I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2160 

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize expenditures 

to combat emerging terrorist threats, including vehicular attacks, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 9, 2019 

Mr. PAYNE (for himself and Mr. GREEN of Texas) introduced the following 

bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security 

A BILL 

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize 

expenditures to combat emerging terrorist threats, including vehicular attacks, 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 ‘‘Shielding Public 

5 Spaces from Vehicular Terrorism Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. 

7 The Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended— 

8 (1) in paragraph (11) of section 302 (6 U.S.C. 

9 182), by inserting ‘‘research and development to 


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1 combat emerging terrorist threats, such as vehicular 

2 attacks, and’’ before ‘‘the long-term’’; and 

3 (2) in subparagraph (B) of section 308(b)(2) (6 

4 U.S.C. 188(b)(2))— 

5 (A) in the matter preceding clause (i), by 

6 striking ‘‘expertise in—’’ and inserting ‘‘exper7 tise in the following:’’; 

8 (B) by redesignating clause (xiv) as clause 

9 (xv); and 

10 (C) by inserting after clause (xiii) the fol11 lowing new clause: 

12 ‘‘(xiv) Combating emerging terrorist 

13 threats, including vehicular attacks.’’. 

14 SEC. 3. ALLOWABLE USES. 

15 Section 2008 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 

16 (6 U.S.C. 609) is amended— 

17 (1) in subsection (a)— 

18 (A) by redesignating paragraphs (11) 

19 through (14) as paragraphs (12) through (15), 

20 respectively; and 

21 (B) by inserting after paragraph (10) the 

22 following new paragraph: 

23 ‘‘(11) addressing security vulnerabilities of pub24 lic spaces, including through the installation of 

25 bollards and other target hardening activities;’’; and 


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1 (2) in subsection (b)— 

2 (A) in paragraph (3)(B), by striking 

3 ‘‘(a)(10)’’ and inserting ‘‘(a)(12)’’; and 

4 (B) by adding at the end the following new 

5 paragraph: 

6 ‘‘(6) FIREARMS.— 

7 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—A grant awarded 

8 under section 2003 or 2004 may not be used 

9 for the provision to any person of a firearm or 

10 training in the use of a firearm. 

11 ‘‘(B) NO EFFECT ON OTHER LAWS.—Noth12 ing in this paragraph may be construed to pre13 clude or contradict any other provision of law 

14 authorizing the provision of firearms or training 

15 in the use of firearms.’’. 

16 SEC. 4. REPORT. 

17 The Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to 

18 the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 

19 Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security 

20 and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report on poten21 tial terrorism vulnerabilities relating to emerging auto22 motive technologies that support driverless vehicles and 

23 the associated threat such vehicles may pose to people in 

24 public spaces. Such report shall also compare any public 


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1 benefit of such vehicles against any such vulnerabilities 

2 and threats. 

Æ 


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