IIB 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 9748 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
DECEMBER 20 (legislative day, DECEMBER 16), 2024 
llllllllll 
AN ACT 
To require the Under Secretary of the Science and Tech-
nology Directorate of the Department of Homeland Secu-
rity to develop a Department-wide policy and process 
to safeguard research and development from unauthor-
ized access to or disclosure of sensitive information in 
research and development acquisitions, and for other pur-
poses. 
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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 ‘‘Research Security and 
Accountability in DHS Act’’. 
SEC. 2. SAFEGUARDING SENSITIVE RESEARCH IN THE DE-
PARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 302 of the Homeland Se-
curity Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 182) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (13), by striking ‘‘and’’ after 
the semicolon; 
(2) in paragraph (14), by striking the period 
and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(15) developing, in coordination with appro-
priate agency officials, a Department-wide policy 
and process to safeguard research and development 
from unauthorized access to or disclosure of sen-
sitive information in research and development ac-
quisitions.’’. 
(b) GAO REPORT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Comptroller General of the United States shall sub-
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mit 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 how the Department has com-
plied with National Security Presidential Memo-
randum–33 (NSPM–33) and adopted the National 
Science and Technology Council’s 2022 implementa-
tion guidance. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The report required under 
paragraph (1) shall address the following: 
(A) How the Department of Homeland Se-
curity has complied with disclosure require-
ments outlined in NSPM–33, and how viola-
tions are reported to the relevant executive 
agencies, including in the intelligence commu-
nity (as such term is defined in section 3(4) of 
the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 
3003(4)). 
(B) Coordination and compliance with 
guidelines established by the National Science 
Foundation, the National Science Technology 
Council, the Office of Science and Technology 
Policy, and other executive agencies regarding 
Federal research security. 
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(C) The role of the Science and Tech-
nology Directorate of the Department regarding 
establishing a research security framework for 
research and development projects across the 
Department. 
(c) CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING.—Not later than 90 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Homeland Security shall provide to the Com-
mittee on Homeland Security of the House of Representa-
tives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Gov-
ernmental Affairs of the Senate a briefing addressing the 
development of policies and processes to safeguard De-
partment of Homeland Security research and development 
in accordance with paragraph (15) of section 302 of the 
Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 182), as added 
by subsection (a). 
Passed the House of Representatives December 20, 
2024. 
Attest: 
KEVIN F. MCCUMBER, 
Clerk. 
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