House Passes 9 Counterterrorism Bills to Protect our Communities

Source: House Representative Michael T. McCaul (R-TX, 10th)

One of the main lessons learned post-9/11 is the need for a more robust information sharing capacity among federal, state, and local authorities. While we have taken steps to improve information sharing, we must do more. Today the House passed 9 Homeland Security Committee bills to support local law enforcement, identify and mitigate threats, and strengthen information sharing.

Chairman McCaul: “Providing law enforcement officials with critical information will help keep our city streets from becoming the next battlefield. These bills, among other things, help the Department of Homeland Security identify emerging threats, support state and local authorities, and strengthen and better coordinate the Department’s Intelligence Enterprise. Sixteen years after 9/11, we must continue to build upon the coordination between all levels of law enforcement to keep Americans safer.”

The bills that passed the House today include:

H.R. 2427 - Pathways to Improving Homeland Security at the Local Level Act, sponsored by Rep. Val Demings (D-FL), directs the Assistant Secretary for State and Local Law Enforcement to produce and disseminate an annual catalog on Department of Homeland Security training, publications, programs, and services for State, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies.

H.R. 2433 - Homeland Security Assessment of Terrorists Use of Virtual Currencies Act, sponsored by Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-NY), directs the Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Intelligence and Analysis to develop and disseminate a threat assessment regarding terrorist use of virtual currency.

H.R. 2442 - FIRST State and Local Law Enforcement Act, sponsored by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), requires an annual report on the Office for State and Local Law Enforcement.

H.R. 2443 - Department of Homeland Security Classified Facility Inventory Act, sponsored by Rep. Lou Barletta (R-PA), requires the Secretary to maintain an inventory of all classified facilities across the United States and to ensure that appropriate federal, state and local personnel are aware of such locations to enhance their ability to review and discuss classified information.

H.R. 2453 - DHS Intelligence Rotational Assignment Program Act of 2017, sponsored by Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI), requires the Secretary to establish the “Intelligence Rotational Assignment Program'' to provide greater opportunities for intelligence analysts across the Department to cross-train and develop homeland security intelligence expertise.

H.R. 2454 - Department of Homeland Security Data Framework Act of 2017 sponsored by Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX), authorizes the DHS Data Framework, an ongoing initiative to connect the data sets collected by DHS component agencies to improve vetting capability and intelligence analysis.

H.R. 2468 - Unifying DHS Intelligence Enterprise Act, sponsored by Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA), requires the Secretary to develop and disseminate a written Department-wide intelligence doctrine regarding the processing, analysis, production, and dissemination of homeland security information and terrorism information.

H.R. 2470 - Homeland Threat Assessment Act, sponsored by Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL), requires the Department to produce an annual threat assessment utilizing Departmental information to identify emerging and persistent threats to the United States, including border, cyber, and transportation security.

H.R. 2471 - TRACER Act, Sponsored by Rep. John Rutherford (R-FL), directs the Secretary to engage in a consistent, proactive information sharing process by coordinating with appropriate federal officials and reaching out to fusion centers and other law enforcement entities with release information related to certain federal inmates incarcerated for terror-related offenses.