Department of Homeland Security Morale, Recognition, Learning and Engagement Act of 2021

Floor Speech

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Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 490, ``DHS MORALE Act,'' which expands the duties of the Chief Human Capital Officer to address morale throughout the Department of Homeland Security.

The bill provides for:

1. leader development and employee engagement,

2. maintaining a catalogue of available employee development opportunities, and

3. issuing a DHS-wide employee engagement action plan.

The bill directs DHS to establish an employee engagement steering committee and authorizes it to establish an annual employee award program.

DHS is also required to report to the congressional homeland security committees the impacts of the lapse in appropriations between December 22, 2018 and January 25, 2019 on (1) DHS human resources operations; (2) DHS's ability to meet hiring benchmarks; and (3) retention, attrition, and morale of DHS personnel.

As a senior member of this committee I have long been troubled by the low morale, employee retention and job opportunities within the entire agency and what impact these issues have had on homeland security.

Over my service on this committee, from its inception, I have learned a great deal about the capacity and strength of the men and women who work at the Department of Homeland Security.

I hold them in the highest regard for their dedication and service to our country.

This nation depends on the men and women of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to protect citizens from those who wish to do them harm.

DHS is charged with protecting the nation from terrorism threats.

The agency also assists local, state, and federal law enforcement to prepare to meet those threats which are significantly different than what was seen on September 11, 2001.

Because of the dedication of DHS professionals, we are better prepared to face these challenges as one nation united against a common foe.

The Department of Homeland Security was not created to protect the nation from desperate people escaping violence and poverty, seeking asylum in our country or the ravages of a virus attacking and killing over half a million Americans.

It was created to prevent attacks against our nation such as the one carried out by foreign terrorists who used commercial planes as missiles to destroy the World Trade Center Towers, and a section of the west side of the Pentagon, and would have killed more if not for the heroic acts of the passengers on Flight 93 to stop the attackers from reaching their ultimate destination right here at our nation's Capitol.

On January 6, 2021, our nation was once again threatened, but it was from an enemy found on our own shores led by the former President of the United States to attack the Capitol building during the constitutionally mandated Joint Meeting of Congress to count the ballots cast by presidential electors and announce the results and the winner to the nation and the world.

Today, our nation faces multiple crisis at the same time that are challenging our way of life, values, and resolve; challenges the American people are, and will be, prepared to face and overcome.

As Americans we are best when we are true to the values we hold dear, beginning with fidelity to the Constitution and the laws of the United States.

The Department of Homeland Security has had low employee morale and low employee engagement since it began operations in 2003 and this must change.

In 2019, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report on DHS employee morale.

This report addressed:

1. drivers of employee engagement at DHS and

2. the extent that DHS has initiatives to improve employee engagement and ensures effective engagement action planning.

GAO analyzed employee trends within DHS, reviewed component employee engagement action plans and met with officials from DHS and component human capital offices as well as unions and employee groups.

I was at the Capitol on September 11, 2001, and I will never forget the Members who were there with me as we sang God Bless America on the steps of the Capitol.

In the days and weeks following the attacks, we were uncertain what threat might come and how many lives might be lost as we worked to put resources in place to deal with an enemy that might be among us.

Over the past nineteen years we have learned a great deal about homeland security, but we must learn more about making sure that agency professionals have what they need to excel.

We will be better prepared to face these challenges as one nation, united against a common foe, when morale issues within DHS have been effectively addressed.

I urge all members to join me in voting for H.R. 490, DHS MORALE Act.

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