Securing the Cities Improvement Act

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that we are here today to consider my bill, H.R. 4403, the Securing the Cities Improvement Act.

My bill will help cities build and maintain their security capabilities against nuclear or radiological threats.

While I will emphasize the critical nature of my bill, its effectiveness hinges upon the reauthorization of the DHS Office of Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction, CWMD.

Without CWMD, the Securing the Cities program will cease to operate. Securing the Cities, also called STC, was launched by the Department of Homeland Security in fiscal year 2007 as a pilot program to support New York City, Jersey City, and Newark, New Jersey, in detecting and preventing nuclear or radiological threats.

Today, the STC program provides 14 local governments, including my hometown of New Orleans, with detection equipment, training, exercise support, operational and technical support, subject matter expertise, and programmatic support.

STC's work in New Orleans has supported important events such as Mardi Gras, which is a very special and joyous time in my hometown. As you know, we will have the Super Bowl next year. This will have a critical impact on its safety and delivering joy to the people of our country and our world.

However, STC is limited to high-risk urban areas designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency under the Urban Area Security Initiative, or UASI, program.

Linking STC and UASI together can create uncertainty for local governments participating in the program, as the composition of jurisdictions in the UASI program can fluctuate from one year to the next.

To ensure stability within the STC program and maintain partnerships with at-risk cities, I introduced the Securing the Cities Improvement Act. My legislation would allow CWMD to determine which cities to partner with for the STC program based on the jurisdiction's capability and capacity to prepare for and respond to threats of vulnerabilities against terrorist attacks and other high-consequence events utilizing nuclear or other radiological materials.

It would also establish performance metrics and milestones for the STC program and monitor expenditures for the program.

Furthermore, the legislation requires DHS to provide a report to Congress regarding participation in the STC program, the establishment of metrics and milestones for the program, and any proposed modifications for this program.

The bill is a commonsense measure, one that will ensure that our cities are protected from nuclear or radiological threats.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4403 is important for sustaining local jurisdictions' capabilities to counter chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats.

Without the support of programs like STC, addressing and mitigating threats could become more difficult or cease to exist altogether, which would jeopardize the safety and well-being of every individual residing in our country.

Passage of this legislation is vital to maintaining our preparedness and ensuring the security of the Nation against the evolving challenges posed by terrorist attacks and other high-consequence events that utilize nuclear or radiological materials.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my House colleagues to support H.R. 4403, and I thank Chairman Green for his support in this measure.

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