[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1005 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1005
To amend title 18, United States Code, to reauthorize and expand the
National Threat Assessment Center of the Department of Homeland
Security.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 14, 2023
Mr. Diaz-Balart (for himself and Mr. Moskowitz) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary,
and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, for a
period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 18, United States Code, to reauthorize and expand the
National Threat Assessment Center of the Department of Homeland
Security.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``EAGLES Act of 2023''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) On February 14, 2018, 17 individuals were murdered in a
senseless and violent attack on Marjory Stoneman Douglas High
School in Parkland Florida, a school whose mascot is the eagle.
(2) These individuals--Alaina Petty, Alex Schachter, Alyssa
Alhadeff, Cara Loughran, Carmen Schentrup, Gina Montalto,
Helena Ramsay, Jaime Guttenberg, Joaquin Oliver, Luke Hoyer,
Martin Duque, Meadow Pollack, Nicholas Dworet, Peter Wang,
Aaron Feis, Chris Hixon, and Scott Beigel--lived lives of
warmth, joy, determination, service, and love, and their loss
is mourned by the Nation.
(3) Like many attackers, the shooter in that attack
exhibited patterns of threatening and concerning behavior prior
to the massacre that were alarming and that should have alerted
law enforcement and other Federal, State, and local officials
about the potential for violence.
(4) Acts of targeted violence, including the attack on
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, are preventable.
(5) Lives were saved because of the brave and exemplary
conduct of many students, teachers, and staff at Marjory
Stoneman Douglas High School, including several of the victims
of the attack.
(6) The Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center
(referred to in this Act as the ``Center'') was established in
1998 to conduct research on all forms of targeted violence,
including attacks targeting government officials, government
facilities, workplaces, houses of worship, K-12 schools,
universities, and mass attacks in public spaces.
(7) Research published by the Center on targeted violence
has shown that--
(A) most incidents were planned in advance;
(B) the attackers' behavior gave some indication
that the individual was planning, or at least
contemplating, an attack;
(C) most attackers had already exhibited a pattern
of behavior that elicited concern to other people in
their lives; and
(D) prior to the attack, someone associated with
the attacker, such as a family member or peer, often
knew the attack was to likely to occur.
(8) Through their research, the Center developed the Secret
Service's behavioral threat assessment model for preventing
targeted violence, which includes a 3-step process--
(A) identifying individuals who are exhibiting
threatening or concerning behaviors that indicate they
may pose a risk of violence;
(B) assessing whether the individual poses a risk,
based on articulable facts; and
(C) risk posed by the individualized proactive and
preventive measures.
(9) The Secret Service's behavioral threat assessment model
works most effectively when all the relevant parties, including
local law enforcement, mental health professionals, workplace
managers, school personnel, and members of the community, are
part of a comprehensive protocol to identify, assess, and
manage a potential threat.
(10) The primary goal of behavioral threat assessment
programs is to prevent targeted violence, with an emphasis on
providing early intervention and connecting individuals
exhibiting threatening or concerning behavior to existing
community resources for support.
(11) Early intervention is a proven and effective way to
prevent violent conduct that would otherwise harm others and
necessitate more punitive action, including criminal penalties.
(12) The parties involved need the appropriate research,
guidance, training, and tools to establish the appropriate
mechanisms for implementing this type of preventative approach.
(13) In K-12 schools, a behavioral threat assessment is a
proactive approach to identify, assess, and provide age-
appropriate interventions, resources, and supports for students
who display behavior that elicits concerns for the safety of
themselves or others.
(14) There has been a 79 percent decline in juvenile
arrests in K-12 school communities who have received Center
training, thus successfully diverting youth away from the
criminal justice system.
(15) The demand from local communities throughout the
United States for behavioral threat assessment trainings has
significantly increased. Since its inception, the Center has
provided over 2,575 training sessions to over 273,000
attendees.
(16) From fiscal year 2018 to fiscal year 2022, the Center
has experienced a 117 percent increase in demand for training
sessions, with five times as many participants.
(17) The Center additionally provides consultation and
follow-up engagements with government agencies, law
enforcement, schools, and other organizations with public
safety responsibilities. From fiscal year 2018 to fiscal year
2022 the Center has seen a 553 percent increase in consultation
activities.
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that a fact-
based behavioral threat assessment approach, involving local law
enforcement, mental health professionals, workplace managers, school
personnel, other public safety officials, and members of the community,
is one of the most effective ways to prevent targeted violence
impacting communities across the country, and is a fitting memorial to
those whose lives were taken in the February 14, 2018, attack on
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and those who heroically acted to
preserve the lives of their friends, students, and colleagues.
SEC. 3. REAUTHORIZATION AND EXPANSION OF THE NATIONAL THREAT ASSESSMENT
CENTER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY.
(a) In General.--Chapter 203 of title 18, United States Code, is
amended by inserting after section 3056A the following:
``Sec. 3056B. Functions of the National Threat Assessment Center of the
United States Secret Service
``(a) In General.--There is established a National Threat
Assessment Center (in this section referred to as the `Center'), to be
operated by the United States Secret Service, at the direction of the
Secretary of Homeland Security.
``(b) Functions.--The functions of the Center shall include the
following:
``(1) Training and education in the area of best practices
on threat assessment and the prevention of targeted violence.
``(2) Consultation on complex threat assessment cases and
programs.
``(3) Research on threat assessment and the prevention of
targeted violence, consistent with evidence-based standards and
existing laws and regulations.
``(4) Facilitation of information sharing on threat
assessment and the prevention of targeted violence among
agencies and organizations with protective or public safety
responsibilities, as well as other public or private entities.
``(5) Development of evidence-based programs to promote the
standardization of Federal, State, and local threat assessments
and best practices for the prevention of targeted violence.
``(c) Safe School Initiative.--In carrying out the functions
described in subsection (b), the Center shall establish a national
program on targeted school violence prevention, focusing on the
following activities:
``(1) Research.--The Center shall--
``(A) conduct research into targeted school
violence and evidence-based practices in targeted
school violence prevention, including school threat
assessment; and
``(B) publish the findings of the Center on the
public website of the United States Secret Service and
on the School Safety Clearinghouse website, known as
www.SchoolSafety.gov.
``(2) Training.--
``(A) In general.--The Center shall develop and
offer training courses on targeted school violence
prevention to agencies with protective or public safety
responsibilities and other public or private entities,
including local educational agencies.
``(B) Plan.--Not later than one year after the date
of enactment of this section, the Center shall
establish a plan to offer its training and other
educational resources to public or private entities
within each State.
``(3) Coordination with other federal agencies.--The Center
shall develop research and training programs under this section
in coordination with the Department of Justice, the Department
of Education, and the Department of Health and Human Services.
``(4) Consultation with entities outside the federal
government.--The Center is authorized to consult with State and
local educational, law enforcement, and mental health officials
and private entities in the development of research and
training programs under this section.
``(5) Interactive website.--The Center may create an
interactive website to disseminate information and data on
evidence-based practices in targeted school violence
prevention.
``(d) Hiring of Additional Personnel.--The Director of the United
States Secret Service may hire additional personnel to comply with the
requirements of this section, which, if the Director exercises that
authority, shall include--
``(1) at least one employee with expertise in child
psychological development; and
``(2) at least one employee with expertise in school threat
assessment.
``(e) Report to Congress.--Not later than two years after the date
of enactment of this section, the Director of the Secret Service shall
submit to the Committee on the Judiciary, the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions, and the Committee on Appropriations of
the Senate and the Committee on the Judiciary, the Committee on
Education and Labor, and the Committee on Appropriations of the House
of Representatives a report on actions taken by the United States
Secret Service to implement provisions of this section, which shall
include information relating to the following:
``(1) The number of employees hired (on a full-time
equivalent basis).
``(2) The number of individuals in each State trained in
threat assessment.
``(3) The number of school districts in each State trained
in school threat assessment or targeted school violence
prevention.
``(4) Information on Federal, State, and local agencies
trained or otherwise assisted by the Center.
``(5) A formal evaluation indicating whether the training
and other assistance provided by the Center is effective.
``(6) A formal evaluation indicating whether the training
and other assistance provided by the Center was implemented by
the school.
``(7) A summary of the Center's research activities and
findings.
``(8) A strategic plan for disseminating the Center's
educational and training resources to each State.
``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2024 through 2028. Amounts appropriated pursuant to such
authorization shall be derived wholly from the unobligated balances of
amounts made available to the Department, on or before the date of the
enactment of this section, to prevent, prepare for, or respond to the
coronavirus.
``(g) No Funds To Provide Firearms Training.--Amounts made
available to carry out this section may not be used to train any person
in the use of a firearm.
``(h) No Effect on Other Laws.--Nothing in this section may be
construed to preclude or contradict any other provision of law
authorizing training in the use of firearms.
``(i) Termination.--This section shall terminate on September 30,
2028.
``(j) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Evidence-based.--The term `evidence-based' means--
``(A) strong evidence from at least one well-
designed and well-implemented experimental study;
``(B) moderate evidence from at least one well-
designed and well-implemented quasi-experimental study;
or
``(C) promising evidence from at least one well-
designed and well-implemented correlational study with
statistical controls for selection bias.
``(2) Local educational agency.--The term `local
educational agency' has the meaning given such term under
section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801); and
``(3) State.--The term `State' means any State of the
United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.''.
(b) Technical, Conforming, and Clerical Amendments.--
(1) Technical and conforming amendment.--Section 4 of the
Presidential Threat Protection Act of 2000 (18 U.S.C. 3056
note) is repealed.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections for chapter
203 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting
after the item relating to section 3056A the following new
item:
``3056B. Functions of the National Threat Assessment Center of the
United States Secret Service.''.
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