H.R. 677 – CBRN Intelligence and Information Sharing Act of 2017

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 15, 2026 at 12:07 PM UTC

The CBRN Intelligence and Information Sharing Act of 2017 adds new duties to the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis to focus on chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats. It requires the office to analyze terrorist plans, disease and bio‑security issues, assess risks, and share tailored intelligence with state, local, tribal, federal and private partners. The law also mandates regular reporting to Congress on these activities for five years.

Key Provisions

Creates a new Section 210G that tasks DHS’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis with supporting intelligence and risk analysis on CBRN threats, including terrorism, infectious disease, and hazardous material transport
Requires the office to share threat information and analytical support with state, local, tribal, other federal agencies, and national bio‑security stakeholders
Mandates coordination with DHS components, the National Biosurveillance Integration Center, the intelligence community, and local fusion centers to improve information sharing
Sets up annual reports to the House and Senate Homeland Security committees on CBRN intelligence activities and progress, with the reporting requirement ending after five years
Amends the Homeland Security Act to expand dissemination of analyzed information to state, local, tribal, private entities and, when appropriate, the public

Legislative Activity

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8 earlier actions

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

February 1, 2017

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

January 24, 2017

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.

Homeland Security Committee

January 24, 2017

HouseFloor

Ms. McSally moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

January 31, 2017 • 3:20 PM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H785-786)

January 31, 2017 • 3:20 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 677.

January 31, 2017 • 3:20 PM

HouseFloor

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H785)

January 31, 2017 • 3:25 PM

HouseFloor

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H785)

January 31, 2017 • 3:25 PM

HouseFloor

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

January 31, 2017 • 3:25 PM

SenateIntro Referral

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

February 1, 2017

Floor Debate

2 members

What members said about H.R. 677 on the floor

1 Republican1 Democrat

Rep. Martha McSallyR-AZ-2 · Jan 31, 2017

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 677) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear intelligence and…

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 677) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear intelligence and information sharing functions of the Office of Intelligence and Analysis of the Department of Homeland Security and to require dissemination of information analyzed by the Department to entities with responsibilities relating to homeland security, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 677, the CBRN Intelligence and Information Sharing Act of 2017.

We know that terrorist groups have long sought to employ chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear, or CBRN, materials in their attacks. In his 2016 Worldwide Threat Assessment, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper noted that weapons of mass destruction continue to pose a threat to the United States, whether from North Korea's nuclear tests or the dual-use nature of biological materials that make threats difficult to detect.

In addition, last year, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons completed a year-long investigation that found both Syria and ISIS have used chemical weapons. ISIS' interest in using weapons of mass destruction material in its attack against the West is also well documented.

H.R. 677 will enhance intelligence analysis and information sharing and will work to ensure that State and

local officials get the actionable intelligence information necessary to stop or mitigate a CBRN attack.

As the previous chairwoman of the Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications Subcommittee, I held a number of hearings on the threat posed by terrorist attacks using CBRN agents. Many national security experts, first responders, and members of the law enforcement community have testified to the need of increased information sharing with appropriate State and local officials and emergency responders.

This budget-neutral bill seeks to address these findings. It requires the Office of Intelligence and Analysis at DHS to support homeland security-focused intelligence analysis of CBRN threats, including emerging infectious diseases. It directs the Office of Intelligence and Analysis to share information with State, local, tribal, and private entities and get their feedback to improve two-way sharing of information. Finally, H.R. 677 directs the Secretary of DHS to report annually for 5 years on the Department's intelligence and information sharing activities and DHS' activities in accordance with relevant intelligence strategies.

The House passed a nearly identical bill I introduced last Congress by a vote of 420-2. I urge Members to join me in supporting this bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I once again urge my colleagues to support H.R. 677, this legislation that will enhance the sharing of CBRN-related threat information.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Rep. William R. KeatingD-MA-9 · Jan 31, 2017

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 677, the CBRN Intelligence and Information Sharing Act of 2017. Mr. Speaker, last Congress, the Committee on Homeland…

Bill Text

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Referred in SenateIssued February 1, 2017

IIB

115th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 677

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

February 1, 2017

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

AN ACT

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear intelligence and information sharing functions of the Office of Intelligence and Analysis of the Department of Homeland Security and to require dissemination of information analyzed by the Department to entities with responsibilities relating to homeland security, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the CBRN Intelligence and Information Sharing Act of 2017.

2.

Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear intelligence and information sharing

(a)

In general

Subtitle A of title II of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 121 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

210G.

Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear intelligence and information sharing

(a)

In general

The Office of Intelligence and Analysis of the Department of Homeland Security shall—

(1)

support homeland security-focused intelligence analysis of terrorist actors, their claims, and their plans to conduct attacks involving chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear materials against the United States;

(2)

support homeland security-focused intelligence analysis of global infectious disease, public health, food, agricultural, and veterinary issues;

(3)

support homeland security-focused risk analysis and risk assessments of the homeland security hazards described in paragraphs (1) and (2), including the transportation of chemical, biological, nuclear, and radiological materials, by providing relevant quantitative and nonquantitative threat information;

(4)

leverage existing and emerging homeland security intelligence capabilities and structures to enhance prevention, protection, response, and recovery efforts with respect to a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear attack;

(5)

share information and provide tailored analytical support on these threats to State, local, and tribal authorities, other Federal agencies, as well as relevant national biosecurity and biodefense stakeholders, as appropriate; and

(6)

perform other responsibilities, as assigned by the Secretary.

(b)

Coordination

Where appropriate, the Office of Intelligence and Analysis shall coordinate with other relevant Department components, including the National Biosurveillance Integration Center, other agencies within in the intelligence community, including the National Counter Proliferation Center, and other Federal, State, local, and tribal authorities, including officials from high-threat urban areas, State and major urban area fusion centers, and local public health departments, as appropriate, and enable such entities to provide recommendations on optimal information sharing mechanisms, including expeditious sharing of classified information, and on how such entities can provide information to the Department.

(c)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

Intelligence community

The term intelligence community has the meaning given such term in section 3(4) of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 401a(4)).

(2)

National biosecurity and biodefense stakeholders

The term national biosecurity and biodefense stakeholders means officials from Federal, State, local, and tribal authorities and individuals from the private sector who are involved in efforts to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from a biological attack or other phenomena that may have serious health consequences for the United States, including infectious disease outbreaks.

.

(b)

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 201F the following new item:

Sec. 210G. Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear intelligence and information sharing.

.

(c)

Report

(1)

In general

Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall report to the appropriate congressional committees on—

(A)

the intelligence and information sharing activities under section 210G of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (as added by subsection (a) of this section) and of all relevant entities within the Department of Homeland Security to counter the threat from attacks using chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear materials; and

(B)

the Department’s activities in accordance with relevant intelligence strategies.

(2)

Assessment of implementation

The reports required under paragraph (1) shall include—

(A)

an assessment of the progress of the Office of Intelligence and Analysis of the Department of Homeland Security in implementing such section 210G; and

(B)

a description of the methods established to carry out such assessment.

(3)

Termination

This subsection shall terminate on the date that is 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(4)

Definition

In this subsection, the term appropriate congressional committees means the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and any committee of the House of Representatives or the Senate having legislative jurisdiction under the rules of the House of Representatives or Senate, respectively, over the matter concerned.

3.

Dissemination of information analyzed by the Department to State, local, tribal, and private entities with responsibilities relating to homeland security

Paragraph (8) of section 201(d) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 121(d)) is amended by striking and to agencies of State and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting to State, local, tribal, and private entities with such responsibilities, and, as appropriate, to the public, in order to assist in preventing, deterring, or responding to acts of terrorism against the United States..

Passed the House of Representatives January 31, 2017.

Karen L. Haas,

Clerk.