Val Demings: “I thank the gentlewoman from New York for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I reintroduced H.R. 449 to enhance counterterrorism…”

“I thank the gentlewoman from New York for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I reintroduced H.R. 449 to enhance counterterrorism preparedness at the local level. In recent years, we have seen acts of terrorism, especially in planning and execution, take place in cities throughout our Nation. Whether it occurs at a church in Charleston, a synagogue in Pittsburgh, or a nightclub in Orlando, local law enforcement is the front line of defense in protecting our communities from acts of violence. It is, therefore, necessary to equip our first responders with the tools to allow them to quickly adapt to the evolving terrorist threat landscape. This bill, H.R. 449, does just that. Today, the Department of Homeland Security's training catalogue is a primary resource for State and local jurisdictions to find opportunities to enhance their counterterrorism and preparedness capabilities. Specifically, H.R. 449 directs DHS' Office of State and Local Law Enforcement to produce, as you have heard, and distribute an annual catalogue of training programs and services to State, local, and Tribal law enforcement communities. To ensure that this information is shared throughout the law enforcement community with agencies large and small, H.R. 449 requires this comprehensive catalogue be posted on the DHS website, as well as on the Homeland Security Information Network.…”