D. H. S. Accountability enforcement act. The speaker pro tempore the clerk will report the title of the bill. The clerk h. R. 4038, a bill to amend the Homeland Security act of 2002 to reassert article i authorities over the department of Homeland Security, and for ther purposes. The speaker pro tempore pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from texas, mr. Mccaul, and the gentleman from texas, mr. Vela, each will control 20 minutes. The chair recognizes the gentleman from texas. Mr. Mccaul mr. Speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and including r remarks, any extraneous materials on the bill under consideration. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Mr. Mccaul mr. Speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. The speaker pro tempore time yielded. Mr. Mccaul thank you. Mr. Speaker, i rise today in strong support of bipartisan d. H. S. Accountability enhancement act. Mr. Speaker, the current threats confronting our homeland continue to evolve each and every day. They come from international terrorists, drug smugglers, human traffickers, hackers engaged in cyberwarfare, transnational gangs like ms13, and natural disasters. To best address these threats, the American People need a department of Homeland Security that is effective and accountable to the people it protects. The Founding FathersGave Congress the authority to write laws and give direction to the executive branch under article 1 of our constitution. Today we have an important opportunity to reassert that constitutional authority. The legislation before us eliminates an outdated provision that gives d. H. S. Overly Broad Authority to act on its own and reorganize without congressional approval. It is authority that was wellintentioned when it was first provided right after 9 11, but time the time has come to rebalance this legislative equation. Mr. Speaker, as you may be aware, it is the only authority of its kind in the entire executive branch. As members of congress, we have a solemn obligation to help protect the American People from anyone who wishes to bring us harm. In the wake of 9 11, we reached across the aisle and worked together to create the department of Homeland Security and demonstrated that the security of our homeland is not a partisan issue. This is not just an act of democratic exercise. D. H. S. Used its authority for the first time in many years. We also want to work with d. H. S. To support them but continue use of this authority is not the best way to make the department stronger. Im proud to say the committee on Homeland Security on which i chair has a strong bipartisan track record. This year we came together as republicans and democrats and passed the firstever comprehensive reauthorization of d. H. S. Through the house with an overwhelming majority support. Lets continue that progress today and pass this legislation, and i call on the senate to pass our reauthorization of d. H. S. As soon as possible so our country can be more secure. Id like to thank Ranking Member bennie thompson, congressman vela, all of the staff on the committee for their hard work on this issue. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and with that, mr. Speaker, i reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas, mr. Mccaul, yields. The chair recognizes the gentleman from texas, mr. Vela. Mr. Vela mr. Speaker, i rise in support of h. R. 4038, the d. H. S. Accountability enhancement act, and i yield myself such time as i may consume. The speaker pro tempore youre recognized. Mr. Vela thank you, mr. Speaker. H. R. 4038, or the d. H. S. Accountability enhancement act, strikes section 872 of the Homeland Security act. Section 872 grants the secretary of Homeland Security unilateral authority to reorganize the department as long as the secretary Notifies Congress 60 days in advance. H. R. 4038 rescinds this unilateral authority. As authorizers of the department of Homeland Security, the committee on Homeland Security is ultimately responsible for reorganization of the department. H. R. 4038 reinforces this responsibility. The separation of powers doctrine compels the elimination of the provision which gives the department of Homeland Security unilateral Decisionmaking Authority to reorganize the department. Moreover, it should be noted this bill is not without precedent. While considering h. R. 2825, the department of Homeland Security act of 2017, in june, the committee on Homeland Security unanimously approved eliminating the language found in section 872 of the Homeland Security act of 2002. I believe this was just legislation not only ensures this committees involvement in reorganizations at d. H. S. But affirms the responsibility of congress as authorizers. With that i strongly urge support of this Bipartisan Legislation and reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas yields. The chair recognizes the gentleman from texas, mr. Mccaul. Mr. Mccaul mr. Speaker, i have no other speakers. If the gentleman from texas has no other speakers im prepared to close once the gentleman does. The speaker pro tempore the chair recognizes the gentleman from texas. Mr. Vela mr. Speaker, im prepared to close. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized. Sorry. Mr. Vela mr. Speaker, h. R. 4038 is necessary, commonsense legislation. Action as significant as the reorganization of an entire department and its components should be subject to the appropriate vetting and approval measures of this congress. I thank chairman mccaul for working with Ranking Member thompson on this issue both during the consideration of d. H. S. Authorization act and now on this measure. As such, i encourage my colleagues to support h. R. 4038, and i yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields. The gentleman from texas, mr. Mccaul, is recognized. Mr. Mccaul thank you, mr. Speaker. I once again urge my colleagues to support h. R. 4038, and i will say that this committee has passed over 50 bills out of the house that are currently sitting in the Senate Waiting action. I urge the senate to take action on this important legislation. All 50plus bills that will help better protect the American People. And with that i yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields. The question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the ill h. R. 4038. Those in favor say aye. Those opposed, no. In the opinion of the chair, 2 3 having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed, and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. For what purpose does the gentleman from new york seek recognition . Mr. Katko mr. Speaker, i move the house suspend the rules and pass h. R. 3328, the cuban Airport Security act of 2017. The speaker pro tempore the clerk will report the title of the bill. The clerk Union Calendar number 220. H. R. 3328, a bill to require a study regarding security measures and equipment at cubas airports, require the standardization of federal air Marshal Service agreements, require efforts to raise International AviationSecurity Standards, and for other urposes. The speaker pro tempore pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from new york, mr. Katko, and the gentleman from texas, mr. Vela, each will control 20 minutes. The chair recognizes the gentleman from new york. Mr. Katko mr. Speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and and their remarks include any extraneous material on the bill under consideration. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Mr. Katko mr. Speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. The speaker pro tempore recognized by the chair. Mr. Katko mr. Speaker, i rise today in support of legislation that will address the critical need to enhance security at airports in cuba and across the globe. Last week i had the preverage to lead a congressional privilege to lead a congressional delegation overseas to see our partners in europe and the middle east have made to enhance Aviation Security. We face an unprecedented Threat Landscape and they are clearly responding to it. In order to keep americans safe, we must advance collaborative counterterrorism efforts with our allies and make a more stringent and riskbased approach with countries that are more hostile to the United States. In leading this delegation to examine Aviation Security at airports, i had the opportunity to meet with many members of our Foreign Service and military who all work tirelessly on behalf of all of us to advance americas interests abroad. Unfortunately, it has recently come to light that more than 20 of our american diplomats were working at the United States embassy in havana where the victims were the victims of an attack. As a result, many of these members have been diagnosed with serious injuries, dangerous symptoms and in some cases even permanent brain damage. Reports indicate these attacks started as early as may of 2016. Exactly one year after the Previous Administration removed cubas designation as a state sponsor of terrorism. Our government told our diplomats cuba was safe. The reality was quite the opposite and because of that mistake, some of our diplomats will pay a permanent price. These horrific attacks on members of our dedicated Foreign Service raise numerous questions about how much trust and indeed how much confidence we can have in the cuban government. We have to ask ourselves, if cuba is unable to ensure the safety and security of foreign citizens and diplomats working in the embassies there, how can it possibly prevent terrorists and other nefarious actors were from accessing its airports and flights bound for the United States . I recall last year when the Obama Administration entered into opening up flights to cuba. They creeded so much authority to the they credited so much authority to the cuban government who they would fire, who will work with american agencies and who will be in charge of security and we have very little control and indeed very little oversight over anything to do with those airports and yet americans are going there possibly facing danger. Thats a real concern. The legislation today requires cubas airports be subjected to additional security to ensure inbound flights to the United States are secure. I am not here today to relitgait the policy to the relitigate the policy to cuba but i want to make sure they are held to the Security Standards that are sufficient in these modern times to respond to the evolving and sometimes grave threats that the aviation sector faces on a regular basis. The International Civil aviation authorization standards, which currently serve as a benchmark minimum requirements for all airports with flights to the United States are simply too weak and i would commit they are becoming outdated given the fact terrorism aspects nationwide and indeed worldwide routinely are adapting and these standards are not. This legislation we are considering today requires the Trump Administration to take steps to raise minimum standards which will elevate american and Aviation Security around the globe. No matter how strong our domestic airport and aircraft security is, we must continue to raise the standard of global Aviation Security for Foreign Countries and last point of departure airports. It is imperative that Aviation Security standards are robust and that these standards are commonplace in Foreign Countries, especially those with flights to the United States. It is also imperative that these countries meet these standards, not just say they are going to meet these standards, but they are in fact meeting the standards. Something we found out recently is not always the case. Confidence in Aviation Security at home begins with the they are that enforcing these standards abroad. We need to see this as critical because raising the Aviation Security abroad will obviously and ultimately keep us safe at home. Id like to thank chairman mccaul and chairman sires for joining me in championing this important piece of legislation. Id also like to thank all the members of the Homeland Security committee and their staffs for putting politics aside as we often do on this Great Committee and supporting this bill unanimously. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important piece of legislation to enhance our National Security. At this time i request an exchange of letters between the committee on Homeland Security and the committee on Foreign Affairs and the committee on Homeland Security and the committee on transportation and infrastructure be inserted into the record. Before i close id like to note and echo the sentiments of leader mccaul. There are 50 bills, more than 50 bills now sitting over in the senate that passed the house from the Homeland Security committee. The very words Homeland Security should not be of question. They should not be something that should serve as an impediment of keeping our country safe. It should be just the opposite. So i therefore join mr. Mccaul and urge my colleagues in the senate to move swiftly on passage of these bills to keep our country safe. With that, mr. Speaker, i reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the chair recognizes the gentleman from texas. I rise today in support of the cuban Airport Security act. The speaker pro tempore youre recognized. Thank you, mr. Speaker. The United States and the Global Aviation Community faced an adaptive and agile enemy. Terrorist groups continue to target passenger aircraft and pursue new attack methods. With those threats in mind, the legislation before us today focuses on raising the level of security in cuba. Mr. Vela h. R. 3328 will ensure that congress is able to continue its oversight of t. S. A. s efforts to ensure the cuban government adopts Aviation Security initiatives and makes important security advancements. It is critical that the gains achieved are not eroded. With that, i reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas yields. The chair recognizes the gentleman from new york. Mr. Speaker, i yield three minutes to the gentleman from texas and chairman of the Homeland Security committee, my friend, mr. Mccaul. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas is recognized. Caller caller thank you, mr. Speaker. I rise mr. Mccaul thank you, mr. Speaker. I rise today in support of the Cuban Security airport act. Airports are critically important to our Homeland Security. One only looks at the latest laptop ban that was instituted to departure airports, given the fact that terrorists have learned to turn these into explosive devices. The American People should have grave concern about the level of security in place at any foreign airport where the host government refuses to allow strict inspections of airport. Curity members by congress it was just last year that mr. Katko and i applied for visas to the government of cuba to inspect these airports to see how safe they were and the cue began governments from cubans cubans government cuban governments response to that was to deny our visa applications. Over the course of the last year, the United States government personnel in cuba have been targeted and subjected to harmful sonic attacks, which in some cases have caused ermanent brain damage. This must not be tomorrow rated too. Many questions remain when it comes to cue bass airports. Congress is largely in the dark of cubas security equipment, training procedures and other parameter of security. This bill takes an important step forward to shed light on current inadequacies and help to ensure proper overseist inbound flights from cue oversights from proper oversight of inbound flights from cuba to th