[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7439 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7439
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Secretary of
Homeland Security to prioritize strengthening of State and local law
enforcement capabilities to combat transnational repression and related
terrorism threats, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 23, 2024
Mr. Magaziner (for himself, Mr. D'Esposito, Mr. Pfluger, and Mr.
Goldman of New York) introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee
on the Judiciary, 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 the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Secretary of
Homeland Security to prioritize strengthening of State and local law
enforcement capabilities to combat transnational repression and related
terrorism threats, and for other purposes.
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 ``Strengthening State and Local
Efforts to Combat Transnational Repression Act''.
SEC. 2. COMBATING TRANSNATIONAL REPRESSION.
(a) In General.--Subtitle C of title IV of the Homeland Security
Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 231 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following new section:
``SEC. 437. STRENGTHENING STATE AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS TO
COMBAT TRANSNATIONAL REPRESSION AND RELATED TERRORISM
THREATS.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary, in consultation with public and
private sector stakeholders, shall in a manner consistent with the
protection of privacy rights, civil rights, and civil liberties,
develop, through the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers, a
training program to enhance the capabilities of State, local, Tribal,
and territorial law enforcement personnel, including personnel of the
National Network of Fusion Centers, to combat transnational repression
and related terrorism threats.
``(b) Requirements.--The training provided pursuant to subsection
(a) shall relate to the following:
``(1) Identifying instances of transnational repression and
related terrorism threats.
``(2) Types of information that should be collected and
recorded in information technology systems to help identify
suspected perpetrators of transnational repression and related
terrorism threats.
``(3) Identifying suspected targets or victims of
transnational repression and related terrorism threats.
``(4) Personal safety best practices for individuals and
communities that may be targets or are victims of transnational
repression and related terrorism threats to prevent and
mitigate transnational repression and related terrorism threats
and ensure that such targets and victims are afforded prompt
information about and access to victim support resources,
including such resources offered by the Cybersecurity and
Infrastructure Security Agency and the Office for Civil Rights
and Civil Liberties, to address their immediate and long-term
needs.
``(c) Community Awareness Briefings.--The Officer for Civil Rights
and Civil Liberties shall engage with State, local, Tribal, and
territorial law enforcement personnel, including personnel of the
National Network of Fusion Centers, and individuals and communities
that may be targets or are victims of transnational repression and
related terrorism threats, including by informing such individuals and
communities about how to identify transnational repression and related
terrorism threats and protect against transnational repression and
related terrorism threats.
``(d) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Personal safety best practices.--The term `personal
safety best practices' means measures for enhancing
individuals' and communities' physical security, situational
awareness, and online security.
``(2) Transnational repression.--The term `transnational
repression' means actions of a foreign government, or an
individual or entity working on behalf or at the direction of a
foreign government, involving the transgression of national
borders through physical, digital, or analog means to
intimidate, silence, coerce, harass, or harm individuals or
communities in order to prevent their exercise of freedom of
speech, expression, religion, or assembly.''.
(b) Research and Development.--The Secretary of Homeland Security
shall coordinate with the Under Secretary for Science and Technology of
the Department of Homeland Security to--
(1) carry out research and development of a technology to
enhance participation rates in training offered to other State,
local, Tribal, and territorial law enforcement personnel,
including personnel of the National Network of Fusion Centers,
for the purpose of enhancing domestic preparedness for and
collective response to transnational repression and related
terrorism threats and other homeland security threats; and
(2) share information relating to researching and
developing methods for identifying instances, suspected
targets, and victims of transnational repression and related
terrorism threats, and methods for collecting and recording
information to help identify suspected perpetrators of
transnational repression and related terrorism threats.
(c) Comptroller General Review.--Not later than two years after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the
United States shall submit to Congress a report on the implementation
of section 437 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as added by
subsection (a).
(d) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section 1(b) of
the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by inserting after the
item relating to section 436 the following new item:
``Sec. 437. Strengthening State and local law enforcement efforts to
combat transnational repression and related
terrorism threats.''.
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