Strengthening Domestic Nuclear Security Act of 2014

Floor Speech

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

I rise today in support of H.R. 5629, the Strengthening Domestic Nuclear Security Act of 2014.

We know extremist groups such as al Qaeda and ISIS have shown interest in acquiring nuclear and radiological materials, and in July of this year, Islamist insurgents seized nuclear materials which were used for scientific research at Mosul University in Iraq. Fortunately, the material that was seized was not enriched to the point it could be used in weapons form, but it proves that our enemies are actively seeking materials that could be turned into a dirty bomb.

The Domestic Nuclear Detection Office is the lead agency within the United States Government for coordinating efforts to detect and intercept radiological and nuclear devices that threaten to come into the United States. DNDO coordinates these efforts through an interagency system and a collaborative framework known as the global nuclear detection architecture, which DNDO is responsible for implementing domestically.

DNDO works with other Department of Homeland Security components, including Customs and Border Protection, as well as State and local law enforcement to provide these entities with the equipment and training which is needed to interdict radiological or nuclear material before it can enter into the United States.

DNDO has had its share of struggles in the past, but over the past several years it has made significant improvements from top to bottom and today is one of the best functioning components in the Department of Homeland Security. We have done the oversight. According to an internal review that was done by the Department, this actual division has the highest morale of any department in Homeland Security. They are to be commended for their good work.

This legislation looks to build on the momentum that has been created by making modest improvements to better help DNDO carry out its mission. Specifically, H.R. 5629 strengthens DNDO's engagement with other DHS components and stakeholders and codifies acquisition procedures and guidelines to prevent the breakdowns that have occurred in the past.

Through my subcommittee's oversight, the gentlewoman from New York and I have had the ability to determine that performing the joint interagency review of the global nuclear detection architecture annually was not necessary, so H.R. 5629 also changes the review to require it every 2 years instead. DNDO has advised us that by making that small change, DHS could save up to $800,000. I think it is important to be fiscal stewards of the dollars that are under our oversight. This accomplishes that.

This legislation also codifies and strengthens the Securing the Cities program, a program to enhance the ability to detect and prevent radiological or nuclear attacks in high-risk U.S. cities. This program has been very successful in building up the resources of New York City and is being expanded to the national capital region and Los Angeles and Long Beach.
I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation to build on the capacity of the Department of Homeland Security to protect the homeland against such an attack.

Mr. Speaker, with that, I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, after my remarks, I will insert into the Record an exchange of letters between the Committee on Homeland Security and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.

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

I want to also take a moment to thank the ranking member for her engagement and collaboration on the many issues that we had the opportunity to work on together, to share this collaboration and engagement of important matters before our Committee on Homeland Security, particularly work that we were able to do, as you have identified, on cybersecurity and, I think, also on chemical facilities and the protection which is so important to our homeland in that area as well. I have genuinely enjoyed the collaboration and look forward to hoping that we not only pass the bills that we have before this Congress, but that we can continue to work together into the future.

I urge all Members to join me in supporting this bipartisan bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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