I 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4408 

To require the development of a national strategy to combat terrorist travel, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 1, 2016 

Mr. KATKO (for himself, Mr. MCCAUL, Mr. HURD of Texas, Mr. 

LOUDERMILK, Ms. MCSALLY, Mr. RATCLIFFE, Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ

of California, Mr. KEATING, Mr. VELA, and Mr. PAYNE) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security 

A BILL 

To require the development of a national strategy to combat 

terrorist travel, 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 ‘‘National Strategy to 

5 Combat Terrorist Travel Act of 2016’’. 

6 SEC. 2. NATIONAL STRATEGY TO COMBAT TERRORIST 

7 TRAVEL. 

8 (a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con9 gress that it should be the policy of the United States to— 


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1 (1) continue to regularly assess the evolving ter2 rorist threat to the United States; 

3 (2) catalogue existing Federal Government ef4 forts to obstruct terrorist and foreign fighter travel 

5 into, out of, and within the United States, as well 

6 as overseas; 

7 (3) identify such efforts that may benefit from 

8 reform or consolidation, or require elimination; 

9 (4) identify potential security vulnerabilities in 

10 United States defenses against terrorist travel; and 

11 (5) prioritize resources to address in a risk12 based manner any such security vulnerabilities. 

13 (b) NATIONAL STRATEGY AND UPDATES.— 

14 (1) IN GENERAL.—In accordance with para15 graph (2), the President shall transmit to the appro16 priate congressional committees a national strategy 

17 (including, as appropriate, updates to such strategy) 

18 to combat terrorist travel. The strategy shall address 

19 efforts to intercept terrorists and foreign fighters 

20 and constrain the domestic and international travel 

21 of such persons. Consistent with the protection of 

22 classified information, the strategy shall be sub23 mitted in unclassified form, including, as appro24 priate, a classified annex. 

25 (2) TIMING.— 


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1 (A) INITIAL STRATEGY.—The initial na2 tional strategy required under paragraph (1) 

3 shall be transmitted not later than 180 days 

4 after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

5 (B) UPDATED STRATEGIES.—Updated na6 tional strategies under paragraph (1) shall be 

7 transmitted not later than 180 days after the 

8 commencement of a new presidential adminis9 tration. 

10 (3) COORDINATION.—The President shall direct 

11 the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop the 

12 initial national strategy and updates required under 

13 this subsection and shall direct, as appropriate, the 

14 heads of other Federal agencies to coordinate with 

15 the Secretary in the development of such strategy 

16 and updates. 

17 (4) CONTENTS.—The initial national strategy 

18 and updates required under this subsection shall— 

19 (A) include an accounting and description 

20 of all Federal Government programs, projects, 

21 and activities to constrain domestic and inter22 national travel by terrorists and foreign fight23 ers; 


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1 (B) identify specific security vulnerabilities 

2 within the United States and abroad that may 

3 be exploited by terrorists and foreign fighters; 

4 (C) delineate goals for— 

5 (i) closing the security vulnerabilities 

6 identified in accordance with subparagraph 

7 (B); and 

8 (ii) enhancing the Federal Govern9 ment’s ability to constrain domestic and 

10 international travel by terrorists and for11 eign fighters; and 

12 (D) describe actions to be taken to achieve 

13 the goals delineated in subparagraph (C), as 

14 well as the means needed to do so, including— 

15 (i) steps to reform, improve, and 

16 streamline existing Federal Government ef17 forts to align with the current threat envi18 ronment; 

19 (ii) new programs, projects, or activi20 ties that are requested, under development, 

21 or undergoing implementation; 

22 (iii) new authorities or changes in ex23 isting authorities needed from Congress; 


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1 (iv) specific budget adjustments being 

2 requested to enhance United States secu3 rity in a risk-based manner; and 

4 (v) an identification of Federal de5 partments and agencies responsible for 

6 specific actions described in this subpara7 graph. 

8 (5) SUNSET.—The requirement to transmit up9 dated national strategies under this subsection shall 

10 terminate on the date that is seven years after the 

11 date of the enactment of this Act. 

12 (c) DEVELOPMENT OF IMPLEMENTATION PLANS.— 

13 For each national strategy required under subsection (b), 

14 the President shall direct the Secretary of Homeland Se15 curity to develop an implementation plan for the Depart16 ment of Homeland Security and coordinate with the heads 

17 of other relevant Federal agencies to ensure the develop18 ment of implementing plans for each such agency. 

19 (d) IMPLEMENTATION PLANS.— 

20 (1) IN GENERAL.—The President shall transmit 

21 to the appropriate congressional committees imple22 mentation plans for each national strategy required 

23 under subsection (b). Consistent with the protection 

24 of classified information, each such implementation 


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1 plan shall be transmitted in unclassified form, but 

2 may include a classified annex. 

3 (2) TIMING.—The implementation plans re4 ferred to in paragraph (1) shall be transmitted si5 multaneously with each national strategy required 

6 under subsection (b). Such implementation plans 

7 shall be updated and transmitted to the appropriate 

8 congressional committees on an annual basis. 

9 (3) SUNSET.—The requirement to transmit im10 plementation plans under paragraph (1) shall termi11 nate on the date that is ten years after the date of 

12 the enactment of this Act. 

13 (e) PROHIBITION ON ADDITIONAL FUNDING.—No 

14 additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to 

15 carry out this section. This section shall be carried out 

16 using amounts otherwise appropriated or made available 

17 to the Department of Homeland Security. 

18 (f) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘appro19 priate congressional committees’’ means— 

20 (1) in the House of Representatives— 

21 (A) the Committee on Homeland Security; 

22 (B) the Committee on Armed Services; 

23 (C) the Permanent Select Committee on 

24 Intelligence; 

25 (D) the Committee on the Judiciary; 


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1 (E) the Committee on Foreign Affairs; and 

2 (F) the Committee on Appropriations; and 

3 (2) in the Senate— 

4 (A) the Committee on Homeland Security 

5 and Governmental Affairs; 

6 (B) the Committee on Armed Services; 

7 (C) the Select Committee on Intelligence; 

8 (D) the Committee on the Judiciary; 

9 (E) the Committee on Foreign Relations; 

10 and 

11 (F) the Committee on Appropriations. 

Æ 


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