Securing Department of Homeland Security Firearms Act of 2019 or the Securing DHS Firearms Act of 2019
This bill requires the Management Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to (1) develop and disseminate a directive for achieving adequate security over DHS firearms and other sensitive assets across DHS within 120 days after the enactment of this bill, and (2) disseminate a revised version of the Personal Property Asset Management Program Manual that includes requirements for safeguarding DHS firearms and other sensitive assets.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1437 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1437
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Under
Secretary for Management of the Department of Homeland Security to
achieve security of sensitive assets among the components of the
Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 28, 2019
Mr. Correa (for himself and Mr. Thompson of Mississippi) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland
Security
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Under
Secretary for Management of the Department of Homeland Security to
achieve security of sensitive assets among the components of the
Department of Homeland Security, 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 ``Securing Department of Homeland
Security Firearms Act of 2019'' or the ``Securing DHS Firearms Act of
2019''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the
Department of Homeland Security.
(2) Lost.--The term ``lost'' includes loss by theft.
(3) Sensitive assets.--The term ``sensitive assets'' means
any asset, regardless of value--
(A) that the Department of Homeland Security issues
to a Department employee; and
(B) that either the Under Secretary for Management
of the Department or a component head determines
requires special control and accounting.
(4) Under secretary for management.--The term ``Under
Secretary for Management'' means the Under Secretary for
Management of the Department of Homeland Security.
SEC. 3. INCLUSION OF SECURING FIREARMS AND OTHER SENSITIVE ASSETS IN
RESPONSIBILITIES OF UNDER SECRETARY FOR MANAGEMENT.
Section 701 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 341) is
amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(6), by inserting ``(including
firearms and other sensitive assets)'' after ``equipment'';
(2) by redesignating the second subsection (e) (relating to
the definition of interoperable communications) as subsection
(f); and
(3) by amending such redesignated subsection (f) to read as
follows:
``(f) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Interoperable communications.--The term
`interoperable communications' has the meaning given such term
in section 7303(g) of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism
Prevention Act of 2004 (6 U.S.C. 194(g)).
``(2) Sensitive assets.--The term `sensitive assets' means
any asset, regardless of value--
``(A) that the Department issues to a Department
employee; and
``(B) that either the Under Secretary for
Management of the Department or a component head
determines requires special control and accounting.''.
SEC. 4. MANAGEMENT DIRECTIVE.
(a) Safeguarding Firearms and Sensitive Assets Directive.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 120 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary for Management
shall develop and disseminate a Department-wide directive for
achieving adequate security over firearms and other sensitive
assets across the Department.
(2) Contents.--The directive required under subsection (a)
shall, at a minimum, include the following:
(A) Descriptions of what equipment, in addition to
firearms, is classified as a sensitive asset for the
purpose of carrying out this Act.
(B) Requirements for securing Department-issued
firearms and other sensitive assets.
(C) A classification system for all categories of
Department-issued badges and corresponding requirements
for safeguarding such assets.
(D) Reporting requirements for lost firearms and
other sensitive assets, including timelines for such
reporting, to supervisors, local law enforcement, the
Federal Bureau of Investigation's National Crime
Information Center, and Department headquarters.
(E) Recordkeeping requirements for lost firearms
and other sensitive assets in inventory systems,
including a timeline for recording such losses.
(3) Review and update of directive.--Not later than one
year after the issuance of the directive required under
subsection (a), the Under Secretary for Management shall review
and update, as necessary, such directive, including adding a
requirement relating to recording in the inventory systems
maintained by each component of the Department the acceptance
or transfer of a firearm or other sensitive asset by such
component.
(b) Personal Property Asset Management Program Manual.--Together
with the issuance of the directive pursuant to subsection (a), the
Under Secretary for Management shall disseminate a revised version of
the Personal Property Asset Management Program Manual that includes the
following:
(1) Requirements for component heads to develop procedures
to safeguard firearms and other sensitive assets during on and
off-duty time.
(2) Requirements for the issuance of safety locking devices
and policies on the use of such assets, as applicable.
(3) Requirements for initial, recurrent, and remedial
training on safeguarding such assets.
(4) Examples, with detail, of how to report and record lost
sensitive assets across components of the Department, and an
enforcement mechanism to ensure supervisors maintain such
records.
(5) A requirement that the file maintained on a lost
firearm or other sensitive asset contains both the
corresponding police report and the Department report detailing
the circumstances surrounding such loss, including information
on adherence to safeguarding procedures.
SEC. 5. COMPONENT RESPONSIBILITIES.
Department component heads shall--
(1) comply with Federal law, Federal regulations, executive
branch guidance, and Department policy, including directives
required by this Act, relating to the management and oversight
of securing firearms and other sensitive assets;
(2) review the need for non-law enforcement badges;
(3) require component personnel to safeguard firearms and
other sensitive assets in accordance with the directive issued
by the Under Secretary for Management under section 4;
(4) require that component personnel adhere to the
procedures and timelines for properly reporting to supervisors
lost firearms and other sensitive assets;
(5) require that lost firearms and other sensitive assets
are reported to local law enforcement, the Federal Bureau of
Investigation's National Crime Information Center, and
Department headquarters in the timeframe established in such
directive; and
(6) require that lost firearms and other sensitive assets
are recorded in inventory systems in the timeframe established
by such directive.
SEC. 6. INSPECTOR GENERAL REVIEW.
The Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security shall,
on an ongoing basis, review implementation of this Act and, not later
than 180 days after issuance of the directive under section 4, submit
to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives
and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the
Senate a review of the progress and effectiveness of such directive,
including an assessment of the adequacy of such directive, as well as
the level of compliance among the components of the Department to
achieve adequate security of sensitive assets across Department
components.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E230)
Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Oversight, Management, and Accountability.
Ms. Torres Small (NM) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H3758-3759)
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1437.
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H3758)
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H3758)
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
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