Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards Program Extension Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. Speaker, last week, I came to the floor with Democratic and Republican leaders of the Homeland Security and Energy and Commerce Committees to urge the House to take urgent action to prevent termination of the Department of Homeland Security's Chemical Facilities Anti-Terrorism Standards program.

The House answered the call by passing H.R. 251 by an overwhelming margin of 414-3. Now, the Senate has acted on this critical legislation and sent H.R. 251 back with an amendment. It falls to the House to get it to the President's desk.

Although 414 Members of the House sent a strong message to the Senate that the program should be reauthorized for 2 years, which would have provided sufficient opportunity for meaningful engagement with DHS, stakeholders, and the Comptroller General, the Senate amendment authorizes the program for a shortened period of 15 months.

I am concerned this abbreviated authorization period provides less stability for DHS and more uncertainty for the regulated community, but unless we act, the CFATS program will expire at midnight tonight.

Allowing this program to lapse will be disruptive, irresponsible, and would sacrifice the important security gains that DHS and the regulated community have achieved.

In short, allowing the program to sunset would make our communities less safe. After all, this program is designed to prevent the next West, Texas, where a dozen first responders lost their lives after a bad actor caused an explosion at a fertilizer plant, creating a blast that leveled an entire community.

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Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I have no speakers, and I am prepared to close after the gentleman from Texas closes.

Mr. Speaker, if the House does not act today, an important national security program would terminate in a matter of hours. I cannot overstate the threat that would pose.

As DHS Secretary Nielsen put it in a letter last November: `` . . . if the program were to lapse as a result of the current sunsetting provision, it would increase the risk to our country and create uncertainty across the chemical industry.''

Before I close, I want to thank my partners in this month-long effort. My fellow committee members, Representatives Richmond, Rogers, and Ratcliffe; my colleagues on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Representatives, Pallone, Walden, Tonko, and Shimkus; our new partner in the Senate, Ranking Member Peters; majority and minority leadership staff, most notably Shuwanza Goff and Luke Murry; and Alicia Smith on my staff, as well as Jackie Cohen, Jerry Couri, and Julie Klein.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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