I 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3490 

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize the National 

Computer Forensics Institute, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 11, 2015 

Mr. RATCLIFFE (for himself, Mr. MCCAUL, and Mr. PALMER) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and 

in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security, for a period to be 

subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 

of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize 

the National Computer Forensics Institute, 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 ‘‘Strengthening State 

5 and Local Cyber Crime Fighting Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF THE NATIONAL COMPUTER 

2 FORENSICS INSTITUTE OF THE DEPARTMENT 

3 OF HOMELAND SECURITY. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle C of title VIII of the 

5 Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 381 et seq.) 

6 is amended by adding at the end the following new section: 

7 ‘‘SEC. 822. NATIONAL COMPUTER FORENSICS INSTITUTE. 

8 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—There is established in the De9 partment a National Computer Forensics Institute (in this 

10 section referred to as the ‘Institute’), to be operated by 

11 the United States Secret Service, for the dissemination of 

12 homeland security information related to the investigation 

13 and prevention of cyber and electronic crime, including 

14 threats of terrorism or acts of terrorism, to educate, train, 

15 and equip State, local, tribal, and territorial law enforce16 ment officers, prosecutors, and judges. 

17 ‘‘(b) FUNCTIONS.—The functions of the Institute 

18 shall include the following: 

19 ‘‘(1) Educating State, local, tribal, and terri20 torial law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and 

21 judges on current— 

22 ‘‘(A) cyber and electronic crimes and re23 lated threats, including threats of terrorism or 

24 acts of terrorism; 

25 ‘‘(B) methods for investigating cyber and 

26 electronic crimes, including crimes related to 


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1 threats of terrorism or acts of terrorism, and 

2 conducting computer and mobile device forensic 

3 examinations; and 

4 ‘‘(C) prosecutorial and judicial challenges 

5 related to cyber and electronic crimes, and com6 puter and mobile device forensic examinations. 

7 ‘‘(2) Training State, local, tribal, and territorial 

8 law enforcement officers to— 

9 ‘‘(A) conduct cyber and electronic crime in10 vestigations, including such investigations re11 lated to threats of terrorism or acts of ter12 rorism; 

13 ‘‘(B) conduct computer and mobile device 

14 forensic examinations; and 

15 ‘‘(C) respond to network intrusion inci16 dents, including incidents related to threats of 

17 terrorism or acts of terrorism. 

18 ‘‘(3) Training State, local, tribal, and territorial 

19 law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and judges on 

20 methods to obtain, process, store, and admit digital 

21 evidence in court. 

22 ‘‘(c) PRINCIPLES.—In carrying out the functions 

23 under subsection (b), the Institute shall ensure, to the ex24 tent practicable, that timely, actionable, and relevant ex25 pertise and homeland security information related to cyber 


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1 and electronic crime, including threats of terrorism or acts 

2 of terrorism, is shared with State, local, tribal, and terri3 torial law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and judges. 

4 ‘‘(d) EQUIPMENT.—The Institute is authorized to 

5 provide State, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement 

6 officers, prosecutors, and judges with computer equip7 ment, hardware, software, manuals, and tools necessary 

8 to conduct cyber and electronic crimes investigations and 

9 computer and mobile device forensic examinations. 

10 ‘‘(e) ELECTRONIC CRIME TASK FORCES.—The Insti11 tute shall facilitate the expansion of the Secret Service’s 

12 network of Electronic Crime Task Forces through the ad13 dition of task force officers of State, local, tribal, and ter14 ritorial law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and judges 

15 educated and trained at the Institute, in addition to aca16 demia and private sector stakeholders.’’. 

17 (b) NO ADDITIONAL FUNDING.—No additional funds 

18 are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act 

19 and the amendment made by this Act. This Act and such 

20 amendment shall be carried out using amounts otherwise 

21 available for such purposes. 

22 (c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 

23 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by inVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:41 Sep 15, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3490.IH H3490

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1 serting after the item relating to section 821 the following 

2 new item: 

‘‘Sec. 822. National Computer Forensics Institute.’’. 

Æ 


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