, urge my colleagues to support this bill. It is a strong bipartisan piece of legislation.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Homeland Security Committee, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2390 ``Homeland Security University-based Centers Review Act.''
I support this bipartisan legislation which requires an annual report be sent to Congress to assess the university-based centers for homeland security program and provide recommendations for appropriate improvements.
Mr. Speaker, the research that our designated institutions conduct is imperative to the current progress and future success of protecting our nation's greatest asset, the American people.
I join my colleagues in working to safeguard our investment by requiting annual reports that give detailed reviews of how our funding is being spent and more effective ways we can use the information yielded from these studies in a real world applicable way.
This bill requires a review of the Department of Homeland Security's
(DHS) efforts to identify key areas of study needed to support the homeland security mission, and criteria that the Department utilized to determine those key areas for which the Department should maintain, establish, or eliminate university-based centers.
DHS's mission is to ensure a homeland that is safe, secure, and resilient against terrorism and other hazards.
H.R. 2390 supports that mission by overseeing the funding of a university-based research program that invests in the homeland security, science and technology of the DHS.
It is imperative that we have oversight of how the funds are being used to meet DHS's university program criteria and this bill requires a review of how university-based research is identified, prioritized, and funded.
The Centers of Excellence (COE) network is an extended consortium of hundreds of universities conducting groundbreaking research to address homeland security challenges.
Sponsored by the Office of University Programs, the COEs work closely with the homeland security community to develop customer-driven, innovative tools and technologies to solve real-world challenges.
The Institute for Infectious Animal Diseases (IIAD) and Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station, have used this program to develop a mobile Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) application to support veterinary practitioners submitting animal health certificate records from the field.
This real-time information sharing is an alternative to email or web-
based systems, and helps improve communication between veterinarians and state animal health offices by supporting certificate submission from the field.
The Homeland Security University-based Centers Review Act requires a review of the Department of Homeland Security's criteria and metrics to measure demonstrable progress achieved by university-based centers in fulfilling Department taskings, and mechanisms for delivering and disseminating the research results of designated university-based centers within the Department and to other Federal, State, and local agencies.
Mr. Speaker, because these funds are used to enrich our future generations of leaders and it is important that the different university-based centers reach out and collaborate among a diverse array of academic institutions, particularly with historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU) and minority serving institutions.
I applaud Rankin Member Thompson for including specific language that reaches out to diverse universities, specifically often overshadowed historically Black colleges and universities.
HBCU such as Texas Southern University, in my Congressional district, is preparing technically savvy Homeland Security professionals for Maritime Transportation Security.
All educational institutions who meet criteria should be eligible to participate in the Department of Homeland Security's University Program.
This bill supports the program's mission needs of building a stable community of homeland security researchers and educators at U.S. colleges and universities.
Fostering a homeland security culture within the academic community through research and educational programs is a great partnership between government and our education institutions.
Strengthening U.S. scientific leadership in homeland security research and education giving our students a competitive ranking on a global level.
Generating and disseminating knowledge and technical advances to advance the homeland security mission helps to recruit future partners and participants.
Integrating homeland security activities across agencies engaged in relevant academic research will help partners work in concert to develop critical technologies and analyses to secure the nation's security interest.
The Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Centers of Excellence develop multidisciplinary, customer-driven, homeland security science and technology solutions and help train the next generation of homeland security experts.
The Homeland Security University-based Centers Review Act regulates the institutions designated with this distinguished honor of training the next generation of leaders in the scientific and technological fields.
Raising the visibility and status of the government sponsored programs creates an environment where each institution has to take responsibility for the use of their funds and prove those uses furthered the mission needs of DHS.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support this bipartisan bill and strongly urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 2390.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Ratcliffe) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2390, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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