I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 9460 

To authorize the Joint Task Forces of the Department of Homeland Security, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 6, 2024 

Mr. HIGGINS of Louisiana (for himself and Mr. SUOZZI) introduced the 

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

A BILL 

To authorize the Joint Task Forces of the Department of 

Homeland Security, 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 ‘‘DHS Joint Task 

5 Forces Reauthorization Act of 2024’’. 

6 SEC. 2. AMENDMENT TO SECTION 708 OF THE HOMELAND 

7 SECURITY ACT OF 2002. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 708(b) of the Homeland 

9 Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 348(b)) is amended— 

10 (1) in paragraph (9)— 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
2 

•HR 9460 IH

1 (A) in subparagraph (A)— 

2 (i) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 

3 the end; 

4 (ii) in clause (iii)(II), by adding ‘‘and’’ 

5 at the end; and 

6 (iii) by adding at the end the fol7 lowing: 

8 ‘‘(iv) a staffing plan for each Joint 

9 Task Force;’’; and 

10 (B) by amending subparagraph (C) to read 

11 as follows: 

12 ‘‘(C) not later than December 23, 2024, 

13 and annually thereafter, submit to the commit14 tees specified in subparagraph (B) a report con15 taining information regarding— 

16 ‘‘(i) the progress in implementing the 

17 outcome-based and other appropriate per18 formance metrics established pursuant to 

19 subparagraph (A)(iii); 

20 ‘‘(ii) the staffing plan developed for 

21 each Joint Task Force pursuant to sub22 paragraph (A)(iv); and 

23 ‘‘(iii) any modification to the mission, 

24 strategic goals, and objectives of each 

25 Joint Task Force, and a description of, 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
3 

•HR 9460 IH

1 and rationale for, any such modifica2 tions.’’; and 

3 (2) in paragraph (13), by striking ‘‘2024’’ and 

4 inserting ‘‘2026’’. 

5 (b) ANNUAL BRIEFING.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 

7 the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually 

8 thereafter, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall 

9 brief— 

10 (A) the Committee on Homeland Security 

11 and Governmental Affairs of the Senate; 

12 (B) the Committee on Commerce, Science, 

13 and Transportation of the Senate; 

14 (C) the Committee on Homeland Security 

15 of the House of Representatives; and 

16 (D) the Committee on Transportation and 

17 Infrastructure of the House of Representatives. 

18 (2) TOPICS.—Each briefing required under 

19 paragraph (1) shall cover the latest staffing and re20 source assessment at Joint Task Force-East, includ21 ing— 

22 (A)(i) a determination of whether the cur23 rent staffing levels of Joint Task Force-East 

24 are sufficient to successfully advance the misVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:03 Sep 11, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H9460.IH H9460

kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
4 

•HR 9460 IH

1 sion, strategic goals, and objectives of such 

2 Joint Task Force; and 

3 (ii) if such determination reveals insuffi4 cient staffing levels, the cost, timeline, and 

5 strategy for increasing such staffing levels; and 

6 (B)(i) a determination of whether suffi7 cient resources are being provided for Joint 

8 Task Force-East in accordance with section 

9 708(b)(7)(a) of the Homeland Security Act of 

10 2002 (6 U.S.C. 348(b)(7)(a)); and 

11 (ii) if such determination reveals insuffi12 cient resource levels, the cost, timeline, and 

13 strategy for providing any remaining resource 

14 requirements. 

15 (c) REPORT ON JOINT TASK FORCE-EAST HEAD16 QUARTERS.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the 

17 enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Secu18 rity, in consultation with the Commandant of the United 

19 States Coast Guard, the Commissioner for U.S. Customs 

20 and Border Protection, the Director of U.S. Immigration 

21 and Customs Enforcement, and the Administrator of Gen22 eral Services, shall submit a report to the congressional 

23 committees listed in subsection (b)(1) that analyzes the 

24 cost and effectiveness of hosting the Joint Task ForceVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:03 Sep 11, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H9460.IH H9460

kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
5 

•HR 9460 IH

1 East headquarters in Portsmouth, Virginia compared to 

2 alternative headquarters locations. 

Æ 


kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB