Know the CBRN Terrorism Threats to Transportation Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. HIGGINS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise in support of H.R. 3350, the Know the CBRN Terrorism Threats to Transportation Act.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman of the subcommittee, Mr. King of New York; Chairman McCaul; and my ranking member, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, for their support of my bill.

H.R. 3350, the Know the CBRN Terrorism Threats to Transportation Act, would direct the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Intelligence and Analysis to conduct a terrorism threat assessment of the risks associated with transportation of chemical, biological, nuclear, and radiological materials.

Terrorists and militant groups have expressed an interest in using weapons of mass destruction, especially those utilizing chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear, known as CBRN, agents or materials.

In fact, according to a recent Associated Press investigation, the FBI uncovered a plot by rogue Moldavian operatives to sell nuclear material to foreign terrorist organizations that have an interest in targeting the United States.

Next year the Department of Energy plans to allow the transporting by truck of highly enriched uranium from Canada to South Carolina. As a cost-saving measure, the planned shipment would be in liquid form.

These trucks are scheduled to enter the United States via the Peace Bridge in Buffalo, New York. An attack or an accident involving one of these trucks crossing the Peace Bridge could have devastating consequences.

The Peace Bridge is the busiest passenger crossing on the northern border and the second busiest cargo port of entry. Closing the bridge for an extended period of time would cause great economic harm to the region and national economies. Further, an attack could contaminate the Great Lakes, which contain 84 percent of North America's surface freshwater, with highly radioactive material.

Despite these risks, the Department of Energy approved this route, relying on an analysis of this route that is 20 years old, and did not anticipate carrying such high-level waste. In other words, the Federal Government is about to begin importing highly radioactive material, which has never been shipped in this manner, using outdated, pre-9/11 information that does not reflect the threats we face today.

To ensure that all relevant Federal agencies, including the Department of Energy, have the information they need to make decisions and develop policies that are informed by the terrorism threat picture, my bill would direct the Department of Homeland Security to share its assessment with Federal partners.

Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to support H.R. 3350, a measure that will not only help ensure the Department of Energy has the information it needs with respect to transporting dangerous material through high-risk areas throughout the United States, but that other Federal agencies who are faced with similar questions are able to make better informed decisions.

Many of the routes used for the transport of CBRN materials were approved nearly 20 years ago and, as such, reflect a pre-9/11 mindset with respect to the threat and consequences of terrorism.

My bill will ensure that the Department of Homeland Security assesses and shares threat information with the Department of Energy and other Federal agencies to ensure that they have the information needed to reach complicated decisions about transporting dangerous nuclear material throughout our communities.

Enactment of my legislation will send a message to citizens at risk in Buffalo and beyond that we care about keeping them secure and ensuring that Federal policy is informed by the best information we have on terrorism threats.

With that, I ask for my colleagues' support.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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