H.R. 504House116th Congress (2019-2021)Enacted

DHS Field Engagement Accountability Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 14, 2026 at 12:25 AM UTC

The DHS Field Engagement Accountability Act directs the Department of Homeland Security to create a formal strategy for working with state and local fusion centers and to track how well that work is done. It requires the department to set goals, performance measures, and a five‑year plan for sharing information, to oversee the deployment and training of DHS intelligence staff at those centers, and to improve policies and technology for the Homeland Security Information Network. Within 18 months, DHS must report to several congressional committees on its progress.

Key Provisions

Within one year, the DHS Secretary must develop (and update every five years) a written strategy for engaging with fusion centers, including specific goals, metrics, and a five‑year engagement plan.
The Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis must evaluate and publish performance metrics for DHS field personnel assigned to fusion centers, and create a training module on the classified Homeland Secure Data Network for fusion‑center staff.
The Chief Information Officer must create policies and metrics to ensure effective use of the unclassified Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN) and recommend technical upgrades to improve its search, analysis, and collaboration features.
Within 18 months, the DHS Secretary must submit a report to relevant Senate and House committees detailing the fusion‑center strategy, field‑personnel deployment metrics, and HSIN policy implementation.

Legislative Activity

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21 earlier actions

Became Law Latest Action

Became Public Law No: 116-116.

March 2, 2020

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

January 11, 2019

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.

Homeland Security Committee

January 11, 2019

HouseFloor

Miss Rice (NY) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

January 29, 2019 • 1:34 PM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H1261-1263)

January 29, 2019 • 1:34 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 504.

January 29, 2019 • 1:34 PM

HouseFloor

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H1261-1262)

January 29, 2019 • 1:43 PM

HouseFloor

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H1261-1262)

January 29, 2019 • 1:43 PM

HouseFloor

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

January 29, 2019 • 1:43 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

January 29, 2019

SenateCommittee

Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

February 13, 2019

SenateCommittee

Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Johnson with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 116-16.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

March 25, 2019

SenateCalendars

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 47.

March 25, 2019

SenateFloor

Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S5115)

July 25, 2019

SenateFloor

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

July 29, 2019

HouseResolving Differences

Ms. Torres Small (NM) moved that the House suspend the rules agree to the Senate amendment. (consideration: CR H988-990)

February 10, 2020 • 4:06 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment to H.R. 504.

February 10, 2020 • 4:06 PM

HouseNot Used

Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by voice vote.

February 10, 2020

HouseResolving Differences

On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H988-989)

February 10, 2020 • 4:15 PM

HouseResolving Differences

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

February 10, 2020 • 4:15 PM

President

Presented to President.

February 20, 2020

Became Law

Signed by President.

March 2, 2020

Became Law

Became Public Law No: 116-116.

March 2, 2020

Floor Debate

3 members

What members said about H.R. 504 on the floor

2 Republicans1 Democrat

Rep. Kathleen M. RiceD-NY-4 · Jan 29, 2019

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 504) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Department of Homeland Security to develop an engagement strategy with…

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 would like to thank my colleague on the other side of the aisle, Mr. Bacon, for reintroducing the DHS Field Engagement Accountability Act.

One of the core responsibilities of this committee is to ensure collaboration and information-sharing among Federal, State, local, Tribal, and territorial partners. That is how we protect our cities from any and all terrorist threats, whether it is one that comes from a foreign organization or a homegrown, lone-wolf attacker.

One example of our commitment to this comprehensive approach is the committee's long history of bipartisan support for the Department of Homeland Security's 79 fusion centers located across the country. These centers are meant to connect the dots at the local level. They are information-sharing hubs that facilitate coordination and the sharing of resources between Federal, State, and local law enforcement officials.

However, a 2016 review found that DHS does not have a strategic engagement plan for these 79 fusion centers. H.R. 504 will help fill that void. This important legislation will require DHS to develop a departmentwide strategy for engaging and sharing information with national fusion centers.

Additionally, this measure requires DHS to develop metrics that will help hold fusion center staff accountable for their performance.

This legislation also requires DHS to improve the classified and unclassified information-sharing systems that are used by fusion centers to ensure that information is shared properly and in accordance with Department standards. Specifically, H.R. 504 would require that all information-sharing policies are developed and maintained by the Department's experts on privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties.

The recent shooting in Pittsburgh and the spate of pipe bombs that were mailed across the country last year are potent reminders of how important it is for local law enforcement agencies to be equipped with the resources and information they need to combat urgent threats. In short, events like these exemplify the growing need for well-informed and well-maintained fusion centers.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my House colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

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

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 504, which passed the House on suspension last Congress, would help ensure that fusion centers throughout the country have access to the resources necessary to keep our homeland safe and secure.

By directing the Department to develop a strategy for its fusion centers, the bill seeks to enhance DHS' overall ability to fulfill its core mission. Additionally, H.R. 504 would ensure that DHS' information-sharing policies include strong privacy and civil liberty safeguards.

Regardless of the target or the underlying ideology behind a terrorist plot, State and local law enforcement entities need a clear line of communication with their Federal counterparts.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 504, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Rep. Don BaconR-NE-2 · Jan 29, 2019

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Louisiana and I thank the gentlewoman from New York for their leadership today. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the bill, H.R. 504, that I authored. It is…

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Louisiana and I thank the gentlewoman from New York for their leadership today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the bill, H.R. 504, that I authored. It is called the DHS Field Engagement Accountability Act.

The purpose of this legislation is to provide transparency, predictability, and technology improvements to the 79 State and locally owned fusion centers across the United States. This bill fixes several shortfalls that were identified by recent inspection findings.

I was able to visit the Nebraska Information Analysis Center, known as NIAC, my home State's fusion center, in January of this last year. The NIAC was established in 2007 and serves as a critical information- sharing conduit between the State of Nebraska and the Federal Government to the benefit of all 93 counties in Nebraska.

While the NIAC currently has outside support from DHS, not all fusion centers are in the same situation throughout our country, and that needs to be fixed. To address this shortfall, H.R. 504 requires the Department to engage an engagement strategy for how to best coordinate information sharing, technology, and personnel resources with fusion centers. Additionally, the bill requires DHS to develop clear and robust performance metrics for the personnel assigned to fusion centers to provide needed accountability.

In addition to personnel, DHS also provides fusion centers with access to databases and information-sharing programs for classified and sensitive information. H.R. 504 includes several provisions to address improvements in training and technology needed for these systems, including a requirement that DHS components share appropriate intelligence products with fusion centers.

The sharing of counterterrorism and other homeland security information with State and local officials is vital in our efforts to protect the homeland. In the past few years, there have been significant improvements in DHS' support for key stakeholders. The DHS Field Engagement Accountability Act builds on this progress by holding DHS more accountable for supporting fusion centers and making the improvements needed to truly utilize them as a resource for the Federal Government.

This is a commonsense bill that passed the House last Congress. With another strong showing of bipartisan support from the House, I am confident that we will be able to work with our colleagues in the other Chamber to enact this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Rep. Clay HigginsR-LA-3 · Jan 29, 2019

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 504, the DHS Field Engagement Accountability Act. The Committee on Homeland Security has long supported…

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 504, the DHS Field Engagement Accountability Act.

The Committee on Homeland Security has long supported the role and mission of locally owned fusion centers across the United States. These hubs for assessing and sharing threat information are important links for the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, and other Federal, State, and local stakeholders.

The legislation before us today directs the Department of Homeland Security to develop a forward-looking strategy to improve engagement efforts with fusion centers and establish metrics for both DHS personnel and technology deployed to fusion centers.

Clear performance metrics for fusion center personnel are needed to ensure fusion center directors understand what to expect from DHS personnel detailed to their centers. This effort will also allow DHS to better track the value fusion centers are providing to the national information-sharing environment.

Lastly, the bill addresses a need for improvements to DHS information sharing utilized by fusion centers and other stakeholders by requiring training modules and feedback mechanisms.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Don Bacon for his work on this legislation and his overall commitment to Federal, State, and local information sharing.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bacon), the cosponsor of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Thompson, Ranking Member Rogers, and Congressman Bacon for bringing this bill to the floor.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 504, to improve DHS' coordination and information-sharing activities with State and local fusion centers across the country, thereby making the homeland security intelligence enterprise more robust.

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

Bill Text

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Enrolled BillPublication date not provided

One Hundred Sixteenth Congress of the United States of America

At the Second Session

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Friday, the third day of January, two thousand and twenty

H. R. 504

AN ACT

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Department of Homeland Security to develop an engagement strategy with fusion centers, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the DHS Field Engagement Accountability Act.

Engagement strategy with fusion centers

Section 210A of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 124h) is amended by—

(1)

redesignating subsections (j) and (k) as subsections (k) and (l), respectively; and

(2)

inserting after subsection (i) the following:

(j)

Fusion center information sharing strategy

Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of the DHS Field Engagement Accountability Act, and not less frequently than once every 5 years thereafter, the Secretary shall develop or update a strategy for Department engagement with fusion centers. Such strategy shall be developed and updated in consultation with the heads of intelligence components of the Department, the Chief Privacy Officer, the Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, officials of fusion centers, officers designated as Homeland Security Advisors, and the heads of other relevant agencies, as appropriate. Such strategy shall include the following:

(1)

Specific goals and objectives for sharing information and engaging with fusion centers—

(A)

through the direct deployment of personnel from intelligence components of the Department;

(B)

through the use of Department unclassified and classified information sharing systems, including the Homeland Security Information Network and the Homeland Secure Data Network, or any successor systems; and

(C)

through any additional means.

(2)

The performance metrics to be used to measure success in achieving the goals and objectives referred to in paragraph (1).

(3)

A 5-year plan for continued engagement with fusion centers.

Office of Intelligence and Analysis field personnel support to fusion centers

(a)

Performance metrics

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis shall—

(1)

consider the effectiveness of existing processes to identify and prepare field personnel for deployment to support fusion centers and internal mechanisms to ensure oversight and accountability of such field personnel, including field personnel assigned to one center and field personnel assigned to multiple centers; and

(2)

publish and disseminate performance metrics, taking into account, as appropriate, regional and threat diversity, for—

(A)

field personnel from the Office of Intelligence and Analysis assigned to an individual fusion center;

(B)

field personnel from the Office of Intelligence and Analysis assigned to multiple fusion centers; and

(C)

Regional Directors of the Office of Intelligence and Analysis to ensure accountability for monitoring all field personnel under the supervision of such Regional Directors.

(b)

Training

In consultation with the Chief Information Officer, the Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis shall develop and implement a formalized training module for fusion center personnel regarding the classified Homeland Secure Data Network, or any successor system.

(c)

Fusion center defined

In this section, the term fusion center has the meaning given such term in section 210A(k) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as so redesignated by section 2.

DHS component usage of the Homeland Security Information Network

(a)

In general

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Chief Information Officer, in consultation with the Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, and in accordance with the functions and responsibilities assigned to the Under Secretary under title II of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 121 et seq.), shall—

(1)

develop policies and metrics to ensure effective use by components of the Department of the unclassified Homeland Security Information Network (referred to in this section as HSIN), or any successor system; and

(2)

develop policies for posting unclassified products on HSIN, or any successor system.

(b)

Technical enhancements

The Chief Information Officer, in consultation with the Chief Intelligence Officer, shall assess and implement, as appropriate, technical enhancements to HSIN to improve usability, including search functionality, data analysis, and collaboration capabilities.

Report

Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit a report to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate, the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate, the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives that describes the implementation of—

(1)

the fusion center information sharing strategy required under section 210A(j) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as added by section 2, based on performance metrics developed pursuant to such strategy;

(2)

the deployment of field personnel to fusion centers (as such term is defined in section 210A of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 124h)), in accordance with section 3, based on performance metrics developed pursuant to such section; and

(3)

policies that seek to ensure the effective use of the Homeland Security Information Network, in accordance with section 4, based on the metrics developed pursuant to such section.

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate.