H.R. 480 – Homeland Threat Assessment Act

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Updated April 14, 2026 at 12:18 AM UTC

The Homeland Threat Assessment Act would require the Department of Homeland Security to produce an annual assessment of terrorist and related threats to the United States for the next five fiscal years. The Secretary, through the Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, must compile data on terrorism, financing, cyber risks, immigration threats, and transportation security, and deliver the reports to Congress. The bill adds a new section to the Homeland Security Act and updates related provisions.

Key Provisions

Mandates an annual homeland threat assessment to be completed within 180 days of enactment and each fiscal year for five years
Specifies the assessment must cover terrorist incidents, tactics, financing, denied‑entry cases, extremist propaganda, cyber threats, immigration‑related threats, and transportation sector risks
Allows the use of existing DHS field data and information from other federal, state, local, and private sources
Requires the reports to be submitted to the appropriate congressional committees in classified form with unclassified summaries or annexes
Adds a new Section 210H to the Homeland Security Act of 2002 and amends related sections to support the new assessments

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Intelligence and Counterterrorism.

Counterterrorism and Intelligence Subcommittee

February 4, 2019

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

January 10, 2019

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.

Homeland Security Committee

January 10, 2019

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Intelligence and Counterterrorism.

Counterterrorism and Intelligence Subcommittee

February 4, 2019

Floor Debate

3 members

What members said about H.R. 480 on the floor

1 Republican2 Democrats

Rep. Kathleen M. RiceD-NY-4 · Jun 10, 2019

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2539) to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to prioritize the assignment of certain officers and intelligence analysts from…

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2539) to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to prioritize the assignment of certain officers and intelligence analysts from the Transportation Security Administration and the Office of Intelligence and Analysis of the Department of Homeland Security to locations with participating State, local, and regional fusion centers in jurisdictions with a high-risk surface transportation asset in order to enhance the security of such assets, including by improving timely sharing of classified information regarding terrorist and other threats, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on this measure.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2539, the Strengthening Local Transportation Security Capabilities Act of 2019.

Every day, tens of millions of Americans rely on our Nation's vast transportation surface system. Securing that system must remain one of our top national security priorities.

H.R. 2539 will help bolster situational awareness about threats to these vital systems by requiring DHS to prioritize the assignment of officers and intelligence analysts to State, local, and regional fusion centers located in areas with high-risk surface transportation assets.

Further, H.R. 2539 authorizes a training program to enhance the effectiveness of law enforcement agencies that protect surface transportation assets.

I would like to thank my colleague, Ms. Barragan, for introducing this important bill. I urge my House colleagues to support H.R. 2539.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers, and I am prepared to close after the gentleman from Texas closes.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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

H.R. 2539 would be an important step toward securing some of our country's most important transportation systems.

DHS is faced with an enormous challenge of combating the constantly evolving threats facing our Nation's transportation systems. Timely information sharing about these systems is essential to counter any threat.

Last Congress, a similar measure passed the House with wide bipartisan support. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Rep. Nanette Diaz BarragánD-CA-44 · Jun 10, 2019

Mr. Speaker, terrorists continue to pose a significant threat to transportation systems. Since 9/11, Congress has supported efforts to strengthen the security of our transportation systems. Working…

Mr. Speaker, terrorists continue to pose a significant threat to transportation systems.

Since 9/11, Congress has supported efforts to strengthen the security of our transportation systems.

Working with the private sector and state and local governments, we have invested substantial resources to prevent attacks and improve our intelligence around potential threats.

Still, terrorists continue to probe critical infrastructure- looking for ``soft targets'' to attack.

Worldwide, increasingly, terrorist have turned their attention to mass transit systems, bus stations, and freight and passenger rail systems.

In America, surface transportation systems transport millions of passengers and tons of freight every day.

In my district, my constituents rely on L.A. Metro rail and bus systems to get them to their offices, doctor's appointments, places of worship, and homes every day.

According to L.A. Metro Monthly Ridership stats, over 31 million riders travel by bus or rail each month.

Due to the high accessibility of transit systems, protecting passengers and personnel is difficult.

Law enforcement agencies rely on credible, timely intelligence to keep systems secure.

My bill seeks to enhance security in two key ways.

First, it requires DHS to prioritize the assignment of officers and intelligence analysts to State, local, and regional fusion centers areas with a high-risk surface transportation asset.

Such deployments would help ensure that intelligence relating to threats is shared with appropriate stakeholders in a timely manner, improving the chances of preventing the next attack.

Second, my bill authorizes DHS to develop a training program to enhance the protection, preparedness, and response capabilities of law enforcement agencies that operate at surface transportation assets.

Surface transportation systems are unique in their layouts and use, and training tailored to the uniqueness of these systems would help improve law enforcement capabilities.

This transportation security bill is supported on a bipartisan basis and, when it was considered last month in the Committee on Homeland Security, was approved unanimously.

As such, I strongly urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Rep. Dan CrenshawR-TX-2 · Jun 10, 2019

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of H.R. 2539, the Strengthening Local Transportation Security Capabilities Act of 2019. This bill will provide…

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued January 10, 2019

I

116th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 480

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 10, 2019

Mr. Rogers of Alabama (for himself and Mr. Thompson of Mississippi) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security

A BILL

To require an annual homeland threat assessment, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Homeland Threat Assessment Act.

2.

Annual homeland threat assessments

(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:

210H.

Homeland threat assessments

(a)

In general

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section and for each of the next five fiscal years (beginning in the fiscal year that begins after the date of the enactment of this section) the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, and using departmental information, including component information, and information provided through State and major urban area fusion centers, shall conduct an assessment of the terrorist threat to the homeland.

(b)

Contents

Each assessment under subsection (a) shall include the following:

(1)

Empirical data assessing terrorist activities and incidents over time in the United States, including terrorist activities and incidents planned or supported by persons outside of the United States targeting the homeland.

(2)

An evaluation of current terrorist tactics, as well as ongoing and possible future changes in terrorist tactics.

(3)

An assessment of criminal activity encountered or observed by officers or employees of components in the field which is suspected of financing terrorist activity.

(4)

Detailed information on all individuals denied entry to or removed from the United States as a result of material support provided to a foreign terrorist organization (as such term is used in section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189)).

(5)

The efficacy and spread of foreign terrorist organization propaganda, messaging, or recruitment.

(6)

An assessment of threats, including cyber threats, to the homeland, including to critical infrastructure and Federal civilian networks.

(7)

An assessment of current and potential terrorism and criminal threats posed by individuals and organized groups seeking to unlawfully enter the United States.

(8)

An assessment of threats to the transportation sector, including surface and aviation transportation systems.

(c)

Additional information

The assessments required under subsection (a)—

(1)

shall, to the extent practicable, utilize existing component data collected from the field; and

(2)

may incorporate relevant information and analysis from other agencies of the Federal Government, agencies of State and local governments (including law enforcement agencies), as well as the private sector, disseminated in accordance with standard information sharing procedures and policies.

(d)

Form

The assessments required under subsection (a) shall be shared with the appropriate congressional committees and submitted in classified form, but—

(1)

shall include unclassified summaries; and

(2)

may include unclassified annexes, if appropriate.

.

(b)

Conforming amendment

Subsection (d) of section 201 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 121) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(24)

To carry out section 210H (relating to homeland threat assessments).

.

(c)

Clerical amendment

The table of contents of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 210F the following new item:

Sec. 210H. Homeland threat assessments.

.