HR 2116

0likes☆Favorite🔕SubscribeShare

Introduced ↻ Update bill dataRe-checks Congress.gov for new actions and updates the bill's status, and fills in any sponsors, committees, or related bills that are missing. It does not re-pull sponsors/cosponsors/committees/related — those rarely change — and it skips all work if nothing has changed upstream, so it's cheap to click. Contact your reps Urge the sponsor

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 14, 2025

Mr. Evans of Colorado (for himself, Mr. Pfluger, and Mr. Magaziner) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to conduct a law enforcement support and counter transnational repression public service announcement campaign, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the “Law Enforcement Support and Counter Transnational Repression Act”.

SEC. 2. LAW ENFORCEMENT SUPPORT AND COUNTER TRANSNATIONAL REPRESSION PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT CAMPAIGN.

(a) In General.—Subtitle H of title VIII of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 451 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

“SEC. 890E. LAW ENFORCEMENT SUPPORT AND COUNTER TRANSNATIONAL REPRESSION PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT CAMPAIGN.

“(a) Campaign.—

“(1) In general.—The Secretary shall direct the Office of Partnership and Engagement of the Department to conduct a public service announcement campaign educating the public and international allies on the issue of transnational repression and terrorism threats related to transnational repression and the resources available to victims of transnational repression and terrorism threats related to transnational repression, including the appropriate manners of contacting the Federal Bureau of Investigation to anonymously report suspected acts of transnational repression and terrorism threats related to transnational repression.

“(2) Implementation.—Public service announcement campaigns under paragraph (1) should be carried out in languages determined relevant by the Secretary.

“(b) Research.—Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary, in coordination with the Under Secretary for Science and Technology of the Department, shall, to the extent practicable, carry out research and development, including operational testing, of technologies and techniques for enhancing the Department’s support to Federal, State, local, Tribal, and territorial officials relating to countering transnational repression and terrorism threats related to transnational repression, in accordance with applicable constitutional, privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties protections.

“(c) Definitions.—In this section:

“(1) Agent of a foreign government.—The term ‘agent of a foreign government’ means an individual or entity that operates subject to the direction or control of—

“(A) a foreign government; or

“(B) an official or entity of such foreign government.

“(2) Foreign government.—The term ‘foreign government’ means the government of a foreign country.

“(3) Transnational repression.—The term ‘transnational repression’ means an action of a foreign government or an agent of a foreign government that satisfies each of the following:

“(A) The action involves—

“(i) any effort intended to coerce, harass, or digitally or physically threaten, including by force or reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury or imprisonment of a person or an immediate family member of a person, a person to take an action in the interest of such a foreign government;

“(ii) any effort intended to harass or coerce, including by force or fear, a person to forebear from exercising their First Amendment rights or any other right guaranteed to the person by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or to retaliate against a person for having exercised such a right;

“(iii) an extrajudicial killing; or

“(iv) any act intended to further the efforts specified in clause (i), (ii), or

(iii).

“(B) The action is engaged in for or in the interests of such a foreign government.

“(C) The action—

“(i) occurs, in whole or in part, in the United States; or

“(ii) is committed against a United States person.

“(4) United states person.—The term ‘United States person’ has the meaning given such term in section 1637(d)(10) of the Carl Levin and Howard P. ‘Buck’ McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal year 2015 (50 U.S.C. 1708(d)(10)).”.

(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 890D the following new item:

“Sec. 890E. Law enforcement support and counter transnational repression public service announcement campaign.”. <all>