Shielding Public Spaces from Vehicular Terrorism Act

Shielding Public Spaces from Vehicular Terrorism Act

This bill authorizes grants, and research and development, to combat emerging terrorist threats, including vehicular attacks.

Specifically, the bill

• includes among the responsibilities of the Office 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;
• 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;
• directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to 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; and
• requires DHS to 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.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2160 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2160

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

                             April 9, 2019

Mr. Payne (for himself and Mr. Green of Texas) 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) Combating 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 (14) 
                as paragraphs (12) through (15), 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 subsection (b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (3)(B), by striking ``(a)(10)'' 
                and inserting ``(a)(12)''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraph:
            ``(6) Firearms.--
                    ``(A) In general.--A grant awarded under section 
                2003 or 2004 may not be used for the provision to any 
                person of a firearm or training in the use of a 
                firearm.
                    ``(B) No effect on other laws.--Nothing in this 
                paragraph may be construed to preclude or contradict 
                any other provision of law authorizing the provision of 
                firearms or training in the use of firearms.''.

SEC. 4. REPORT.

    The Secretary of Homeland Security shall 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 report on 
potential terrorism vulnerabilities relating to emerging automotive 
technologies that support driverless vehicles and the associated threat 
such vehicles may pose to people in public spaces. Such report shall 
also compare any public benefit of such vehicles against any such 
vulnerabilities and threats.
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