He moved in 2009 as one of six Lower Saxony candidates of his party to the Bundestag. In the 17th legislature, he was a full member of the Committee on Transport, Construction and Urban Development, the New Media Subcommittee, and a deputy member of the Health and Culture and Media Committees. In addition, he worked in the Enquete Commission Internet and digital society. At the election in September 2013 Behrens moved again to the Bundestag via the Lower Saxony The Left party list.