Title: Homeland Security Higher Education Advisory Council Act
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Homeland Security Higher Education Advisory Council Act
This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish a homeland security higher education advisory council.
Such council must make recommendations to DHS on matters concerning homeland security and the academic community, including the threat of foreign influence and interference in the United States, homeland security academic and research programs, issues relating to international students (e.g., visas), and cybersecurity.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6588 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6588

 To establish the Homeland Security Higher Education Advisory Council, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 21, 2020

    Mr. Krishnamoorthi (for himself and Mr. Norman) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 
  Labor, and in addition to the Committees on Homeland Security, the 
 Judiciary, and Oversight and Reform, 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 concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish the Homeland Security Higher Education Advisory Council, 
                        and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Homeland Security Higher Education 
Advisory Council Act''.

SEC. 2. HOMELAND SECURITY HIGHER EDUCATION ADVISORY COUNCIL.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Homeland Security (referred to in 
this section as the ``Secretary'') shall establish a council to be 
known as the ``Homeland Security Higher Education Advisory Council'' 
(referred to in this section as the ``Council'').
    (b) Duties of Council.--The Council shall provide advice and 
recommendations to the Secretary on matters concerning homeland 
security and the academic community, relating to the following:
            (1) The threat of foreign influence and interference in the 
        United States.
            (2) Proposed regulatory changes impacting institutions of 
        higher education (as such term is defined in section 101 of the 
        Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)).
            (3) Promoting the openness of academic research and the 
        exchange of ideas between institutions of higher education and 
        the Federal Government.
            (4) Promoting campus resilience resources to address a 
        range of threats or hazards affecting institutions of higher 
        education.
            (5) Homeland security academic and research programs.
            (6) Student and recent graduate recruitment to Federal 
        Government employment.
            (7) Issues relating to international students, including--
                    (A) obtaining and maintaining a visa;
                    (B) processing H-1B visas and Optional Practical 
                Training;
                    (C) monitoring student visa recipients who stay 
                past their authorized time in the United States; and
                    (D) any other matters the Secretary considers 
                appropriate.
            (8) Issues relating to undocumented students.
            (9) Cybersecurity.
    (c) Membership.--
            (1) In general.--The Council shall be composed of at least 
        21 members appointed by the Secretary, of whom 9 shall be from 
        governmental positions specified in paragraph (2), and not 
        fewer than 12 members shall be from nongovernmental positions 
        specified in paragraph (3).
            (2) Governmental positions.--Governmental positions 
        specified in this paragraph are the following:
                    (A) The Bureau of Consular Affairs of the 
                Department of State.
                    (B) The Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs of 
                the Department of State.
                    (C) U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
                    (D) The Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties 
                of the Department of Homeland Security.
                    (E) The Office of Science and Technology 
                Cooperation of the Department of State.
                    (F) The Student and Exchange Visitor Program of the 
                Department of Homeland Security.
                    (G) United States Citizenship and Immigration 
                Services.
                    (H) Office of the Citizenship and Immigration 
                Services Ombudsman.
                    (I) Homeland Security Investigations of the U.S. 
                Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
                    (J) The Department of Justice.
                    (K) The intelligence community (as such term is 
                defined in section 3(4) of the National Security Act of 
                1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003(4))).
            (3) Nongovernmental positions.--Nongovernmental positions 
        specified in this paragraph are the following:
                    (A) Twelve presidents or chancellors of a 
                university, with a distribution of such universities 
                being private, public, and regionally diverse.
                    (B) Senior leaders of relevant higher education 
                associations.
            (4) Timing of appointments.--Appointments to the Council 
        shall be made not later than 4 months after the date of the 
        enactment of this Act.
            (5) Terms.--
                    (A) In general.--Each member shall be appointed for 
                a term of 2 years.
                    (B) Vacancies.--Any member appointed to fill a 
                vacancy occurring before the expiration of the term for 
                which the member's predecessor was appointed shall be 
                appointed only for the remainder of that term. A member 
                may serve after the expiration of that term until a 
                successor has been appointed.
            (6) Chairperson and vice chairperson.--The Chairperson and 
        Vice Chairperson of the Council shall be designated by the 
        Secretary at the time of the appointment of the members 
        pursuant to paragraph (4), and when a vacancy of the 
        Chairperson or Vice Chairperson occurs, as the case may be.
    (d) Meeting.--
            (1) Initial meeting.--The Council shall hold its initial 
        meeting not later than 30 days after the final appointment of 
        all members under subsection (c)(4).
            (2) Meetings.--The Council shall meet not fewer than 3 
        times each year at the call of the Chairperson or Vice 
        Chairperson.
            (3) Quorum.--Sixteen members of the Council, of whom 8 
        members appointed from governmental positions and 8 members 
        appointed from nongovernmental positions, shall constitute a 
        quorum.
    (e) Compensation.--
            (1) Prohibition of compensation.--Except as provided in 
        paragraph (2), members of the Council may not receive 
        additional pay, allowances, or benefits by reason of their 
        service on the Council.
            (2) Travel expenses.--Each member shall receive travel 
        expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in 
        accordance with applicable provisions under subchapter I of 
        chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.
    (f) Administrative Support Services.--Upon the request of the 
Council, the Secretary shall provide to the Council, on a reimbursable 
basis, the administrative support services necessary for the Council to 
carry out its responsibilities under this Act.
    (g) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date on which the 
Council holds its initial meeting under subsection (d) and annually 
thereafter, the Council shall submit a report containing a detailed 
statement of the advice and recommendations of the Council pursuant to 
subsection (b) to each of the following:
            (1) The Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 
        Representatives.
            (2) The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
        Affairs of the Senate.
            (3) The Committee on the Judiciary of the House of 
        Representatives.
            (4) The Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate.
            (5) The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the 
        House of Representatives.
            (6) The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
        of the Senate.
    (h) Nonapplicability of FACA.--The Federal Advisory Committee Act 
(5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Council.
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