I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 4892 

To establish a Department of Homeland Security counterintelligence vetting 

task force, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 28, 2019 

Mr. WALKER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Homeland Security 

A BILL 

To establish a Department of Homeland Security 

counterintelligence vetting task force, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Homeland Security 

5 Counterintelligence Threat Reduction Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY COUNTER7 INTELLIGENCE VETTING TASK FORCE. 

8 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days after 

9 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 

10 Homeland Security shall assign personnel of the DepartVerDate Sep 11 2014 05:36 Nov 01, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4892.IH H4892

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1 ment of Homeland Security to participate in a counter2 intelligence vetting task force to make recommendations 

3 to improve counterintelligence vetting for appropriate de4 partmental programs. 

5 (b) PERSONNEL.—In carrying out subsection (a), the 

6 Secretary of Homeland Security may assign personnel 

7 from any component of the Department of Homeland Se8 curity the Secretary determines necessary to participate 

9 in the task force established pursuant to such subsection. 

10 (c) COORDINATION.—In carrying out subsection (a), 

11 the Secretary of Homeland Security may request partici12 pation in the task force established pursuant to such sub13 section from other appropriate Federal agencies. 

14 (d) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date 

15 of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland 

16 Security shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Se17 curity of the House of Representatives and the Committee 

18 on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the 

19 Senate a report on the recommendations made by the task 

20 force established pursuant to subsection (a). 

21 SEC. 3. COUNTERINTELLIGENCE TRAINING AND VETTING. 

22 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 

23 date of the enactment of this Act, in carrying out the pro24 gram administered pursuant to section 442(a)(4) of the 

25 Homeland Security Act (6 U.S.C. 252(a)(4)), the SecVerDate Sep 11 2014 05:36 Nov 01, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4892.IH H4892

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1 retary of Homeland Security shall develop a counterintel2 ligence awareness training program and require participa3 tion in such program from appropriate faculty, as deter4 mined by the Secretary in consultation with the Homeland 

5 Security Academic Advisory Council (established pursuant 

6 to section 871 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 

7 U.S.C. 451)), from approved institutions of higher edu8 cation, other approved educational institutions, and des9 ignated exchange visitor programs in the United States. 

10 (b) PROGRAM ENHANCEMENTS.—Not later than one 

11 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 

12 of Homeland Security shall make the following enhance13 ments to the program administered pursuant to section 

14 442(a)(4) of the Homeland Security Act (6 U.S.C. 

15 252(a)(4)): 

16 (1) Identify degrees and fields of study deter17 mined to be sensitive for homeland security and 

18 counterintelligence purposes. 

19 (2) Update the information to be collected to 

20 include any changes to the degree programs, if ap21 plicable, and fields of study. 

22 (3) Make any other enhancements determined 

23 appropriate by the Secretary to improve counter24 intelligence vetting capabilities. 


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1 (c) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out the identifica2 tion required pursuant to subsection (b)(1), the Secretary 

3 of Homeland Security shall consult with the Secretary of 

4 State to ensure the degrees and field of study determined 

5 to be sensitive for homeland security and counterintel6 ligence purposes referred to in such subsection are aligned, 

7 to the greatest extent practicable, between the Department 

8 of Homeland Security and the Department of State. 

9 (d) DEFINITIONS.— 

10 (1) APPROVED INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDU11 CATION.—The term ‘‘approved institution of higher 

12 education’’ has the meaning given such term in sec13 tion 641(h) of the Illegal Immigration Reform and 

14 Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 

15 1372). 

16 (2) DESIGNATED EXCHANGE VISITOR PRO17 GRAM.—The term ‘‘designated exchange visitor pro18 gram’’ has the meaning given such term in section 

19 641(h) of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immi20 grant Responsibility Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1372). 

21 (3) OTHER APPROVED EDUCATIONAL INSTITU22 TION.—The term ‘‘other approved educational insti23 tution’’ has the meaning given such term in section 

24 641(h) of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immi25 grant Responsibility Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1372). 


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1 SEC. 4. HOMELAND SECURITY ACADEMIC ADVISORY COUN2 CIL. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days after the 

4 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Home5 land Security shall convene a meeting of the Homeland 

6 Security Academic Advisory Council to seek advice and 

7 recommendations from the Council on the counterintel8 ligence awareness training and appropriate faculty des9 ignated to receive such training required under section 3. 

10 (b) NOTIFICATION.—Not later than February 1, 

11 2020, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall notify the 

12 Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Rep13 resentatives and the Committee on Homeland Security 

14 and Governmental Affairs of the Senate if the Secretary 

15 determines to not extend the existence of the Homeland 

16 Security Academic Advisory Council. 

Æ 


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