Shielding Public Spaces from Vehicular Terrorism Act

Shielding Public Spaces from Vehicular Terrorism Act

(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to include among the responsibilities of the Under Secretary for Science and Technology of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) research and development to combat emerging terrorist threats, including vehicular attacks.

The bill also includes demonstrated expertise in combating emerging terrorist threats, including vehicular attacks, among the criteria for the designation of colleges or universities as centers for homeland security.

(Sec. 3) The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) shall permit the recipient of a grant under the Urban Area Security Initiative or under the State Homeland Security Grant Program to use grant funds to address security vulnerabilities of public spaces, including through the installation of bollards and other target hardening activities. The bill prohibits the use of such grants for the provision to any person of a firearm or training in the use of a firearm.

(Sec. 4) DHS shall submit to the congressional homeland security committees a report on potential terrorism vulnerabilities relating to emerging automotive technologies that support driverless vehicles and the threat such vehicles may pose to people in public spaces. Such report shall also compare any public benefit of such vehicles against any vulnerabilities and threats.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4627 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4627

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize expenditures to 
combat emerging terrorist threats, including vehicular attacks, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 12, 2017

 Mr. Donovan (for himself, Mr. Payne, Mr. McCaul, and Mr. King of New 
    York) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Homeland Security

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize expenditures to 
combat emerging terrorist threats, including vehicular attacks, 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 ``Shielding Public Spaces from 
Vehicular Terrorism Act''.

SEC. 2. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.

    The Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (11) of section 302 (6 U.S.C. 182), by 
        inserting ``research and development to combat emerging 
        terrorist threats, such as vehicular attacks, and'' before 
        ``the long-term''; and
            (2) in subparagraph (B) of section 308(b)(2) (6 U.S.C. 
        188(b)(2))--
                    (A) in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking 
                ``expertise in--'' and inserting ``expertise in the 
                following:'';
                    (B) by redesignating clause (xiv) as clause (xv); 
                and
                    (C) by inserting after clause (xiii) the following 
                new clause:
                            ``(xiv) Combatting emerging terrorist 
                        threats, including vehicular attacks.''.

SEC. 3. ALLOWABLE USES.

    Section 2008 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 609) is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by redesignating paragraphs (11) through (13) 
                as (12) through (14), respectively; and
                    (B) by inserting after paragraph (10) the following 
                new paragraph:
            ``(11) addressing security vulnerabilities of public 
        spaces, including through the installation of bollards and 
        other target hardening activities;''; and
            (2) in subparagraph (B) of subsection (b)(3), by striking 
        ``(a)(10)'' and inserting ``(a)(12)''.
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