House Passes Rep. Carter’s Securing the Cities Improvement Act to Help Major Urban Areas Prepare for and Respond to Terrorist Attacks
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA) praised the passage of his bipartisan bill H.R. 1374, the Securing the Cities Improvement Act, by the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill would enhance the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Securing the Cities (STC) program, which seeks to reduce the risk of terrorist attacks in high-risk urban areas, including New Orleans.
“My bill, which was just passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, will help cities build and maintain their security capabilities against nuclear, radiological, chemical, and biological threats, offering a more targeted and effective approach to national security preparedness and response,” said Rep. Carter. “This legislation is critical for sustaining our preparedness and ensuring the safety of our nation against terrorism. It demonstrates our commitment to protecting our communities, including New Orleans and the surrounding areas, which are vital to our nation's energy and economic security. Following the tragedy that took place on Bourbon Street on New Year’s Day, this measure is more important than ever. I look forward to Senate passage and having this bill signed into law by the President.”
The Securing the Cities Improvement Act would enable the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) to identify which cities to partner with for the STC program based on the jurisdiction's capability and capacity to prepare for and respond to terrorist attacks and other high-consequence events involving nuclear or other radiological materials. It would also establish performance metrics and milestones for the STC program and mandate DHS to report to Congress on program participation and any plans for changes to the program.
“H.R. 1374 will play a crucial role in ensuring that our cities maintain the ability to detect and respond to chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats,” said Committee on Homeland Security Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson. “Without programs like Securing the Cities, efforts to combat these dangers could be hindered or discontinued, putting the safety and security of communities at risk. I thank Congressman Carter for introducing this bipartisan legislation and for leading on this issue.”
“Louisiana provides our nation with critical energy production and industry,” said Rep. Higgins. “It is imperative that we continue to push forward programs and legislation that maintain security capabilities in the event of a terrorist threat. My work with Congressman Carter on this legislation reflects our shared dedication to Louisiana, and I thank him for his leadership.”
Background:
The Department of Homeland Security launched the STC Initiative in Fiscal Year 2007 as a pilot program to assist New York City, Jersey City, and Newark in detecting and preventing nuclear or radiological threats. The STC program has expanded and currently provides 14 local governments with detection equipment, training, exercise support, operational and technical expertise, and programmatic assistance. However, the program is restricted to “high-risk urban areas” designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) program. This connection between STC and UASI can create uncertainty for local governments participating in the program, as the composition of jurisdictions in the UASI program can vary significantly each year.
The Securing the Cities Improvement Act is cosponsored by Reps. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) and Clay Higgins (R-LA).
Watch Congressman Carter’s floor remarks here.
Read the full bill text here.
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