Council of the District of Columbia

Committee of the Whole

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20004

 

 

TO:                      Nyasha Smith, Secretary to the Council

                

FROM:               Phil Mendelson, Chairman

                                                           

DATE:                January 13, 2021

 

 

I am calling an additional legislative meeting for this Friday at noon to consider 2 emergency measures at the request of the Mayor.  Both critically relate to next week’s Presidential inauguration and related security concerns.  This notice pertains to one of those emergency measures.

 

The following measures are placed on the agenda for the January 15, 2021 Legislative Meeting at the request of the Mayor, pursuant to Council Rule 424(a)(2):

 

▪        Homeland Security Fusion Center and Law Enforcement Authority Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2021

▪        Homeland Security Fusion Center and Law Enforcement Authority Emergency Amendment Act of 2021

▪        Homeland Security Fusion Center and Law Enforcement Authority Temporary Amendment Act of 2021

 

               The purpose of this legislation is to statutorily establish the District’s existing fusion center in the Homeland Security and Management Agency to coordinate and facilitate information sharing between various agencies and government jurisdictions.  Because of federal regulations and jurisdictional standards, the fact that the fusion center has not been statutorily established by the District government, and because HSEMA and the fusion center have not formally been designated statutorily as law enforcement agencies for the purposes of the fusion center, has led to delays and difficulties in the District’s fusion center receiving information from other fusion centers and from law enforcement and criminal justice agencies.  The fusion center serves an important law enforcement function both locally and regionally.

 

               On January 6, 2021 a large group of insurrectionists stormed and breached the United States Capitol – an unprecedented attack on our democratic government that was at the time fulfilling its Constitutionally mandated responsibilities.  Their insurrection has resulted in the loss of life, including those of sworn law enforcement officers.  Because of this, and the threat of future insurrectionist and other criminal activity, it is critical that, without delay, the primary purpose of the fusion center be established statutorily and that HSEMA and the fusion center be statutorily designated as law enforcement entities for the purpose of carrying out the mission of the fusion center.

 

The draft measures are attached.  Please call me or Mr. Evan Cash if you have any questions at (202) 724-7002. 

 

cc:          All Councilmembers

               Council Officers

 

 

Evan Cash

Committee and Legislative Director

Committee of the Whole

Chairman Phil Mendelson

 

John A. Wilson Building

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Suite 410

Washington, DC 20004

Tel: (202) 724-7002

http://www.chairmanmendelson.com/cow

 

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