I 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 6873 

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish the Office for 

Bombing Prevention to address terrorist explosive threats, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 28, 2022 

Mr. MALINOWSKI (for himself and Mr. CRAWFORD) introduced the following 

bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security 

A BILL 

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish 

the Office for Bombing Prevention to address terrorist 

explosive threats, 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 ‘‘Bombing Prevention 

5 Act of 2022’’. 

6 SEC. 2. OFFICE FOR BOMBING PREVENTION. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—Title XXII of the Homeland Se8 curity Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 651 et seq.) is amended by 

9 adding at the end the following new subtitle: 


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1 ‘‘Subtitle D—Bombing Prevention 

2 ‘‘SEC. 2241. OFFICE FOR BOMBING PREVENTION. 

3 ‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established within 

4 the Department an Office for Bombing Prevention (in this 

5 section referred to as the ‘Office’). 

6 ‘‘(b) ACTIVITIES.—The Office shall have the primary 

7 responsibility within the Department for enhancing the 

8 ability and coordinating the efforts of the United States 

9 to deter, detect, prevent, protect against, mitigate, and re10 spond to terrorist explosive threats and attacks in the 

11 United States, including by carrying out the following: 

12 ‘‘(1) Advising the Secretary on matters related 

13 to terrorist explosive threats and attacks in the 

14 United States. 

15 ‘‘(2) Coordinating the efforts of the Depart16 ment to counter terrorist explosive threats and at17 tacks in the United States, including by carrying out 

18 the following: 

19 ‘‘(A) Developing, in coordination with the 

20 Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and 

21 Plans, the Department’s strategy against ter22 rorist explosives threats and attacks, including 

23 efforts to support the security and preparedness 

24 of critical infrastructure and the public sector 

25 and private sector. 


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1 ‘‘(B) Leading the prioritization of the De2 partment’s efforts against terrorist explosive 

3 threats and attacks, including preparedness and 

4 operational requirements. 

5 ‘‘(C) Ensuring, in coordination with the 

6 Under Secretary for Science and Technology 

7 and the Administrator of the Federal Emer8 gency Management Agency, the identification, 

9 evaluation, and availability of effective tech10 nology applications through field pilot testing 

11 and acquisition of such technology applications 

12 by the public sector to deter, detect, prevent, 

13 protect against, mitigate, and respond to ter14 rorist explosive threats and attacks in the 

15 United States. 

16 ‘‘(D) Providing advice and recommenda17 tions to the Administrator of the Federal Emer18 gency Management Agency regarding the effec19 tive use of grants authorized under section 

20 2002. 

21 ‘‘(E) In coordination with the Assistant 

22 Secretary for Countering Weapons of Mass De23 struction, aligning Department efforts related 

24 to terrorist explosive threats and attacks in the 

25 United States and weapons of mass destruction. 


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1 ‘‘(3) Engaging other Federal departments and 

2 agencies, including Sector Risk Management Agen3 cies, regarding terrorist explosive threats and at4 tacks in the United States. 

5 ‘‘(4) Facilitating information sharing and deci6 sion support of the public and private sector involved 

7 in deterrence, detection, prevention, protection 

8 against, mitigation of, and response to terrorist ex9 plosive threats and attacks in the United States. 

10 Such sharing and support may include the following: 

11 ‘‘(A) Operating and maintaining a secure 

12 information sharing system that allows the 

13 sharing of critical information and data relating 

14 to terrorist explosive attack tactics, techniques, 

15 procedures, and security capabilities, including 

16 information and data described in paragraph 

17 (6) and section 2242. 

18 ‘‘(B) Working with international partners, 

19 in coordination with the Office for International 

20 Affairs of the Department, to develop and share 

21 effective practices to deter, prevent, detect, pro22 tect against, mitigate, and respond to terrorist 

23 explosive threats and attacks in the United 

24 States. 


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1 ‘‘(5) Promoting security awareness among the 

2 public and private sector and the general public re3 garding the risks posed by the misuse of explosive 

4 precursor chemicals and other bomb-making mate5 rials. 

6 ‘‘(6) Providing training, guidance, assessments, 

7 and planning assistance to the public and private 

8 sector, as appropriate, to help counter the risk of 

9 terrorist explosive threats and attacks in the United 

10 States. 

11 ‘‘(7) Conducting analysis and planning for the 

12 capabilities and requirements necessary for the pub13 lic and private sector, as appropriate, to deter, de14 tect, prevent, protect against, mitigate, and respond 

15 to terrorist explosive threats and attacks in the 

16 United States by carrying out the following: 

17 ‘‘(A) Maintaining a database on capabili18 ties and requirements, including capabilities 

19 and requirements of public safety bomb squads, 

20 explosive detection canine teams, special tactics 

21 teams, public safety dive teams, and recipients 

22 of services described in section 2242. 

23 ‘‘(B) Applying the analysis derived from 

24 the database described in subparagraph (A) 

25 with respect to the following: 


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1 ‘‘(i) Evaluating progress toward clos2 ing identified gaps relating to national 

3 strategic goals and standards related to de4 terring, detecting, preventing, protecting 

5 against, mitigating, and responding to ter6 rorist explosive threats and attacks in the 

7 United States. 

8 ‘‘(ii) Informing decisions relating to 

9 homeland security policy, assistance, train10 ing, research, development efforts, testing 

11 and evaluation, and related requirements 

12 regarding deterring, detecting, preventing, 

13 protecting against, mitigating, and re14 sponding to terrorist explosive threats and 

15 attacks in the United States. 

16 ‘‘(8) Promoting secure information sharing of 

17 sensitive material and promoting security awareness, 

18 including by carrying out the following: 

19 ‘‘(A) Operating and maintaining a secure 

20 information sharing system that allows the 

21 sharing among and between the public and pri22 vate sector of critical information relating to ex23 plosive attack tactics, techniques, and proce24 dures. 


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1 ‘‘(B) Educating the public and private sec2 tors about explosive precursor chemicals. 

3 ‘‘(C) Working with international partners, 

4 in coordination with the Office for International 

5 Affairs of the Department, to develop and share 

6 effective practices to deter, detect, prevent, pro7 tect against, mitigate, and respond to terrorist 

8 explosive threats and attacks in the United 

9 States. 

10 ‘‘(D) Executing national public awareness 

11 and vigilance campaigns relating to terrorist ex12 plosive threats and attacks in the United 

13 States, preventing explosive attacks, and activi14 ties and measures underway to safeguard the 

15 United States. 

16 ‘‘(E) Working with relevant stakeholder or17 ganizations. 

18 ‘‘(9) Providing any other assistance the Sec19 retary determines necessary. 

20 ‘‘SEC. 2242. COUNTERING EXPLOSIVE DEVICES TECHNICAL 

21 ASSISTANCE. 

22 ‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Upon request, the Secretary 

23 shall, to the extent practicable, provide to the public and 

24 private sector technical assistance services to support the 

25 security and preparedness of such sectors, as appropriate, 


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1 to counter terrorist explosive threats and attacks that pose 

2 a risk in certain jurisdictions, including vulnerable and 

3 disadvantaged communities, to critical infrastructure fa4 cilities, or to special events, as appropriate. 

5 ‘‘(b) ELEMENTS.—Technical assistance services pro6 vided pursuant to subsection (a) shall— 

7 ‘‘(1) support the planning and implementation 

8 of effective measures to deter, detect, prevent, pro9 tect against, mitigate, and respond to terrorist ex10 plosive threats and attacks in the United States, in11 cluding effective strategic risk management and 

12 emergency operations plans; 

13 ‘‘(2) support the security of explosive precursor 

14 chemicals and other bomb-making materials outside 

15 of regulatory control; 

16 ‘‘(3) support efforts to prepare for and respond 

17 to bomb threats or other acts involving the malicious 

18 conveyance of false information concerning terrorist 

19 explosive threats and attacks in the United States; 

20 ‘‘(4) make available resources to enhance deter21 rence, prevention, detection, protection, mitigation, 

22 and response capabilities for terrorist explosive 

23 threats and attacks in the United States, including 

24 coordination and communication, to better integrate 

25 State, local, Tribal, and territorial and private sector 


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1 capabilities and assets, as appropriate, with Federal 

2 operations; 

3 ‘‘(5) make available augmenting resources, as 

4 appropriate, to enable State, local, Tribal, and terri5 torial governments to sustain and refresh their capa6 bilities; 

7 ‘‘(6) track performance in meeting the goals 

8 and associated plans of the provision of such tech9 nical assistance; and 

10 ‘‘(7) include any other assistance the Secretary 

11 determines necessary. 

12 ‘‘SEC. 2243. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER DEPARTMENT COM13 PONENTS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES. 

14 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The authority of the Secretary 

15 under this subtitle shall not affect or diminish the author16 ity or the responsibility of any officer of any other Federal 

17 agency with respect to the command, control, or direction 

18 of the functions, personnel, funds, assets, or liabilities of 

19 any other such Federal agency. 

20 ‘‘(b) DEPARTMENT COMPONENTS.—Nothing in this 

21 subtitle or any other provision of law may be construed 

22 to affect or reduce the responsibilities of— 

23 ‘‘(1) the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruc24 tion Office or the Assistant Secretary of the Office, 

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1 sion of the Office or the Assistant Secretary, as the 

2 case may be; 

3 ‘‘(2) the Federal Emergency Management 

4 Agency or the Administrator of the Agency, includ5 ing the diversion of any asset, function, or mission 

6 of the Agency or the Administrator as the case may 

7 be; or 

8 ‘‘(3) the Transportation Security Administra9 tion or the Administrator of the Administration, in10 cluding the diversion of any asset, function, or mis11 sion of the Administration or the Administrator, as 

12 the case may be.’’. 

13 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 

14 in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is 

15 amended by inserting after the item relating to section 

16 2238 the following new items: 

‘‘Subtitle D—Bombing Prevention 

‘‘Sec. 2241. Office for Bombing Prevention. 

‘‘Sec. 2242. Countering explosive devices technical assistance. 

‘‘Sec. 2243. Relationship to other Department components and Federal agencies.’’. 

17 SEC. 3. EXPLOSIVES TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT. 

18 (a) IN GENERAL.—Title III of the Homeland Secu19 rity Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 181 et seq.) is amended by 

20 adding at the end the following new section: 


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1 ‘‘SEC. 323. EXPLOSIVES RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. 

2 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through 

3 the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, and in 

4 coordination with the head of the Office for Bombing Pre5 vention and the Assistant Secretary for the Countering 

6 Weapons of Mass Destruction Office, and in consultation 

7 with the Attorney General, the Secretary of Defense, and 

8 the head of any other relevant Federal department or 

9 agency, including Sector Risk Management Agencies, shall 

10 ensure coordination and information sharing regarding 

11 nonmilitary research, development, testing, and evaluation 

12 activities of the Federal Government relating to the deter13 rence, detection, prevention, protection against, mitigation 

14 of, and response to terrorist explosive threats and attacks 

15 in the United States. 

16 ‘‘(b) LEVERAGING MILITARY RESEARCH.—The Sec17 retary, acting through the Under Secretary for Science 

18 and Technology, and in coordination with the head of the 

19 Office for Bombing Prevention and the Assistant Sec20 retary for the Countering of Weapons of Mass Destruction 

21 Office, shall consult with the Secretary of Defense and the 

22 head of any other relevant Federal department or agency, 

23 including Sector Risk Management Agencies, to ensure 

24 that, to the maximum extent possible, military policies and 

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1 vention, protection against, mitigation of, and response to 

2 terrorist explosive threats and attacks in the United 

3 States are adapted to nonmilitary uses.’’. 

4 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 

5 in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is 

6 amended by inserting after the item relating to section 

7 322 the following new item: 

‘‘Sec. 323. Explosives research and development.’’. 

Æ 


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