I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4484 
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to provide for certain 
succession reforms, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 16, 2021 
Miss RICE of New York introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Homeland Security 
A BILL 
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to provide 
for certain succession reforms, 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. SUCCESSION REFORMS. 
Subsection (g) of section 103 of the Homeland Secu-
rity Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 113) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘neither the 
Secretary nor Deputy Secretary is’’ and inserting 
‘‘the Secretary, Deputy Secretary, or Associate Sec-
retary are not’’; and 
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(2) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the 
following new paragraphs: 
‘‘(2) FURTHER ORDER OF SUCCESSION.—Not-
withstanding section 3345 of title 5, United States 
Code, the Secretary may designate such other offi-
cial of the Department— 
‘‘(A) in further order of succession, to per-
form the functions and duties of the Secretary, 
provided that such official has served in the De-
partment for at least 90 days prior to such des-
ignation in either— 
‘‘(i) the position of the head of a com-
ponent; or 
‘‘(ii) in another position by and with 
the advice and consent of the Senate; 
‘‘(B) in the event that the Secretary posi-
tion is vacant and an official meeting the cri-
teria set forth in subparagraph (A) is not avail-
able, the President may designate an officer or 
employee in the Department to perform the 
functions and duties of the Secretary, if— 
‘‘(i) prior to such designation, the of-
ficer or employee served in a position in 
the Department for not less than 90 days; 
and 
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‘‘(ii) the rate of pay for the position 
referred to in clause (i) is equal to or 
greater than the minimum rate of pay pay-
able for a position at GS–15 of the Gen-
eral Schedule; and 
‘‘(C) in the event the head of a Depart-
ment component is vacant, the Secretary may 
designate an officer or employee of the Depart-
ment to perform the functions and duties of 
such vacant position, if— 
‘‘(i) prior to such designation, the of-
ficer or employee served in a position in 
the Department for not less than 90 days; 
and 
‘‘(ii) the rate of pay for the position 
referred to in clause (i) is equal to or 
greater than the minimum rate of pay pay-
able for a position at GS–15 of the Gen-
eral Schedule. 
‘‘(3) APPLICABILITY OF OTHER PROVISIONS OF 
LAW.—Sections 3346 through 3349d of title 5, 
United States Code, shall apply to any individual 
serving in an acting capacity under this subsection 
in the same manner and to the same extent as such 
sections are applicable to an individual serving as an 
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