Countering Terrorist Radicalization Act

To combat terrorist recruitment in the United States, and for other purposes. 1. Short title; table of contents (a) Short title This Act may be cited as the Countering Terrorist Radicalization Act (b) Table of contents The table of contents for this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. Title I—Amplifying Local Efforts to Root out Terror Sec. 101. Countering violent extremism training. Sec. 102. Countering violent extremism assessment. Sec. 103. Department-sponsored clearances. Sec. 104. Definitions. Title II—Countermessaging Terrorist Organizations Sec. 201. Directive. Title III—Counterterrorism Advisory Board Sec. 301. Department of Homeland Security Counterterrorism Advisory Board. Title IV—Prohibition on New Funding Sec. 401. Prohibition on new funding. I Amplifying Local Efforts to Root out Terror 101. Countering violent extremism training (a) Authorization of training The Secretary of Homeland Security is authorized to provide training for personnel, including Department of Homeland Security personnel, State, local, tribal, and territorial representatives at State and major urban area fusion centers for the purpose of administering community awareness briefings and related activities in furtherance of the Department’s efforts to counter violent extremism, identify and report suspicious activities, and increase awareness of and more quickly identify terrorism threats, including the travel or attempted travel of individuals from the United States to support a foreign terrorist organization (as such term is described in section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1189 (b) Coordination To the extent practicable, in providing the training under subsection (a), the Secretary shall coordinate with the heads of other Federal agencies engaged in community outreach related to countering violent extremism and shall also coordinate with such agencies in the administration of related activities, including community awareness briefings. 102. Countering violent extremism assessment (a) Assessment required Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with appropriate State, local, tribal, and territorial representatives, shall assess the efforts of the Department of Homeland Security to support countering violent extremism at the State, local, tribal, and territorial levels. Such assessment shall include each of the following: (1) A cataloging of departmental efforts to assist State, local, tribal, and territorial governments in countering violent extremism. (2) A review of cooperative agreements between the Department and such governments relating to countering violent extremism. (3) An evaluation of departmental plans and any potential opportunities to better support such governments that are in furtherance of the Department’s countering violent extremism objectives and are consistent with all relevant constitutional, legal, and privacy protections. (b) Submission to Congress Not later than 150 days after the date of enactment of this Act and consistent with the protection of classified information, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees the findings of the assessment required under subsection (a) together with any related information regarding best practices for countering violent extremism at the State, local, tribal, and territorial levels. 103. Department-sponsored clearances Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall notify the appropriate congressional committees of the number of employees of State, local, tribal, and territorial governments with security clearances sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security. Such notification shall include a detailed list of the agencies that employ such employees, the level of clearance held by such employees, and whether such employees are assigned as representatives to State and major urban area fusion centers. 104. Definitions In this title: (1) The term appropriate congressional committees (A) the Committee on Homeland Security and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives; and (B) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate. (2) The term violent extremism II Countermessaging Terrorist Organizations 201. Directive (a) In general The Secretary of Homeland Security shall incorporate, to the extent practicable, into Department of Homeland Security efforts to combat terrorist recruitment and communications the public testimonials of former violent extremists or their associates, including friends and family. Such efforts may include the following: (1) Countermessaging of foreign terrorist organization communications and narratives. (2) Related community engagement and public education efforts. (b) Coordination The Secretary of Homeland Security shall, where appropriate, coordinate the efforts described in subsection (a) with the heads of other Federal departments and agencies, as appropriate, and, to the extent practicable, engage nongovernmental and international partners in the identification and use of testimonials described in such subsection. (c) Rule of construction Nothing in this section may be construed to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to collect testimonials directly from former violent extremists or their associates, including friends and family. III Counterterrorism Advisory Board 301. Department of Homeland Security Counterterrorism Advisory Board (a) In general At the end of subtitle A of title II of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 ( 6 U.S.C. 121 et seq. 210G. Departmental coordination on counterterrorism (a) Establishment There is in the Department a board to be composed of senior representatives of departmental operational components and headquarters elements. The purpose of the board shall be to coordinate and integrate departmental intelligence, activities, and policy related to the counterterrorism mission and functions of the Department. (b) Charter There shall be a charter to govern the structure and mission of the board. Such charter shall direct the board to focus on the current threat environment and the importance of aligning departmental counterterrorism activities under the Secretary’s guidance. The charter shall be reviewed and updated every four years, as appropriate. (c) Members (1) Chair The Secretary shall appoint a Coordinator for Counterterrorism within the Department who will serve as the chair of the board. (2) Additional members The Secretary shall appoint additional members of the board from among the following: (A) The Transportation Security Administration. (B) United States Customs and Border Protection. (C) United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement. (D) The Federal Emergency Management Agency. (E) The Coast Guard. (F) United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. (G) The United States Secret Service. (H) The National Protection and Programs Directorate. (I) The Office of Operations Coordination. (J) The Office of the General Counsel. (K) The Office of Intelligence and Analysis. (L) The Office of Policy. (M) The Science and Technology Directorate. (N) Other departmental offices and programs as determined appropriate by the Secretary. (d) Meetings The board shall meet on a regular basis to discuss intelligence and coordinate ongoing threat mitigation efforts and departmental activities, including coordination with other Federal, State, local, tribal, territorial, and private sector partners, and shall make recommendations to the Secretary. (e) Terrorism alerts The board shall advise the Secretary on the issuance of terrorism alerts pursuant to section 203. (f) Prohibition on additional funds No additional funds are authorized to carry out this section. . (b) Clerical amendment The table of contents in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 210F the following: Sec. 210G. Departmental coordination on counterterrorism. . (c) Report Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Coordinator for Counterterrorism, shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report on the status and activities of the board established under section 210G of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as added by subsection (a). IV Prohibition on New Funding 401. Prohibition on new funding No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act or the amendments made by this Act.

Summary: Countering Terrorist Radicalization Act This bill authorizes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide training for administering community awareness briefings and related activities in furtherance of its efforts to counter violent extremism, identify and report suspicious activities, and increase awareness of and more quickly identify terrorism threats, including the travel of individuals from the United States to support a foreign terrorist organization abroad. DHS shall: (1) assess its efforts to support countering violent extremism at the state, local, tribal, and territorial levels; (2) notify Congress of the number of employees of state, local, tribal, and territorial governments with security clearances sponsored by DHS; and (3) incorporate the public testimonials of former extremists into its efforts to combat terrorist recruitment. The bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish in DHS a board to coordinate and integrate DHS's intelligence, activities, and policy related to its counterterrorism mission and functions. The board shall advise DHS on the issuance of terrorism alerts. DHS shall appoint a Coordinator for Counterterrorism to serve as the chair of the board.