Pete Olson: “This bill authorizes the Office of Bombing Prevention within the Department of Homeland Security. In previous…”

“This bill authorizes the Office of Bombing Prevention within the Department of Homeland Security. In previous Congresses, it passed on suspension with bipartisan support. This office will provide the necessary analysis and coordination of our Nation's bomb prevention capability to best protect our citizens from the threat posed by explosive materials. We only need to look at terrorist activities overseas to understand that conventional and improvised explosive devices are a terrorist's weapon of choice to target military and civilians. Within the United States, we have been subject to our own share of explosive attacks, including the 1993 World Trade Center bombings, the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, the Centennial Olympic Park bombing, and others. State and local authorities have developed the capabilities to respond to potential explosive threats and to neutralize them. Yet without the office established in this bill, there would be no analysis of our nationwide capability to respond to explosive threats, or where gaps exist in training, equipment, and personnel against a national baseline. This analysis will assist State and local officials in applying for homeland security grants to fill these gaps. Further, this legislation will authorize the office to continue to promote information sharing and IED security awareness through advanced bomb prevention techniques and usable information.”