[House Report 117-474]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
117th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session } { 117-474
======================================================================
RESOLUTION OF INQUIRY DIRECTING THE SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY TO
PROVIDE CERTAIN DOCUMENTS IN HIS POSSESSION TO THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES RELATING TO THE DISINFORMATION GOVERNANCE BOARD
_______
September 19, 2022.--Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be
printed
_______
Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, from the Committee on Homeland Security,
submitted the following
ADVERSE REPORT
together with
MINORITY VIEWS
[To accompany H. Res. 1236]
The Committee on Homeland Security, to whom was referred
the resolution (H. Res. 1236) of inquiry directing the
Secretary of Homeland Security to provide certain documents in
his possession to the House of Representatives relating to the
Disinformation Governance Board, having considered the same,
report unfavorably thereon without amendment and recommend that
the resolution not be agreed to.
CONTENTS
Page
Purpose and Summary.............................................. 1
Background and Need for Legislation.............................. 2
Hearings......................................................... 2
Committee Consideration.......................................... 2
Committee Vote................................................... 2
Committee Oversight Findings..................................... 3
C.B.O. Estimate, New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and
Tax Expenditures............................................... 3
Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives............ 3
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation................... 4
Minority Views................................................... 4
PURPOSE AND SUMMARY
H. Res. 1236 directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to
provide certain documents in his possession to the House of
Representatives relating to the Disinformation Governance
Board.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
A resolution of inquiry is a simple resolution requesting
the President, or directing the head of an executive
department, to provide to the House specific information in the
possession of the administration.
Clause 7 of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives provides that a motion to discharge the
Committee to which the resolution was referred upon
introduction is privileged in the House if the Committee has
not reported the measure back to the House within 14
legislative days after its introduction.
The Committee notes that consideration of this resolution
of inquiry is to comply with rule XIII. It does not affect the
Committee's obligation or commitment to conduct oversight and
require documentation from the administration on issues within
the Committee's jurisdiction.
Representative Andy Biggs of Arizona introduced this
resolution of inquiry on July 20, 2022. The need for such a
resolution is obviated by information provided to the Committee
in regular briefings through the course of the Committee's
usual oversight of the Department.
The Committee has worked with the Department to obtain
information requested in this resolution and the Department has
furnished much of that information, including information on
the Board's mission, authorities, staffing, funding, and
activities. Moreover, the Disinformation Governance Board at
the Department of Homeland Security was disbanded on August 24,
2022. Nevertheless, the Committee continues to do rigorous
oversight over the Department's disinformation activities,
including via a letter sent to Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas
by Chairman Bennie G. Thompson and Cybersecurity,
Infrastructure Protection, and Innovation Subcommittee
Chairwoman Yvette D. Clarke requesting information about how
DHS plans to implement recommendations from the Homeland
Security Advisory Council related to its well-established
disinformation mission.
HEARINGS
No hearings were used to develop H. Res. 1236 in the 117th
Congress.
COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION
The Committee met on September 14, 2022, a quorum being
present, to consider H. Res. 1236 and ordered the measure to be
adversely reported to the House by a recorded vote of 19 ayes
and 15 noes.
COMMITTEE VOTE
Clause 3(b) of rule XIII requires the Committee to list the
recorded votes on the motion to report legislation and
amendments thereto.
1. A motion by Mr. Thompson of Mississippi to
adversely report H. Res. 1236 was agreed to by a
recorded vote of 19 ayes and 15 noes (Rollcall No. 35).
Committee Record Vote No. 35
Thompson (MS) Motion to Adversely Report H. Res. 1236
Agreed to: 19 ayes and 15 noes
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Majority Members Vote Minority Members Vote
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Ms. Jackson Lee................................ Aye Mr. Katko.......................... No
Mr. Langevin................................... Aye Mr. McCaul......................... No
Mr. Payne...................................... Aye Mr. Higgins (LA)................... ............
Mr. Correa..................................... Aye Mr. Guest.......................... No
Ms. Slotkin.................................... Aye Mr. Bishop (NC).................... No
Mr. Cleaver.................................... Aye Mr. Van Drew....................... No
Mr. Green (TX)................................. Aye Mrs. Miller-Meeks.................. No
Ms. Clarke (NY)................................ Aye Mrs. Harshbarger................... No
Mr. Swalwell................................... Aye Mr. Clyde.......................... No
Ms. Titus...................................... Aye Mr. Gimenez........................ No
Mrs. Watson Coleman............................ Aye Mr. LaTurner....................... No
Miss Rice (NY)................................. Aye Mr. Meijer......................... No
Mrs. Demings................................... Aye Mrs. Cammack....................... No
Ms. Barragan................................... Aye Mr. Pfluger........................ No
Mr. Gottheimer................................. Aye Mr. Garbarino...................... No
Mrs. Luria..................................... Aye Mrs. Flores........................ No
Mr. Malinowski................................. Aye
Mr. Torres (NY)................................ Aye
Mr. Thompson (MS), Chairman.................... Aye
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COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS
In compliance with clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII, the
Committee advises that the findings and recommendations of the
Committee, based on oversight activities under clause 2(b)(1)
of rule X, are incorporated in the descriptive portions of this
report.
CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE ESTIMATE, NEW BUDGET AUTHORITY, ENTITLEMENT
AUTHORITY, AND TAX EXPENDITURES
The Committee finds the requirements of clause 3(c)(2) of
rule XIII and section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974, and the requirements of clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII and
section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, to be
inapplicable to this resolution. Accordingly, the Committee did
not request or receive a cost estimate from the Congressional
Budget Office and makes no findings as to the budgetary impacts
of this resolution or costs incurred to carry out the
resolution.
STATEMENT OF GENERAL PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the objective of
H. Res. 1236 is to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to
provide certain documents in his possession to the House of
Representatives relating to the Disinformation Governance
Board.
section-by-section analysis of the legislation
The resolution directs the Secretary of Homeland Security
to provide certain documents in his possession to the House of
Representatives relating to the Disinformation Governance
Board. In particular, H. Res. 1236 requests:
1. communications or coordination between the
Department of Homeland Security and the Executive
Office of the President regarding misinformation,
disinformation, and mal-information or the
Disinformation Governance Board;
2. the National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin,
dated February 7, 2022, 2:00 p.m. ET;
3. the Disinformation Governance Board, including its
mission, authorities, staffing, funding, and
activities; and
4. communications or coordination between the
Disinformation Governance Board and social media
companies regarding misinformation, disinformation, or
mal-information.
MINORITY VIEWS
In May 2022, Secretary Mayorkas announced that the
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had established a
``Disinformation Governance Board'' without any notice or
engagement with Congress.\1\ DHS leadership asserted that the
board was established to disseminate guidance to Department
components on misinformation, disinformation, and mal-
information that threatens the homeland. However, given the
lack of transparency surrounding its establishment, Committee
Republicans and many Americans were rightfully concerned that
the board, headed by a known partisan, was a political entity
empowered to dictate the Government's definition of ``truth''
to the American people. Shortly after the board was unveiled,
the non-partisan Homeland Security Advisory Council (or HSAC)
recommended that the Secretary shut down this concerning
initiative. On August 24, 2022, Secretary Mayorkas disbanded
the board based on the recommendation of the HSAC.\2\
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\1\``Fact Sheet: DHS Internal Working Group Protects Free Speech
and Other Fundamental Rights When Addressing Disinformation That
Threatens the Security of the United States,'' Department of Homeland
Security, (May 2, 2022), available at https://www.dhs.gov/news/2022/05/
02/fact-sheet-dhs-internal-working-group-protects-free-speech-other-
fundamental-rights.
\2\``Following HSAC Recommendation, DHS terminates Disinformation
Governance Board,'' Department of Homeland Security, (Aug. 24, 2022),
available at https://www.dhs.gov/news/2022/08/24/following-hsac-
recommendation-dhs-terminates-disinformation-governance-board.
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The establishment, and immediate failure, of the
Disinformation Governance Board proves that--despite the
increasing frequency of cyber-attacks against our critical
infrastructure, a terrorist safe haven re-establishing in
Afghanistan, and an out-of-control crisis at our southern
border--the priorities of the Biden administration are grossly
misplaced. Committee Republicans strongly urge DHS to focus on
its core mission, which it has struggled to do in the Biden
administration.
John Katko.
[all]