I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 490 
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to improve morale within 
the Department of Homeland Security workforce by conferring new re-
sponsibilities to the Chief Human Capital Officer, establishing an em-
ployee engagement steering committee, requiring action plans, and au-
thorizing an annual employee award program, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 25, 2021 
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Homeland Security 
A BILL 
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to improve 
morale within the Department of Homeland Security 
workforce by conferring new responsibilities to the Chief 
Human Capital Officer, establishing an employee engage-
ment steering committee, requiring action plans, and au-
thorizing an annual employee award program, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Department of Home-
land Security Morale, Recognition, Learning and Engage-
ment Act of 2021’’ or the ‘‘DHS MORALE Act’’. 
SEC. 2. CHIEF HUMAN CAPITAL OFFICER RESPONSIBIL-
ITIES. 
Section 704 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 
(6 U.S.C. 344) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘, including with re-
spect to leader development and employee 
engagement,’’ after ‘‘policies’’; 
(ii) by striking ‘‘and in line’’ and in-
serting ‘‘, in line’’; and 
(iii) by inserting ‘‘and informed by 
best practices within the Federal govern-
ment and the private sector,’’ after ‘‘prior-
ities,’’; 
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘develop 
performance measures to provide a basis for 
monitoring and evaluating’’ and inserting ‘‘use 
performance measures to evaluate, on an ongo-
ing basis,’’; 
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(C) in paragraph (3), by inserting ‘‘that, 
to the extent practicable, are informed by em-
ployee feedback’’ after ‘‘policies’’; 
(D) in paragraph (4), by inserting ‘‘includ-
ing leader development and employee engage-
ment programs,’’ before ‘‘in coordination’’; 
(E) in paragraph (5), by inserting before 
the semicolon at the end the following: ‘‘that is 
informed by an assessment, carried out by the 
Chief Human Capital Officer, of the learning 
and developmental needs of employees in super-
visory and non-supervisory roles across the De-
partment and appropriate workforce planning 
initiatives’’; 
(F) by redesignating paragraphs (9) and 
(10) as paragraphs (13) and (14), respectively; 
and 
(G) by inserting after paragraph (8) the 
following new paragraphs: 
‘‘(9) maintain a catalogue of available employee 
development opportunities, including the Homeland 
Security Rotation Program pursuant to section 844, 
departmental 
leadership 
development 
programs, 
interagency development programs, and other rota-
tional programs; 
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‘‘(10) ensure that employee discipline and ad-
verse action programs comply with the requirements 
of all pertinent laws, rules, regulations, and Federal 
guidance, and ensure due process for employees; 
‘‘(11) analyze each Department or Government- 
wide Federal workforce satisfaction or morale survey 
not later than 90 days after the date of the publica-
tion of each such survey and submit to the Secretary 
such analysis, including, as appropriate, rec-
ommendations to improve workforce satisfaction or 
morale within the Department; 
‘‘(12) review and approve all component em-
ployee engagement action plans to ensure such plans 
include initiatives responsive to the root cause of em-
ployee engagement challenges, as well as outcome- 
based performance measures and targets to track 
the progress of such initiatives;’’; 
(2) by redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as 
subsections (e) and (f), respectively; 
(3) by inserting after subsection (c) the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
‘‘(d) CHIEF LEARNING
AND ENGAGEMENT OFFI-
CER.—The Chief Human Capital Officer may designate 
an employee of the Department to serve as a Chief Learn-
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ing and Engagement Officer to assist the Chief Human 
Capital Officer in carrying out this section.’’; and 
(4) in subsection (e), as so redesignated— 
(A) by redesignating paragraphs (2), (3), 
and (4) as paragraphs (5), (6), and (7), respec-
tively; and 
(B) by inserting after paragraph (1) the 
following new paragraphs: 
‘‘(2) information on employee development op-
portunities catalogued pursuant to paragraph (9) of 
subsection (b) and any available data on participa-
tion rates, attrition rates, and impacts on retention 
and employee satisfaction; 
‘‘(3) information on the progress of Depart-
ment-wide strategic workforce planning efforts as 
determined under paragraph (2) of subsection (b); 
‘‘(4) information on the activities of the steer-
ing committee established pursuant to section 
711(a), including the number of meetings, types of 
materials developed and distributed, and rec-
ommendations made to the Secretary;’’. 
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SEC. 3. EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT STEERING COMMITTEE 
AND ACTION PLAN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title VII of the Homeland Secu-
rity Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 341 et seq.) is amended by 
adding at the end the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 711. EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT. 
‘‘(a) STEERING COMMITTEE.—Not later than 120 
days after the date of the enactment of this section, the 
Secretary shall establish an employee engagement steering 
committee, including representatives from operational 
components, headquarters, and field personnel, including 
supervisory and non-supervisory personnel, and employee 
labor organizations that represent Department employees, 
and chaired by the Under Secretary for Management, to 
carry out the following activities: 
‘‘(1) Identify factors that have a negative im-
pact on employee engagement, morale, and commu-
nications within the Department, such as percep-
tions about limitations on career progression, mobil-
ity, or development opportunities, collected through 
employee feedback platforms, including through an-
nual employee surveys, questionnaires, and other 
communications, as appropriate. 
‘‘(2) Identify, develop, and distribute initiatives 
and best practices to improve employee engagement, 
morale, and communications within the Department, 
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including through annual employee surveys, ques-
tionnaires, and other communications, as appro-
priate. 
‘‘(3) Monitor efforts of each component to ad-
dress employee engagement, morale, and commu-
nications based on employee feedback provided 
through annual employee surveys, questionnaires, 
and other communications, as appropriate. 
‘‘(4) Advise the Secretary on efforts to improve 
employee engagement, morale, and communications 
within specific components and across the Depart-
ment. 
‘‘(5) Conduct regular meetings and report, not 
less than once per quarter, to the Under Secretary 
for Management, the head of each component, and 
the Secretary on Department-wide efforts to improve 
employee engagement, morale, and communications. 
‘‘(b) ACTION PLAN; REPORTING.—The Secretary, 
acting through the Chief Human Capital Officer, shall— 
‘‘(1) not later than 120 days after the date of 
the establishment of the employee engagement steer-
ing committee under subsection (a), issue a Depart-
ment-wide employee engagement action plan, reflect-
ing input from the steering committee and employee 
feedback provided through annual employee surveys, 
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questionnaires, and other communications in accord-
ance with paragraph (1) of such subsection, to exe-
cute strategies to improve employee engagement, 
morale, and communications within the Department; 
and 
‘‘(2) require the head of each component to— 
‘‘(A) develop and implement a component- 
specific employee engagement plan to advance 
the action plan required under paragraph (1) 
that includes performance measures and objec-
tives, is informed by employee feedback pro-
vided through annual employee surveys, ques-
tionnaires, and other communications, as appro-
priate, and sets forth how employees and, where 
applicable, their labor representatives are to be 
integrated in developing programs and initia-
tives; 
‘‘(B) monitor progress on implementation 
of such action plan; and 
‘‘(C) provide to the Chief Human Capital 
Officer and the steering committee quarterly re-
ports on actions planned and progress made 
under this paragraph. 
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‘‘(c) TERMINATION.—This section shall terminate on 
the date that is five years after the date of the enactment 
of this section.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is 
amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
710 the following new item: 
‘‘Sec. 711. Employee engagement.’’. 
(c) SUBMISSIONS TO CONGRESS.— 
(1) DEPARTMENT-WIDE
EMPLOYEE
ENGAGE-
MENT ACTION PLAN.—The Secretary of Homeland 
Security, acting through the Chief Human Capital 
Officer of the Department of Homeland Security, 
shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Secu-
rity of the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Homeland Security and Governmental Af-
fairs of the Senate the Department-wide employee 
engagement action plan required under subsection 
(b)(1) of section 711 of the Homeland Security Act 
of 2002 (as added by subsection (a) of this section) 
not later than 30 days after the issuance of such 
plan under such subsection (b)(1). 
(2) COMPONENT-SPECIFIC EMPLOYEE ENGAGE-
MENT PLANS.—Each head of a component of the 
Department of Homeland Security shall submit to 
the Committee on Homeland Security of the House 
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of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland 
Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate the 
component-specific employee engagement plan of 
each such component required under subsection 
(b)(2) of section 711 of the Homeland Security Act 
of 2002 not later than 30 days after the issuance of 
each such plan under such subsection (b)(2). 
SEC. 4. ANNUAL EMPLOYEE AWARD PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title VII of the Homeland Secu-
rity Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 341 et seq.), as amended by 
section 3 of this Act, is further amended by adding at the 
end the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 712. ANNUAL EMPLOYEE AWARD PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may establish an 
annual employee award program to recognize Department 
employees or groups of employees for significant contribu-
tions to the achievement of the Department’s goals and 
missions. If such a program is established, the Secretary 
shall— 
‘‘(1) establish within such program categories 
of awards, each with specific criteria, that empha-
sizes honoring employees who are at the non-super-
visory level; 
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‘‘(2) publicize within the Department how any 
employee or group of employees may be nominated 
for an award; 
‘‘(3) establish an internal review board com-
prised of representatives from Department compo-
nents, headquarters, and field personnel to submit to 
the Secretary award recommendations regarding 
specific employees or groups of employees; 
‘‘(4) select recipients from the pool of nominees 
submitted by the internal review board under para-
graph (3) and convene a ceremony at which employ-
ees or groups of employees receive such awards from 
the Secretary; and 
‘‘(5) publicize such program within the Depart-
ment. 
‘‘(b) INTERNAL REVIEW BOARD.—The internal re-
view board described in subsection (a)(3) shall, when car-
rying out its function under such subsection, consult with 
representatives from operational components and head-
quarters, including supervisory and non-supervisory per-
sonnel, and employee labor organizations that represent 
Department employees. 
‘‘(c) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion may be construed to authorize additional funds to 
carry out the requirements of this section or to require 
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the Secretary to provide monetary bonuses to recipients 
of an award under this section.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as 
amended by section 3 of this Act, is further amended by 
inserting after the item relating to section 711 the fol-
lowing new item: 
‘‘Sec. 712. Annual employee award program.’’. 
SEC. 5. INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION AND IMPLEMENTA-
TION PLAN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 120 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General 
of the United States shall investigate whether the applica-
tion in the Department of Homeland Security of discipline 
and adverse actions are administered in an equitable and 
consistent manner that results in the same or substantially 
similar disciplinary outcomes across the Department for 
misconduct by a non-supervisory or supervisor employee 
who engaged in the same or substantially similar mis-
conduct. 
(b) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out the investiga-
tion described in subsection (a), the Comptroller General 
of the United States shall consult with the Under Sec-
retary for Management of the Department of Homeland 
Security and the employee engagement steering committee 
established pursuant to subsection (b)(1) of section 711 
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of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (as added by sec-
tion 3(a) of this Act). 
(c) ACTION BY UNDER SECRETARY FOR MANAGE-
MENT.—Upon completion of the investigation described in 
subsection (a), the Under Secretary for Management of 
the Department of Homeland Security shall review the 
findings and recommendations of such investigation and 
implement a plan, in consultation with the employee en-
gagement steering committee established pursuant to sub-
section (b)(1) of section 711 of the Homeland Security 
Act of 2002, to correct any relevant deficiencies identified 
by the Comptroller General of the United States in such 
investigation. The Under Secretary for Management shall 
direct the employee engagement steering committee to re-
view such plan to inform committee activities and action 
plans authorized under such section 711. 
SEC. 6. IMPACTS OF SHUTDOWN. 
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
report to the Committee on Homeland Security of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Home-
land Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate re-
garding the direct and indirect impacts of the lapse in ap-
propriations between December 22, 2018, and January 
25, 2019, on— 
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(1) Department of Homeland Security human 
resources operations; 
(2) the Department’s ability to meet hiring 
benchmarks; and 
(3) retention, attrition, and morale of Depart-
ment personnel. 
Æ 
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