EAGLES Act of 2023

To amend title 18, United States Code, to reauthorize and expand the National Threat Assessment Center of the Department of Homeland Security. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the EAGLES Act of 2023 2. Findings; Sense of Congress (a) Findings Congress finds the following: (1) On February 14, 2018, 17 individuals were murdered in a senseless and violent attack on Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Florida, a school whose mascot is the eagle. (2) These individuals, Alaina Petty, Alex Schachter, Alyssa Alhadeff, Cara Loughran, Carmen Schentrup, Gina Montalto, Helena Ramsay, Jaime Guttenberg, Joaquin Oliver, Luke Hoyer, Martin Duque, Meadow Pollack, Nicholas Dworet, Peter Wang, Aaron Feis, Chris Hixon, and Scott Beigel, lived lives of warmth, joy, determination, service, and love, and their loss is mourned by the Nation. (3) Like many attackers, the shooter in that attack exhibited patterns of threatening and concerning behavior prior to the massacre that were alarming and that should have alerted law enforcement and other Federal, State, and local officials about the potential for violence. (4) Acts of targeted violence, including the attack on Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School are preventable. (5) Lives were saved because of the brave and exemplary conduct of many students, teachers, and staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, including several of the victims of the attack. (6) The National Threat Assessment Center of the United States Secret Service (referred to in this Act as the Center (7) Research published by the Center on targeted violence has shown that— (A) most incidents were planned in advance; (B) the attackers’ behavior gave some indication that the individual was planning, or at least contemplating, an attack; (C) most attackers had already exhibited a pattern of behavior that elicited concern by other people in their lives; and (D) prior to the attack, someone associated with the attacker, such as a family member or peer, often knew the attack was to likely to occur. (8) Through their research, the Center developed the behavioral threat assessment model of the United States Secret Service for preventing targeted violence, which includes a 3-step process— (A) identifying individuals who are exhibiting threatening or concerning behaviors that indicate they may pose a risk of violence; (B) assessing whether the individual poses a risk, based on articulable facts; and (C) managing the risk posed through individualized proactive and preventive measures. (9) The behavioral threat assessment model of the United States Secret Service works most effectively when all the relevant parties, including local law enforcement, mental health professionals, workplace managers, school personnel, and members of the community, are part of a comprehensive protocol to identify, assess, and manage a potential threat. (10) The primary goal of behavioral threat assessment programs is to prevent targeted violence, with an emphasis on providing early intervention, and connecting individuals exhibiting threatening or concerning behavior to existing community resources for support. (11) Early intervention is a proven and effective way to prevent violent conduct that would otherwise harm others and necessitate more punitive action, including criminal penalties. (12) The parties involved need the appropriate research, guidance, training, and tools to establish the appropriate mechanisms for implementing this type of preventive of approach. (13) In elementary and secondary schools, a behavioral threat assessment is a proactive approach to identify, assess, and provide age-appropriate interventions, resources, and supports for students who display behavior that elicits concerns for the safety of themselves or others. (14) There has been a 79-percent decline in bullying infractions in elementary and secondary school communities that have received training by the Center. (15) The demand from local communities throughout the United States for behavioral threat assessment trainings has significantly increased. Since its inception, the Center has provided over 2,575 training sessions to over 273,000 attendees. (16) From fiscal year 2018 to fiscal year 2022, the Center has experienced a 117-percent increase in demand for training sessions, with 5 times as many participants. (17) The Center additionally provides consultation and follow-up engagements with government agencies, law enforcement, schools, and other organizations with public safety responsibilities. From fiscal year 2018 to fiscal year 2022 the Center experienced a 553-percent increase in consultation activities. (b) Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that a fact-based behavioral threat assessment approach, involving local law enforcement, mental health professionals, workplace managers, school personnel, other public safety officials, and members of the community, is one of the most effective ways to prevent targeted violence impacting communities across the country, and is a fitting memorial to those whose lives were taken in the February 14, 2018, attack on Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and those who heroically acted to preserve the lives of their friends, students, and colleagues. 3. Reauthorization and expansion of the National Threat Assessment Center of the Department of Homeland Security (a) In general Chapter 203 section 3056A 3056B. Functions of the National Threat Assessment Center of the United States Secret Service (a) In general There is established a National Threat Assessment Center (in this section referred to as the Center (b) Functions The functions of the Center shall include the following: (1) Training and education in the areas of best practices on threat assessment and the prevention of targeted violence. (2) Consultation on complex threat assessment cases and programs. (3) Research on threat assessment and the prevention of targeted violence, consistent with evidence-based standards and existing laws and regulations. (4) Facilitation of information sharing on threat assessment and the prevention of targeted violence among agencies and organizations with protective or public safety responsibilities, as well as other public or private entities. (5) Development of evidence-based programs to promote the standardization of Federal, State, and local threat assessments and best practices for the prevention of targeted violence. (c) Safe school initiative In carrying out the functions described in subsection (b), the Center shall establish a national program on targeted school violence prevention, focusing on the following activities: (1) Research The Center shall— (A) conduct research into targeted school violence and evidence-based practices in targeted school violence prevention, including school threat assessment; and (B) publish the findings of the Center on the public website of the United States Secret Service and on the School Safety Clearinghouse website, known as www.SchoolSafety.gov, or any successor thereto. (2) Training (A) In general The Center shall develop and offer training courses on targeted school violence prevention to agencies with protective or public safety responsibilities and other public or private entities, including local educational agencies. (B) Plan Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, the Center shall establish a plan to offer its training and other educational resources to public or private entities within each State. (3) Coordination with other federal agencies The Center shall develop research and training programs under this section in coordination with the Department of Justice, the Department of Education, and the Department of Health and Human Services. (4) Consultation with entities outside the federal government The Center is authorized to consult with State and local educational, law enforcement, and mental health officials and private entities in the development of research and training programs under this section. (5) Interactive website The Center may create an interactive website to disseminate information and data on evidence-based practices in targeted school violence prevention. (d) Hiring of additional personnel The Director of the United States Secret Service may hire additional personnel to comply with the requirements of this section, which, if the Director exercises that authority, shall include— (1) at least 1 employee with expertise in child psychological development; and (2) at least 1 employee with expertise in school threat assessment. (e) Report to Congress Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this section, the Director of the United States Secret Service shall submit to the Committee on the Judiciary, the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on the Judiciary, Committee on Education and the Workforce, and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives a report on actions taken by the United States Secret Service to implement provisions of this section, which shall include information relating to the following: (1) The number of employees hired (on a full-time equivalent basis). (2) The number of individuals in each State trained in threat assessment. (3) The number of school districts in each State trained in school threat assessment or targeted school violence prevention. (4) Information on Federal, State, and local agencies trained or otherwise assisted by the Center. (5) A formal evaluation indicating whether the training and other assistance provided by the Center is effective. (6) A formal evaluation indicating whether the training and other assistance provided by the Center was implemented by the school. (7) A summary of the Center’s research activities and findings. (8) A strategic plan for disseminating the Center’s educational and training resources to each State. (f) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028. Amounts appropriated pursuant to such authorization shall be derived wholly from the unobligated balances of amounts made available to the Department of Homeland Security, on or before the date of the enactment of this section, to prevent, prepare for, or respond to the coronavirus. (g) No funds To provide firearms training Amounts made available to carry out this section may not be used to train any person in the use of a firearm. (h) No effect on other laws Nothing in this section may be construed to preclude or contradict any other provision of law authorizing training in the use of firearms. (i) Definitions In this section: (1) Evidence-based The term evidence-based (A) strong evidence from at least 1 well-designed and well-implemented experimental study; (B) moderate evidence from at least 1 well-designed and well-implemented quasi-experimental study; or (C) promising evidence from at least 1 well-designed and well-implemented correlational study with statistical controls for selection bias. (2) Local educational agency The term local educational agency 20 U.S.C. 7801 (3) State The term State . (b) Technical, conforming, and clerical amendments (1) Technical and conforming amendment Section 4 of the Presidential Threat Protection Act of 2000 ( 18 U.S.C. 3056 (2) Clerical amendment The table of sections for chapter 203 section 3056A 3056B. Functions of the National Threat Assessment Center of the United States Secret Service. .

Summary: EAGLES Act of 2023 This bill reauthorizes the National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) within the U.S. Secret Service. It reauthorizes the functions of NTAC through FY2028 and expands them to include additional activities related to the prevention of targeted violence, such as the establishment of a national program on targeted school violence prevention.