House Committee on Homeland Security officials are espousing the advancement of legislation they maintain focuses on defending the homeland and standing by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) law enforcement.
The panel advanced legislation to reauthorize the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) Program; increase transparency in the border contractor procurement process at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS); and enhance mental health support for DHS law enforcement.
The Committee advanced H.R. 4470, the Protecting and Securing Chemical Facilities from Terrorist Attacks Act of 2023, introduced by Rep. Laurel Lee (R-FL); H.R. 4467, the DHS Border Services Contracts Review Act, introduced by Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-OK); and H.R. 2577, the DHS Suicide Prevention and Resiliency for Law Enforcement Act, introduced by House Committee on Homeland Security Ranking Member Bennie Thompson (D-MS).
“I am proud of this Committee’s work to defend the homeland and stand by DHS law enforcement, both in and out of the field,” said U.S. Rep. Mark E. Green (R-TN), chair of the Committee on Homeland Security. “To safeguard chemicals of interest from malicious terrorists, this Committee voted on a bipartisan basis to reauthorize CFATS, a critical DHS program that enhances the site security of chemical facilities across America.”
The legislation will enhance coordination, minimize overlap and ensure the federal government is a good steward of taxpayer dollars. Contractors provide crucial support amid this administration’s unprecedented humanitarian crisis and allow department personnel to focus on their primary responsibilities.