On Tuesday, Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX) led a House Homeland Security Committee hearing to markup pending legislation.
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NewsTranscript
00:00in order. The subcommittee is meeting today for consideration of 10 bills aimed at enhancing the
00:04Department of Homeland Security's coordination with all levels of law enforcement and combating
00:08the evolving threats from America's adversaries on U.S. soil. And these bills are H.R. 2158,
00:15the Countering Transnational Repression Act 2025, H.R. 2139, the Strengthening State and
00:21Local Efforts to Counter Transnational Repression Act, H.R. 2116, the Law Enforcement Support and
00:27Counter Transnational Repression Act, H.R. 1327, the Syria Terrorism Threat Assessment Act, H.R.
00:341508, the DHS Special Events Program and Support Act, H.R. 2212, the DHS Intelligence Rotational
00:41Assignment Program and Law Enforcement Support Act, H.R. 2285, the DHS Basic Training Accreditation
00:48Improvement Act, and H.R. 2259, the National Strategy for School Security Act of 2025,
00:55H.R. 1736, the Generative A.I. Terrorism Risk Assessment Act, and H.R. 2261, the Strengthening
01:03Oversight of D.H. Intelligence Act. Without objection, the chair is authorized to declare
01:08the subcommittee in recess at any point. Pursuant to Committee Rule 7d, any request for recorded
01:13votes may be postponed. I now recognize myself for an opening statement. Good afternoon and
01:17welcome to the first Counterterrorism and Intelligence Subcommittee Markup of the 119th
01:21Congress, and I want to begin by thanking the Ranking Member for his cooperation and
01:25coordination in preparing for this important subcommittee markup. The bills my Republican
01:30colleagues and I offer today are timely and critical pieces of legislation that I believe
01:34all members of the committee will readily support. I commend my colleagues for their
01:40essential and common-sense measures, including the Law Enforcement Support and Transnational
01:44Repression Act, the Syria Terrorism Threat Assessment Act, and the National Strategy
01:49for School Security Act. These bills deal with issues ranging from foreign terror threats to
01:54addressing the threat of transnational repression in the United States by the Chinese Communist
01:58Party and the Iranian regime, which has grown significantly in the last few years.
02:03These bills also demonstrate an effort to further safeguard our homeland.
02:07And I also want to thank our minority counterparts, both for their collaboration on the bills
02:12being considered today and for the measures they have put forward to counter terror threats and
02:17transnational repression. I'd now like to recognize the Ranking Member for an opening statement.
02:23Thank you. Today we're considering 10 bills that will make our country safer. I want to
02:28thank Chairman Pfluger and his staff for their partnership in negotiating this bipartisan
02:33package of legislation and for starting the new Congress out on a bipartisan and productive note
02:38here in the subcommittee. And I look forward to supporting all of the bills being marked up today.
02:43Included in this bipartisan package are three bills to address the pressing challenge of
02:48transnational repression in the United States. Journalists, activists, and political dissidents
02:54should not have to fear for their lives while on U.S. soil. And these bills will strengthen
02:59our ability to keep people safe from foreign nations who seek to do them harm for exercising
03:05their right to free speech. And I'll speak more on those bills, including my own, when we get to them.
03:11Today we're also going to consider the DHS Special Events Program and Support Act,
03:16introduced by former subcommittee member Dena Titus of Nevada, which will ensure that DHS
03:22may continue providing risk assessments and support to high-profile special events across
03:26the United States. Events like the Super Bowl, Boston Marathon, and upcoming World Cup require
03:33state and local officials to plan and manage complex security to respond to potential threats.
03:39And Ms. Titus' bill will ensure that DHS is authorized to continue that support work
03:44to those local officials protecting Americans and others at those events.
03:49The Strengthening Oversight of DHS Intelligence Act, as introduced by Mr. Hernandez of Puerto
03:55Rico, is a common-sense bill that requires the DHS Secretary and DHS Chiefs for Privacy and Civil
04:01Rights and Civil Liberties to coordinate on ensuring that DHS intelligence is shared, retained,
04:06and disseminated in a manner that protects individuals' rights. The DHS Basic Training
04:12Accreditation Improvement Act of 2025 is offered by Ms. Poe of New Jersey. It is an important bill
04:18because DHS is the largest federal law enforcement agency, and her bill works to put all of DHS's law
04:24enforcement basic training programs on a path to accreditation. Today we will also consider six
04:30Republican-led bills. These bills all enhance our homeland security and tackle evolving threats
04:36from terrorism. Representative Luttrell's bill, the Syria Threat Assessment Act, focuses on
04:42countering bad actors in Syria, a hotbed for ISIS, and recruiting for a range of radical Islamic
04:50groups. Chairman Pfluger's bill, the Generative AI Terrorism Risk Assessment Act of Artificial
04:55Intelligence. Representative McKenzie's bill, the DHS Intelligence Rotational Assignment Program
05:01and Law Enforcement Support Act. And Representative Gonzalez's bill, the National Strategy for School
05:06Security Act of 2025, an issue that is particularly resonant for me as a former public school teacher
05:13and a parent of young kids as well. So I look forward to supporting all of these bills. I thank
05:18the members for their work on them, and I look forward to continuing to collaborate productively
05:22going forward. I yield back. I thank the ranking member. Other members of the subcommittee are
05:27reminded that opening statements may be submitted for the record. Pursuant to notice, I now call up
05:32H.R. 2158, the Countering Transnational Repression Act of 2025. The bill was circulated in advance and
05:38printed copies are available. The clerk shall designate the bill. H.R. 2158 offered by Mr.
05:45Pfluger to amend the Homeland Security Act. Without objection, the first reading of the bill is
05:49dispensed with and it is considered read and open to amendment at any point. I recognize myself to
05:54speak in favor of this bill. In the 118th Congress, the Committee on Homeland Security
06:06held multiple hearings to examine the threat of transnational repression in the United States,
06:11which has grown significantly in the last few years. The committee has heard testimony from
06:15victims of transnational repression, including but not limited to Masi Al-Inajed, Ennis Cantor
06:20Freedom, and Dr. Bob Fu, actually a constituent of mine in Midland, Texas, and all of whom have
06:25been egregiously targeted on U.S. soil for criticizing authoritarian regimes. Transnational
06:31repression is the act of a foreign government or an individual acting on behalf of a foreign
06:35government targeting anyone, an individual, or anyone in a community in any other country using
06:41violence, assassinations, the threat of violence, digital threats, intimidation, smear campaigns,
06:46or the manipulation of legal processes to harass and intimidate individuals that are critical
06:51of the nation acting as aggressor. The Chinese Communist Party, the Iranian regime, and other
06:56malign entities have reached beyond their borders to silence their citizens and Americans who defend
07:01human rights and advocate for free speech. These hostile acts directly challenge our nation's
07:06sovereignty and the rule of law. DHS must take steps to recognize, assess, and help address this
07:12threat, thereby reducing the risk to the people of the United States. One of the bills we are
07:16marking up today, H.R. 2158, is an important measure that would authorize a dedicated transnational
07:23repression working group within DHS to analyze and monitor transnational repression and related
07:28terrorism threats and DHS to take actions to prevent the repression. The Director of
07:33Homeland Security Investigations would appoint the head of a working group, as HSI already works
07:38closely with federal and other partners to investigate allegations of transnational repressions.
07:44I want to thank Representative Evans for his attention to this critical matter and commend
07:48his work on legislation to implement an essential public service awareness campaign to educate the
07:54public on the issue of transnational repression threats and the resources available to the victims
08:00of transnational repression. I think this is especially critical now, given the operation of
08:05illegal overseas police station of the CCP in New York City. According to the Justice Department,
08:11the CCP, through its repressive security apparatus, established a secret physical
08:16presence in New York City to monitor and intimidate dissidents and those critical
08:21of its government. And the CCP's actions go far beyond the bounds of acceptable nation-state
08:26conduct. Last Congress, I visited and met with the heads of NYPD's Intelligence and
08:32Counterterrorism Division to discuss a myriad of security issues, including transnational
08:37repression and NYPD's work related to the Chinese government police stations in Manhattan.
08:43It is paramount that we decisively defend the freedoms of all those living in our country
08:47from authoritarian repression. I'm also proud to support Ranking Member Magaziner's measure today,
08:53H.R. 2139, to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to prioritize strengthening state and
09:01local law enforcement capabilities to counter transnational repression and related terrorism
09:06threats. All three of these bills passed out of the committee last Congress. And since then,
09:10we have made some minor adjustments to the bills to improve the practicality and implementation
09:16of them. I think my colleagues on the subcommittee, for moving these critical pieces
09:19of legislation, collectively, these measures reflect a bipartisan commitment to safeguarding
09:25American values of free speech and human rights in the face of the CCP and other foreign actors
09:31activities. Are there any amendments to the bill? Hearing none, the question is on reporting the
09:41bill, H.R. 2158, to the full committee with a favorable recommendation. All those in favor,
09:46say aye. Aye. All opposed, no. In the opinion of the Chair, the ayes have it and the motion
09:52is agreed to. Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table.
10:00Pursuant to notice, I now call up H.R. 2139, the Strengthening State and Local
10:05Efforts to Counter Transnational Repression Act. The bill was circulated in advance and printed
10:10copies are available. The clerk shall designate the bill. H.R. 2139, offered by Mr. Magaziner.
10:16Without objection, the first reading of the bill is dispensed with and it is considered read and
10:20open to amendment at any point. The gentleman from Rhode Island, Mr. Magaziner, is recognized
10:25for five minutes on the measure. Thank you, Chairman. Throughout the world, those who dare
10:30to speak out against repressive governments are met with harassment, imprisonment, and even
10:35violence. Those same repressive governments do not just keep to their own borders. The United
10:40States is a safe haven for free speech and those fleeing political persecution, and we must have
10:46no tolerance for foreign governments targeting people in our country. Last January, during this
10:53subcommittee's hearing on transnational repression, we heard from witnesses Bob Fu and Ennis Cantor
10:58Freedom about their firsthand accounts of how they were targeted in the U.S. by foreign
11:04governments attempting to silence their voices through physical and cyber harassment and
11:09intimidation. Foreign governments such as China, Russia, Iran, Turkey, India, and others are among
11:16the largest perpetrators of transnational repression. Just last month, an illegal agent of
11:22the Chinese Communist Party was sentenced to prison in New York for his participation in a
11:27campaign to threaten, harass, and intimidate a U.S. resident and his family and repatriate them
11:33back to China. And in October, an unsealed Department of Justice indictment, we learned
11:40that a member of Iran's Republican Guard participated in a murder-for-hire scheme to
11:46murder a U.S. citizen and a journalist in the U.S. who was critical of Iran's human rights abuses.
11:53Today, we are considering three important bills to help crack down on transnational repression in
11:58the United States, including my bill, H.R. 2139, the Strengthening State and Local Efforts to Combat
12:05Transnational Repression Act. My bill will ensure that state and local law enforcement get the
12:10training they need to identify, pursue, and investigate transnational repression in the
12:15communities they serve. Understand, state and local law enforcement agencies are often the eyes and
12:21ears best suited to identify and disrupt transnational repression, but they need specialized
12:27training in order to know what they are seeing. Under this bill, the Department of Homeland
12:32Security will establish transnational repression threat training for state, local, tribal, and
12:37territorial law enforcement agencies, including through fusion centers. The bill also requires
12:43that the training include how to identify instances of transnational repression, what
12:47information should be collected and retained, how to identify suspected targets or victims of
12:53transnational repression, best practices for victim safety, and best practices for engaging
12:58targeted individuals and communities. The bill will also require that this training be developed
13:04in a manner that upholds privacy, civil rights, and civil liberty protections,
13:10something that I know we agree on as we work together to include this relevant language
13:14in the bipartisan bills we are considering today. In addition to supporting my bill and
13:20asking other members to do so, I'm proud to be an original co-sponsor of the other two
13:24transnational repression bills that we're considering today, Chairman Pfluger's Combating
13:29Transnational Repression Act, which we just passed, and also Representatives Evans' bill,
13:34the Law Enforcement Support and Counter Transnational Repression Act.
13:40This bill will give people who are victims of transnational repression a safe way to report
13:44their victimization to DHS through the establishment of a public awareness campaign and hotline.
13:51I hope that given the news regarding the potential shuttering of the DHS Office for
13:57Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, we can work together on ensuring that these protections
14:01are still embedded in the department's efforts. I want to once again thank Chairman Pfluger,
14:07Representative Evans, Representative Goldman, who is a co-sponsor of all these bills as well.
14:12This is a bipartisan package that we developed together in the last Congress and passed through
14:16committee. I'm glad that we're sticking with it and doing it again because there are a lot of
14:20people out there who are counting on us, and I yield back. I thank the gentleman. Does anyone
14:25else wish to speak on the bill? Are there any amendments to the bill? Hearing none,
14:30the question is on reporting the bill. H.R. 2139 to the full committee with a favorable
14:34recommendation. All in favor, say aye. Aye. All opposed, no. In the opinion of the Chair,
14:38the ayes have it and the motion is agreed to. With that objection, the motion to reconsider
14:43is laid on the table. Pursuant to notice, I now call up H.R. 2116, the Law Enforcement Support
14:49and Counter Transnational Repression Act. The bill was circulated in advance and printed copies are
14:53available. The clerk shall designate the bill. H.R. 2116 offered by Mr. Evans of Colorado.
15:00Without objection, the first reading of the bill is dispensed with and it is considered read and
15:03open to amendment at any point. The gentleman from Colorado, Mr. Evans, is recognized.
15:07Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member, for helping to lead this subcommittee markup and for
15:12consideration of my bill, H.R. 2116, the Law Enforcement Support and Counter Transnational
15:18Repression Act. As we've seen highlighted today, we've had multiple instances in the last few years
15:23where malign nations like the Chinese Communist Party, Russia, and Iran, and their actors and
15:29organized crime groups, have conspired to conduct acts of transnational repression or
15:34foreign intimidation on U.S. soil. And they're designed to target Americans and suppress free
15:40speech. And I want to be absolutely clear, the United States will not allow any foreign government
15:45to violate our sovereignty or challenge the rule of law. And so I'm proud to introduce H.R. 2116,
15:51the Law Enforcement Support and Transnational Repression Act, which instructs the DHS to
15:56create a public service announcement campaign designed to educate our diaspora communities on
16:01the threats posed by transnational repression. In addition, this bill requires DHS to post the FBI's
16:08transnational hotline in their public service campaigns so that victims can step out of the
16:13shadows and help law enforcement help them. As the Ranking Member just highlighted,
16:18local law enforcement often is the eyes and the ears of our communities, and it's critical that
16:23we have the ability to build that trust in those community relationships. And I know that because I
16:28was a local law enforcement officer in the Denver metro area for over a decade. And so I know how
16:34critical it is to support victims and strengthen public safety by equipping law enforcement agencies
16:39with the knowledge and the tools they need to identify current threats, build those relationships
16:43with the communities that they serve, so that perpetrators can be identified and prosecuted to
16:48the fullest extent of the law, which ultimately prevents harm in our communities. The Denver
16:54metro area is home to many diverse and resilient diaspora and immigrant communities who've shared
16:59with me deeply moving stories of fleeing authoritarian regimes and malicious organizations
17:04in their home countries. And so I'm committed to ensuring that people in my community can enjoy
17:10personal safety and their First Amendment rights as they pursue the American dream. This legislation,
17:16along with the bills offered by Chairman Pfluger and Ranking Member Magaziner, are critical first
17:21steps in making sure that American neighborhoods are protected and are equipped with the tools
17:26necessary to protect one another and counter transnational repression and other acts of
17:31foreign intimidation on U.S. soil. And with that, Mr. Chairman, yield back. I thank the gentleman.
17:36Does anyone else wish to speak on the bill? Are there any amendments to the bill? Hearing none,
17:41the question is on reporting the bill, H.R. 2116, to the full committee with a favorable
17:45recommendation. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed say no. In the opinion of the chair,
17:50the ayes have it. The motion is agreed to. Without objection, the motion to reconsider
17:54is laid on the table. Pursuant to notice, I now call up H.R. 1327, the Syria Terrorism
18:02Threat Assessment Act. The bill was circulated in advance and printed copies are available.
18:06The clerk shall designate. H.R. 1327, offered by Mr. Littrell. Without objection, the first reading
18:12of the bill is dispensed with and is considered read and open to amendment at any point. The
18:16gentleman from Texas, Mr. Littrell, is recognized. Thank you, Chairman Pfluger and Ranking Member
18:20Magaziner for bringing this critical bill before the Counterterrorism and Intelligence Subcommittee
18:23today. I'd also like to thank Mr. Correa for working alongside me on this piece of legislation.
18:28The last few months have shed light on the political uncertainty Syria is currently faced
18:32with. The region remains volatile and has become a breeding ground for violent extremist groups.
18:36The instability has allowed terrorist organizations to establish footholds,
18:39exacerbating national security challenges. The malign groups are using every tool at their
18:44disposal and sending bad actors our way. The Syrian Terrorism Threat Assessment Act ensures
18:49the Department of Homeland Security conducts an assessment of terrorist threats to the United
18:52States posed by individuals in Syria with an affiliation to a foreign terrorist organization
18:57or a specially designated global terrorist organization. By doing so, we can better
19:03examine and mitigate emerging threats from these regions. Foreign jihadist networks and other
19:08extremist groups are actively exploiting online platforms and other means to remotely radicalize
19:12and mobilize individuals to help plan and carry out terrorist attacks on American soil.
19:18Thank you again, Chairman and Ranking Member for bringing this important bill to the Subcommittee.
19:22Once again, thank you Mr. Correa for supporting this. I yield back. I thank the gentleman. Does
19:27anyone else wish to speak on the bill? Are there any amendments to the bill? Hearing none, the
19:33question is on reporting the bill, H.R. 1327, to the full Committee. With a favorable recommendation,
19:38all those in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed, no. In the opinion of the Chair, the ayes have it,
19:44and the motion is agreed to. Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table.
19:50Pursuant to notice, I now call up H.R. 1508, the DHS Special Events Program and Support Act.
19:56The bill was circulated in advance. Printed copies are available. The Clerk shall designate.
20:01H.R. 1508, offered by Mr. Magaziner. To amend the—
20:06Without objection, the first reading of the bill is dispensed with. It is considered read
20:09and open to amendment at any point. The gentleman from Rhode Island, Mr. Magaziner, is recognized.
20:14Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'm really here to present a bill that is sponsored by Congressman
20:20Dena Titus of Nevada, a former member of this Subcommittee, along with Richard Hudson of
20:27North Carolina and our own Nellie Poe of New Jersey. This is the H.R. 1508 DHS Special Events
20:35Program and Support Act. This Act would authorize the Special Event Assistment Rating Program,
20:40known as the SEER Program, within DHS, a program which has done great work for public safety
20:46all across the country. From state fairs to the College Football National Championship
20:51to New Year's Eve in Times Square, large gathering events require security planning to ensure that
20:57attendees are kept safe. Under the SEER Program, state, local, tribal, and territorial officials
21:02may request a risk assessment to determine the likelihood of potential threats, like a terrorist
21:08attack or other hazard, to a specific event. For events with a rating of 1, the most serious rating,
21:14DHS helps coordinate the security resources. The DHS Special Events Program and Support Act
21:20also seeks to improve the SEER Program by standardizing the process by which federal,
21:26state, local, tribal, and territorial officials can request a SEER rating and allowing for expedited
21:31assessment or reassessment of Special Event Ratings. Just some of the bill's supporters
21:36include the U.S. Travel Association, the National Emergency Management Association,
21:42the International Association of Emergency Managers, and the National Football League.
21:46Mr. Chairman, I thank my colleagues for supporting this bipartisan measure that works to provide the
21:51best protection for all of the large-scale events that Americans enjoy across the country, and I
21:56yield back. I thank the gentleman. Does anyone else wish to speak on the bill? Are there any
22:02amendments to the bill? Hearing none, the question is on reporting the bill, H.R. 1508, to the full
22:07committee with a favorable recommendation. All those in favor, aye. Aye. All opposed, no. In
22:13the opinion of the Chair, the ayes have it and the motion is agreed to. Without objection, the motion
22:17to reconsider is laid on the table. Pursuant to notice, I now call up H.R. 2212, the DHS Intelligence
22:24Rotational Assignment Program and Law Enforcement Support Act. The bill was circulated in advance
22:29and printed copies are available. The clerk shall designate. H.R. 2212, offered by Mr. McKenzie.
22:36To amend the objection, the first reading of the bill is dispensed with and is considered read and
22:40open to amendment at any point. The gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. McKenzie, is recognized.
22:48Thank you, Mr. Chairman. More than two decades after the attacks on September 11, 2001,
22:55terrorists around the country still are threats to our safety. Our national security relies on
23:04the ability to share the right information with the right people at the right time.
23:09Accomplishing this requires consistent collaboration among federal, state, local,
23:15tribal, territorial entities, as well as the private sector and international partners.
23:21For years, DHS has consistently struggled to share information effectively, though,
23:26necessitating legislative action to address the issue. In fact, it was just several years ago when
23:31various inspectors general, including the Department of Homeland Security and Justice,
23:36completed a report titled Review of Domestic Sharing of Counterterrorism Information that
23:42noted that DHS intelligence enterprise was not as effective and valuable as it could be.
23:49This was attributed to a lack of unity throughout DHS, the intelligence enterprise,
23:54various staffing issues within DHS's Office of Intelligence and Analysis, and problems with the
24:02review and approval process of internal intelligence products and issues accessing
24:08classified systems and locations. The report further stated that the DHS intelligence enterprise
24:14was fragmented, with elements operating independently, with few repercussions of
24:20incentives to coordinate better outside of actual events. That was their quote. So,
24:26underscoring the necessity for legislative action. These challenges continue to exist in
24:32which the sharing of counterterrorism information among law enforcement agencies, and in particular
24:38within DHS, could be strengthened. It's important that we work to share this information effectively
24:45so that DHS components understand each other's roles, responsibilities, contributions, and
24:51especially the involvement of multiple entities when they're trying to work together.
24:55So, one way that we can do this is through H.R. 2212, the DHS Intelligence Rotational
25:02Assignment Program and Law Enforcement Support Act. It's a critical step to address these gaps
25:08and improve coordination within DHS. The bill, which unanimously passed the House on a bipartisan
25:13basis previously, would codify DHS's Intelligence Rotational Assignment Program to enhance needed
25:21interagency participation in the program, and again, bring together all of this information
25:27so that people understand where it's coming from, and they can better work together and
25:31understand the overall big picture of things. DHS analysts within the department, intelligence
25:37component like Customs and Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Secret Service
25:43would work with other eligible components, and they would all be eligible to participate.
25:49As a result, this would further increase coordination and communication on border security,
25:54terrorism, and other threats to Homeland Security, which would, in turn, obviously, lead to a more
26:00complete picture of threats around Homeland Security. So, I think it's a great improvement,
26:07a step that I think we should all be on board with supporting, and I appreciate, again, the
26:11opportunity to talk about this important legislation today. With that, I yield back.
26:15I thank the gentleman. Does anyone else wish to speak on the bill?
26:19Are there any amendments to the bill? Hearing none, the question is on reporting the bill,
26:24H.R. 2212, to the full committee with a favorable recommendation. All those in favor, say aye.
26:28Aye. All opposed, no. In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it, and the motion is agreed to.
26:33Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. Pursuant to notice, I now call
26:38up H.R. 2285, the DHS Basic Training Accreditation Improvement Act of 2025. The bill was circulated
26:45in advance, and printed copies are available. The clerk shall designate. H.R. 2285, offered
26:51by Ms. Poe. Without objection, the first reading of the bill is dispensed with and is considered
26:56read and open to amendment at any point. The gentlelady from New Jersey, Ms. Poe, is recognized.
27:03Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and to our ranking member, Mr. Magaziner. Let me just begin by
27:11saying that the Department of Homeland Security is the largest federal law enforcement agency with
27:16nearly 80,000 officers and agents. Like all law enforcement, DHS officers and agents must
27:26successfully complete basic training programs. The Federal Law Enhancement Training Accreditation,
27:35or FLETA, board is an independent body charged with accrediting all federal law enforcement
27:42training. And although FLETA accreditation is not required, many federal law enforcement training
27:51academies are accredited, including the Transportation Security Administration Training
27:56Center in my home state of New Jersey. Accreditation improves the quality of training,
28:05minimizes liability and training costs, and supports organizational and operational success.
28:12Unfortunately, not all of DHS basic training programs are accredited. Some have not even,
28:20some have not been for years, in fact. My bill seeks to change just that. It requires DHS to
28:29report to Congress annually on the accreditation status of each of its basic training programs
28:36until all of them are accredited. For programs that are not accredited, DHS must report the
28:44reasons for obtaining or maintaining accreditation, the activities, if any,
28:51taken to achieve accreditation, and the expected timeline to achieve accreditation.
28:59My bill also directs DHS to engage in research to help state, local, tribals, and territorial law
29:09enforcement officers better access training opportunities, including those that enhance
29:17national preparedness and responses to terrorism. Our brave law enforcement officers deserve our
29:25very best. My bill will improve the law enforcement training program to give officers the tools to
29:31continue to keep our communities safe. I want to thank all of my colleagues for your consideration
29:38and support of this bill. Mr. Chairman, thank you so very much. I yield back. I thank the gentle
29:44lady. Does anyone else wish to speak on the bill? Are there any amendments to the bill? Hearing none,
29:50the question is on reporting the bill, H.R. 2285, to the full committee with a favorable
29:54recommendation. All those in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed, no. In the opinion of the chair,
29:59the ayes have it, and the motion is agreed to. Without objection, the motion to reconsider is
30:03laid on the table. To notice, I now call up H.R. 2259, the National Strategy for School
30:10Security Act of 2025. The bill was circulated in advance and printed copies are available.
30:15The clerk shall designate. H.R. 2259, offered by Mr. Tony Gonzalez of Texas. Without objection,
30:22the first reading of the bill is dispensed with and is considered read and open to amendment
30:26at any point. The gentleman from Texas, Mr. Gonzalez, is now recognized. Thank you, Mr.
30:30Chairman. I'm pleased that the subcommittee has convened today to mark up H.R. 2259, the
30:34bipartisan National School Safety, the National Strategy for School Safety, School Security Act.
30:41Over three years ago, we had the worst shooting in Texas history in Uvalde, in my district. At that
30:48time, we were scrambling. I remember very vividly, I got a call from the gentleman sitting next to me,
30:54Morgan Luttrell, and he asked me, what could I do, what could he do to help? I previously had
30:59gotten a call from local law enforcement and they didn't have a place to sleep that night.
31:04And so I asked him, I'm like, yeah, you can help me by helping get 100 COTS. And guess what? The
31:09next day, magically, Morgan Luttrell was in Uvalde, Texas, delivering 100 COTS. Why do I tell
31:15that story? It's not fair. I was a newly minted member of Congress and he was a private citizen.
31:21It's not fair that that was the response that was needed during that time. Since then, there was a
31:26critical incident review that took place. Multiple reports have been indicated some of the things
31:31that could be fixed, but honestly, nothing has changed. If the same thing were to occur
31:37in his district, I'd be calling him and asking him what I could do to help. We have a duty and
31:43an obligation to review and take these reports and findings serious. My bill does exactly that.
31:49The bill requires better federal coordination efforts across our agencies. The lack of
31:53coordination at the federal level has been highlighted as a major shortcoming in school
31:58security posture. My bill would direct the Department of Homeland Security to take into
32:02account the resources and findings of federal agencies related to school security and emergency
32:07preparedness. It's no different than a hurricane hits. When a hurricane hits, DHS sends FEMA and
32:13it's all hands on deck. A school shooting is no different than that. By submitting a national
32:18strategy, we update this annually to serve as a framework to secure elementary and secondary
32:24schools nationwide. From this, our school districts nationwide can better develop and improve their
32:28own emergency plans to keep our kids safe. I encourage all my colleagues in this subcommittee
32:33to support this common sense bill. Thank you, Chairman. I yield back.
32:37I thank the gentleman. Does anyone else wish to speak on the bill? Are there any amendments to
32:41the bill? Hearing none, the question is on reporting the bill, H.R. 2259, to the full
32:46committee with a favorable recommendation. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. All opposed, no.
32:51In the opinion of the Chair, the ayes have it and the motion is agreed to.
32:54Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table.
32:58Pursuant to notice, I now call up H.R. 1736, the Generative AI Terrorism Risk Assessment Act.
33:05The bill was circulated in advance and printed copies are available. The clerk shall designate.
33:10H.R. 1736, offered by Mr. Pfluger.
33:14Without objection, the first reading of the bill is dispensed with. It is considered read and open
33:17to amendment at any point. I now recognize myself to speak in favor of the bill.
33:22The Committee on Homeland Security's Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence recently held
33:27a hearing to examine how foreign terrorist organizations use the internet, online networks,
33:33and Generative AI or Gen-AI to recruit and radicalize lone wolf actors. The threat of
33:40this radicalization has grown significantly over the last decade. The committee heard testimony
33:45from police experts Dr. Aaron Zelland, Dr. David Gartenstein-Ross, and Mr. Daniel Flesch on how
33:51FTOs use the internet and online networks for radicalization and recruitment. The panel of
33:57experts all agreed that FTOs' use of Gen-AI has the potential to impact our national security
34:02significantly. Gen-AI is defined as a subset of artificial intelligence that uses generative
34:08models to produce text, images, videos, or other forms of data. FTOs use Gen-AI for online
34:14radicalization by producing highly convincing videos that fabricate events and manipulate the
34:20perception of potential recruits. Known terrorist organizations such as ISIS and al-Qaeda have gone
34:26as far as to have workshops and train members of their organizations on its use while stressing
34:31the effectiveness of the technology. It's important that DHS carry out common-sense threat assessments
34:36to determine how we can better combat this issue and, ultimately, safeguard our homeland.
34:41One of the bills we are marking up today, H.R. 1736, is an important measure that would require
34:47the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct annual assessments on terrorism threats to the U.S.
34:52posed by terrorist organizations like ISIS and al-Qaeda, utilizing or attempting to utilize
34:58generative artificial intelligence applications. I think this is a common-sense bill and it's
35:03important and timely given the ISIS-inspired car-ramming terror attack we had just months ago
35:08in New Orleans, with the suspect not only being an American citizen but a former member of the
35:13military who was influenced and fell victim to online radicalization. Several days after the
35:18attack, ISIS noted in their weekly newsletters that the ISIS propaganda had inspired the attack
35:22and praised ISIS backers as critical to encouraging and promoting further terrorist attacks against
35:28America. I want to thank all my colleagues on the subcommittee for advancing this crucial piece
35:33of legislation. I believe it reaffirms our commitment to safeguarding our country and our
35:37citizens while effectively countering the enduring and emerging threats posed by jihadi and other
35:43terrorist groups targeting our nation. Does anyone else wish to, I yield back, does anyone else wish
35:50to speak on the bill? Are there any amendments to the bill? Hearing none, the question is on
35:57reporting the bill, H.R. 1736, to the full committee with a favorable recommendation. All those in favor
36:01say aye. Aye. All opposed, no. In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it and the motion is
36:07agreed to. Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. Pursuant to
36:13notice and I'll call up H.R. 2261, the Strengthening Oversight of DHS Intelligence Act. The bill was
36:20circulated in advance and printed copies are available. The clerk shall designate. H.R. 2261,
36:26offered by Mr. Hernandez, to amend the Homeland Security Act. Without objection, the first reading
36:30of the bill is dispensed with and it is considered read and open to amendment at any point. The
36:34gentleman from Puerto Rico, Mr. Hernandez, is recognized. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Mr. Ranking
36:39Member. I am pleased that today the subcommittee is considering my bill, H.R. 2261, the Strengthening
36:45Oversight of DHS Intelligence Act. Since its inception, DHS's Office of Intelligence and
36:51Analysis, or INA, has been the sole office charged with delivering Homeland Security
36:56information and intelligence to state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement.
37:01State, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement are on the front lines working
37:06to keep Americans safe. And to do the best job possible, it is critical that they receive
37:12reliable intelligence, particularly during terrorist attacks or natural disasters.
37:17The DHS intelligence enterprise delivers that critical information.
37:21The Strengthening Oversight of DHS Intelligence Act ensures that the information and intelligence
37:27distributed by DHS to protect our communities does not infringe upon Americans' constitutional
37:32rights. There must be oversight mechanisms and safeguards to protect the privacy, civil rights,
37:38and civil liberties of Americans in the production and dissemination of DHS intelligence. This bill
37:44requires that all DHS intelligence products be reviewed by the DHS Chief Privacy Officer
37:50and the DHS officer for civil rights and civil liberties. Additionally, my bill would require
37:57the privacy and civil rights and civil liberties officers train senior DHS intelligence personnel
38:03on privacy rights, civil rights, and civil liberties protections. Put simply, under my bill,
38:11DHS intelligence information that is shared, retained, and disseminated must be done in a
38:17manner consistent with the protection of Americans' rights. Now, Mr. Chairman, I understand that it is
38:23being reported that the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties has been shut down
38:30through reductions in the workforce. I know that you see the value of DHS offices and components
38:36coordinating with the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties to safeguard individuals'
38:41privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties, as evident by the coordination clause included in
38:47your bill being marked up today, the Generative AI Terrorism Risk Assessment Act. So, I'll just
38:53say that I hope we can all work together on maintaining this important function. I thank
38:58my colleagues for their support on this measure, and I yield back. I thank the gentleman. Does
39:03anyone else wish to speak on the bill? Are there any amendments to the bill? Hearing none, the
39:08question is on reporting the bill, H.R. 2261, to the full committee with a favorable recommendation.
39:14All those in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed, no. In the opinion of the Chair, the ayes have it,
39:19and the motion is agreed to. Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table.
39:26Without objection, the staff is authorized to make any required technical or conforming changes to
39:31reflect the actions of the subcommittee. This concludes our subcommittee markup, and I just
39:37want to say that while this markup may have looked easy, and it went smoothly, and it didn't take a
39:44lot of time, it was anything but easy in the background, and I want to thank the ranking
39:49member. I want to thank both staffs, from the majority and the minority, for working hard to
39:55come to an agreement and to really set the tone. This is the first subcommittee markup on this
40:00committee, and I think it does set the tone that on this particular topic that we want to safeguard
40:06American interests, that we want to do the best for the homeland security of this nation, that
40:11we can come together in a bipartisan way, and I hope that this will lead us down a path of
40:18vigorous, rigorous debate on things that we may have differences on, but with the end goal of
40:25expecting a better product, and when we can come together, like you've seen today, with 10 bills
40:30that are all bipartisan, that pass by voice, then that's a great way to be able to do business,
40:37and I hope the rest of our colleagues on other committees can also look at this as an example.
40:42Lastly, I want to thank the staff director for this subcommittee, Mr. Michael Corrin, who this
40:47is his last markup, and if you don't mind giving him a round of applause for his help and professionalism.
40:57This concludes the consideration of the bills noticed by the committee for today. There are no,
41:02there being no further business, without objection, the subcommittee stands adjourned.