Representative Dale Strong Leads Efforts to Secure the Homeland
WASHINGTON— Today, Representative Dale W. Strong (AL-05), Committee on Homeland Security member, re-introduced several pieces of key legislation to secure the homeland and combat foreign interference in the U.S.
Rep. Strong championed the DHS Biodetection Improvement Act, SHIELD Against CCP Act, National Training Center for Counter-UAS, and Deport Illegal Voters Act in the 118th Congress—two of the bills previously passed the House of Representatives with broad, bipartisan support.
“I am proud to continue leading efforts to secure the homeland against a host of new and evolving threats including malign activity by the Chinese Communist Party, unmanned aircraft systems, illegal immigrant voting, and terrorist attacks.
“The United States has many adversaries and the Biden Administration’s open borders have brought them right to our doorstep. We must take a proactive approach to combat these threats by advancing bipartisan legislation to strengthen our security. As a member of the Committee on Homeland Security, I remain committed to working with my colleagues to safeguard the American people from emerging threats,” said Representative Dale W. Strong.
DHS Biodetection Improvement Act
The DHS Biodetection Improvement Act would bolster U.S. biodefense by ensuring that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is positioned to combat bioterrorism threats. In the wake of the 2001 attacks, DHS established a program called BioWatch, which monitors, collects, and tests air samples for biological agents likely to be used in a terrorist attack. However, breakdowns in accurate and timely information sharing and lagging technological upgrades show that DHS has fallen behind.
“The anthrax attacks of 2001 opened our eyes to a new threat landscape that included acts of bioterrorism. As a first responder, I know the difference that early detection can make. This legislation will ensure DHS is fully leveraging every tool and resource to accomplish the goal of protecting Americans against bioterrorism,” said Strong.
The SHIELD Against CCP Act would establish a dedicated DHS working group to counter threats from the Chinese Communist Party. Specifically, it would require the group to examine, assess, and report on the spectrum of nontraditional tactics employed by the CCP and the efforts of DHS to counter these malign activities.
“China is one of the biggest threats to our country, and they have taken every opportunity over the last 4 years to exploit Biden's open borders. This bill will ensure DHS has a dedicated team working to combat this threat head-on. After four long years, it’s time to make America safer. I’m excited to get this bill through to better protect the American people,” said Strong. “I thank my colleague, Rep. Suozzi, for joining me in leading this effort again in the 119th Congress.”
National Training Center for Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems Act
This legislation would establish a dedicated counter-UAS training program to train authorized personnel to operate counter-UAS detection and mitigation systems, equipment, or technology on measures to address a credible threat that a UAS poses to the safety or security of a covered facility or asset.
“In recent years, we have witnessed a surge in threats posed by UAS. I have seen firsthand during trips to the border - hostile actors such as terrorists, cartels, and criminal organizations exploiting UAS to carry out illegal activities. More must be done to ensure that our authorized law enforcement officers and personnel are equipped with the resources and tools needed to respond to these threats in real-time and guarantee the safety of our communities,” said Strong.
The Deport Illegal Voters Act would expedite the removal of aliens convicted of voting illegally by classifying unlawful voting as an aggravated felony.
“Anyone who is not an American citizen and casts a ballot in our elections should be first in line to be deported. We must secure our elections and ensure participation is reserved for American citizens and American citizens only. People should stop and think twice before interfering in our elections. The Deport Illegal Voters Act sets a consequence fitting for those committing a federal offense,” said Strong.