I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 708 
To establish in the Department of Homeland Security a working group 
relating to countering terrorist, cybersecurity, border and port security, 
and transportation security threats posed to the United States by the 
Chinese Communist Party, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 23, 2025 
Mr. STRONG (for himself, Mr. SUOZZI, Mr. HIGGINS of Louisiana, Mr. GREEN 
of Tennessee, Mr. GUEST, Mr. LUTTRELL, and Mr. EVANS of Colorado) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and 
Means, Financial Services, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish in the Department of Homeland Security a 
working group relating to countering terrorist, cybersecu-
rity, border and port security, and transportation secu-
rity threats posed to the United States by the Chinese 
Communist Party, 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 ‘‘Strategic Homeland 
Intelligence and Enforcement Legislation to Defend 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
17:56 Feb 24, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H708.IH
H708
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
Against the CCP Act’’ or the ‘‘SHIELD Against CCP 
Act’’. 
SEC. 2. WORKING GROUP TO COUNTER CERTAIN THREATS 
POSED TO THE UNITED STATES BY THE CHI-
NESE COMMUNIST PARTY. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Homeland Security shall establish in the 
Department of Homeland Security a working group 
(in this section referred to as the ‘‘Working 
Group’’), which shall carry out the duties specified 
in subsection (b) relating to countering terrorist, cy-
bersecurity, border and port security, and transpor-
tation security threats posed to the United States by 
the Chinese Communist Party. 
(2) DIRECTOR.— 
(A) APPOINTMENT.—The head of the 
Working Group shall be a Director (in this sec-
tion referred to as the ‘‘Director’’), who shall be 
appointed by the Secretary of Homeland Secu-
rity. 
(B) REPORTING.—The Director shall re-
port to the Secretary of Homeland Security re-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
17:56 Feb 24, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H708.IH
H708
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
garding all administrative, operational, and se-
curity matters of the Working Group. 
(3) STAFFING.—The Secretary of Homeland 
Security shall ensure the Working Group is provided 
with the following: 
(A) A sufficient number of employees to 
perform required duties. 
(B) Not fewer than one employee dedicated 
to ensuring compliance with privacy laws and 
regulations. 
(4) DETAILEES.—The Working Group may ac-
cept and employ detailees with expertise in coun-
tering terrorist, cybersecurity, border and port secu-
rity, and transportation security threats posed by 
the Chinese Communist Party to the United States, 
or in related fields, from any element of the intel-
ligence community or any other Federal agency the 
Director determines appropriate, with or without re-
imbursement, consistent with applicable laws and 
regulations regarding such employees. 
(b) DUTIES.—The Working Group shall carry out the 
following: 
(1) Examine, assess, and report upon efforts by 
the Department of Homeland Security to counter 
terrorist, cybersecurity, border and port security, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
17:56 Feb 24, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H708.IH
H708
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
and transportation security threats posed to the 
United States by the Chinese Communist Party, in-
cluding efforts to counter the Chinese Communist 
Party’s— 
(A) nontraditional tactics and exploitation 
of the United States immigration system 
through— 
(i) identity theft; 
(ii) the immigrant and nonimmigrant 
visa processes; 
(iii) unlawful border crossings; 
(iv) human smuggling; and 
(v) human trafficking; 
(B) predatory economic and trade prac-
tices, including the trafficking of counterfeit 
and pirated goods, the use of forced labor, labor 
exploitation for financial gain, customs fraud, 
and theft of intellectual property and tech-
nology; 
(C) 
direct 
or 
indirect 
support 
for 
transnational criminal organizations trafficking 
in fentanyl, illicit drug precursors, or other con-
trolled substances through— 
(i) the United States border; 
(ii) international mail shipments; or 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
17:56 Feb 24, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H708.IH
H708
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(iii) express consignment operations; 
and 
(D) support for illicit financial activity by 
Chinese Money Laundering Organizations, in-
cluding any repatriation to China or any other 
country of the proceeds derived from the activi-
ties described in subparagraphs (A) through 
(C). 
(2) Account for the resources of the Depart-
ment that are dedicated to programs aimed at coun-
tering terrorist, cybersecurity, border and port secu-
rity, and transportation security threats posed to the 
United States by the Chinese Communist Party, and 
any supporting information as to the efficacy of each 
such program. 
(3) Build upon existing or ongoing evaluations 
and avoid unnecessary duplication by reviewing the 
findings, conclusions, and recommendations of other 
appropriate working groups, committees, commis-
sions, or entities established by the Department re-
lated to efforts to counter terrorist, cybersecurity, 
border and port security, and transportation security 
threats posed to the United States by the Chinese 
Communist Party. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
17:56 Feb 24, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H708.IH
H708
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(4) Identify gaps in policies, processes, and ac-
tivities of the Department to respond to terrorist, 
cybersecurity, border and port security, and trans-
portation security threats posed to the United States 
by the Chinese Communist Party. 
(5) Facilitate cooperation and coordination 
among offices and components of the Department on 
a holistic response to countering terrorist, cybersecu-
rity, border and port security, and transportation se-
curity threats posed to the United States by the Chi-
nese Communist Party. 
(c) ADDITIONAL DUTY RELATING TO INFORMATION 
SHARING.—The Working Group shall review, in coordina-
tion with the Office of Intelligence and Analysis of the De-
partment of Homeland Security, information relating to 
terrorist, cybersecurity, border and port security, and 
transportation security threats posed to the United States 
by the Chinese Communist Party that is gathered by Fed-
eral, State, local, Tribal, and territorial partners, and the 
National Network of Fusion Centers, and incorporate such 
information, as appropriate, into the Working Group’s 
own information relating to such threats. The Working 
Group, in coordination with the Office of Intelligence and 
Analysis, shall also ensure the dissemination to Federal, 
State, local, Tribal, and territorial partners, and the Na-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
17:56 Feb 24, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H708.IH
H708
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
tional Network of Fusion Centers, of information related 
to such threats. 
(d) ANNUAL ASSESSMENTS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this section and 
annually thereafter for five years, the Secretary of 
Homeland Security, in coordination with the Under 
Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis of the De-
partment of Homeland Security, the Director of the 
Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Director of 
National Intelligence, shall submit to the appro-
priate congressional committees a report that as-
sesses terrorist, cybersecurity, border and port secu-
rity, and transportation security threats posed to the 
United States by the Chinese Communist Party dur-
ing the immediately preceding 12 months. 
(2) CONTENTS.—Each assessment under para-
graph (1) shall also include the following: 
(A) A description of the activities and op-
erations of the Working Group undertaken pur-
suant to subsection (b). 
(B) Any other matters the Secretary of 
Homeland Security determines relevant. 
(3) FORM.—Each assessment under paragraph 
(1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
17:56 Feb 24, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H708.IH
H708
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
include a classified annex. The Secretary of Home-
land Security shall post on a publicly available 
website of the Department of Homeland Security the 
unclassified portion of each assessment. 
(4) BRIEFING.—Not later than 30 days after 
the submission of each assessment under paragraph 
(1), the Secretary of Homeland Security shall pro-
vide to the appropriate congressional committees a 
briefing on such assessment and the progress and 
challenges of the Working Group. 
(e) COMPTROLLER GENERAL REVIEW.—Not later 
than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit 
to the appropriate congressional committees a report on 
the implementation of this section. 
(f) RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.—Not later than 
one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the 
Director and the Under Secretary for Science and Tech-
nology of the Department of Homeland Security, shall, to 
the extent practicable, carry out research and develop-
ment, including operational testing, of technologies and 
techniques for enhancing the Department’s security and 
situational awareness relating to countering terrorist, cy-
bersecurity, border and port security, and transportation 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
17:56 Feb 24, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H708.IH
H708
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
security threats posed to the United States by the Chinese 
Communist Party. 
(g) IMPLEMENTATION.—All activities carried out 
pursuant to this section— 
(1) shall be carried out in accordance with ap-
plicable constitutional, privacy, civil rights, and civil 
liberties protections; and 
(2) may not infringe upon the lawful exercise of 
free speech by United States persons. 
(h) SUNSET.—The Working Group shall terminate on 
the date that is seven years after the establishment of the 
Working Group under subsection (a)(1). 
(i) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means— 
(A) in the House of Representatives— 
(i) the Committee on Homeland Secu-
rity; 
(ii) the Committee on Ways and 
Means; 
(iii) the Committee on Financial Serv-
ices; 
(iv) the Committee on the Judiciary; 
and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
17:56 Feb 24, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H708.IH
H708
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(v) the Committee on Foreign Affairs; 
and 
(B) in the Senate— 
(i) the Committee on Homeland Secu-
rity and Governmental Affairs; 
(ii) the Committee on Banking, Hous-
ing, and Urban Affairs; 
(iii) the Committee on Finance; 
(iv) the Committee on the Judiciary; 
and 
(v) the Committee on Foreign Rela-
tions. 
(2) FUSION CENTER.—The term ‘‘fusion cen-
ter’’ has the meaning given such term in subsection 
(k) of section 210A of the Homeland Security Act 
of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 124h). 
(3) INTELLIGENCE
COMMUNITY.—The term 
‘‘intelligence community’’ has the meaning given 
such term in section 3(4) of the National Security 
Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003(4)). 
(4) NATIONAL
NETWORK
OF
FUSION
CEN-
TERS.—The term ‘‘National Network of Fusion Cen-
ters’’ means a decentralized arrangement of fusion 
centers intended to enhance individual State and 
urban area fusion centers’ ability to leverage the ca-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
17:56 Feb 24, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H708.IH
H708
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
pabilities and expertise of all such fusion centers for 
the purpose of enhancing analysis and homeland se-
curity information sharing nationally. 
(5) UNITED
STATES
PERSONS.—The term 
‘‘United States person’’ has the meaning given such 
term in section 1637(d)(10) of the Carl Levin and 
Howard P. ‘‘Buck’’ McKeon National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal year 2015 (50 U.S.C. 
1708(d)(10)). 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
17:56 Feb 24, 2025
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H708.IH
H708
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS