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 con-
cerned 
A BILL 
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize 
the National Computer Forensics Institute, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Strengthening State 
and Local Cyber Crime Fighting Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF THE NATIONAL COMPUTER 
FORENSICS INSTITUTE OF THE DEPARTMENT 
OF HOMELAND SECURITY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle C of title VIII of the 
Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 381 et seq.) 
is amended by adding at the end the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 822. NATIONAL COMPUTER FORENSICS INSTITUTE. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—There is established in the De-
partment a National Computer Forensics Institute (in this 
section referred to as the ‘Institute’), to be operated by 
the United States Secret Service, for the dissemination of 
homeland security information related to the investigation 
and prevention of cyber and electronic crime, including 
threats of terrorism or acts of terrorism, to educate, train, 
and equip State, local, tribal, and territorial law enforce-
ment officers, prosecutors, and judges. 
‘‘(b) FUNCTIONS.—The functions of the Institute 
shall include the following: 
‘‘(1) Educating State, local, tribal, and terri-
torial law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and 
judges on current— 
‘‘(A) cyber and electronic crimes and re-
lated threats, including threats of terrorism or 
acts of terrorism; 
‘‘(B) methods for investigating cyber and 
electronic crimes, including crimes related to 
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threats of terrorism or acts of terrorism, and 
conducting computer and mobile device forensic 
examinations; and 
‘‘(C) prosecutorial and judicial challenges 
related to cyber and electronic crimes, and com-
puter and mobile device forensic examinations. 
‘‘(2) Training State, local, tribal, and territorial 
law enforcement officers to— 
‘‘(A) conduct cyber and electronic crime in-
vestigations, including such investigations re-
lated to threats of terrorism or acts of ter-
rorism; 
‘‘(B) conduct computer and mobile device 
forensic examinations; and 
‘‘(C) respond to network intrusion inci-
dents, including incidents related to threats of 
terrorism or acts of terrorism. 
‘‘(3) Training State, local, tribal, and territorial 
law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and judges on 
methods to obtain, process, store, and admit digital 
evidence in court. 
‘‘(c) PRINCIPLES.—In carrying out the functions 
under subsection (b), the Institute shall ensure, to the ex-
tent practicable, that timely, actionable, and relevant ex-
pertise and homeland security information related to cyber 
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and electronic crime, including threats of terrorism or acts 
of terrorism, is shared with State, local, tribal, and terri-
torial law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and judges. 
‘‘(d) EQUIPMENT.—The Institute is authorized to 
provide State, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement 
officers, prosecutors, and judges with computer equip-
ment, hardware, software, manuals, and tools necessary 
to conduct cyber and electronic crimes investigations and 
computer and mobile device forensic examinations. 
‘‘(e) ELECTRONIC CRIME TASK FORCES.—The Insti-
tute shall facilitate the expansion of the Secret Service’s 
network of Electronic Crime Task Forces through the ad-
dition of task force officers of State, local, tribal, and ter-
ritorial law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and judges 
educated and trained at the Institute, in addition to aca-
demia and private sector stakeholders.’’. 
(b) NO ADDITIONAL FUNDING.—No additional funds 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act 
and the amendment made by this Act. This Act and such 
amendment shall be carried out using amounts otherwise 
available for such purposes. 
(c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by in-
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serting after the item relating to section 821 the following 
new item: 
‘‘Sec. 822. National Computer Forensics Institute.’’. 
Æ 
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