Nine Bipartisan Bills to Keep Americans Safer

Washington, D.C. – Last week the House passed nine Homeland Security Committee bills, including a key counterterrorism bill, H.R. 1302, the Terrorist and Foreign Fighter Travel Exercise Act of 2017. Expanding on the work of last Congress, the Committee continues to advance an unprecedented number of bipartisan measures aimed at keeping Americans safe. The bills also save taxpayer dollars by improving the acquisition process at the Department of Homeland Security and make important reforms to the operations of the Transportation Security Administration.

Chairman McCaul: "It is critical that we continue to re-examine our strategy, technology, and the infrastructure we currently have in place to strengthen the Department of Homeland Security and stop terrorists from reaching our shores. The evolving threats we face demand action to address vulnerabilities in our defenses. I commend the work of my Committee—particularly the bipartisan nature in which these bills were advanced—to make our country safer."

Legislation passed last week includes:

• H.R. 1249, DHS Multiyear Acquisition Strategy Act of 2017, introduced by Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), amends the Homeland Security of 2002 to require a multiyear acquisition strategy of the Department of Homeland Security.
• H.R. 1252, DHS Acquisition Authorities Act of 2017, introduced by Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA), amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to provide for certain acquisition authorities for the Under Secretary of Management of the Department of Homeland Security.
• H.R. 1294, Reducing DHS Acquisition Cost Growth Act, introduced by Rep. John Rutherford (R-FL), amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to provide for congressional notification regarding major acquisition program breaches.
• H.R. 1309, TSA Administrator Modernization Act of 2017, introduced by Rep. John Katko (R-NY), streamlines the office and term of the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration.
• H.R. 1297, Quadrennial Homeland Security Review Technical Corrections Act of 2017, introduced by Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to make technical corrections to the requirement that the Secretary of Homeland Security submit quadrennial homeland security reviews.
• H.R. 1353, Transparency in Technological Acquisitions Act of 2017, introduced by Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-NY), amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require certain additional information to be submitted to Congress regarding the strategic 5-year technology investment plan of the Transportation Security Administration.
• H.R. 1238, Securing our Agriculture and Food Act, introduced by Rep. David Young (R-IA), amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to make the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for Health Affairs responsible for coordinating the efforts of the Department of Homeland Security related to food, agriculture, and veterinary defense against terrorism.
• H.R. 1302, Terrorist and Foreign Fighter Travel Exercise Act of 2017, introduced by Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ), requires an exercise related to terrorist and foreign fighter travel, and for other purposes.
• H.R. 1365, Department of Homeland Security Acquisition Innovation Act, introduced by Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA), amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require certain acquisition innovation.