Sheila Jackson Lee: “As a senior member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, I rise in support of H.R. 2470, Homeland Threat…”

“As a senior member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, I rise in support of H.R. 2470, Homeland Threat Assessment Act. This bipartisan bill the Homeland Security Department (DHS) would conduct annual terrorist threat assessments for the next five years using information from DHS offices and fusion centers. The assessment under this measure would include: 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; and 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.…”