Counterterrorism Screening and Assistance Act of 2017

Bill: 115-hr-1196
Sponsor: Rep. Zeldin, Lee M. [R-NY-1]
Introduced: 2017-02-16 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Aviation and airports
Border security and unlawful immigration
Congressional oversight
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Customs enforcement
Emergency planning and evacuation
Foreign aid and international relief
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Homeland security
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Intellectual property
Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information
International organizations and cooperation
Natural disasters
Sanctions
Terrorism
Travel and tourism
Visas and passports
World health

Summary:
action_date: 2017-02-16
text: 

Counterterrorism Screening and Assistance Act of 2017

 
This bill expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the U.S. government must ensure that capacity-building assistance to combat terrorist travel is coordinated among departments and agencies as well as with foreign implementing partners, and (2) such assistance should be prioritized for the highest-risk countries for travel by terrorists and foreign fighters. 
 
The Department of State shall submit to Congress biennially a foreign partner engagement plan that catalogues existing capacity-building initiatives abroad to combat travel by terrorists and foreign fighters and identifies areas for adjustment to align efforts with risk-based priorities. 
 
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the State Department shall accelerate the provision of appropriate versions of the following systems to foreign governments: 
 
 
U.S. Customs and Border Protection's global travel targeting and analysis systems; and 
 
the State Department's watchlisting, identification, and screening systems. 
 
 
DHS may provide, with specified exceptions, excess DHS nonlethal equipment and supplies (as well as related training) to a foreign government if that would: 
 
 
further U.S. homeland security interests; and
 
enhance the recipient government's capacity to mitigate the threat of terrorism, infectious disease or natural disaster, protect lawful trade and travel, or enforce intellectual property rights.
 
 
DHS shall: 
 
 
notify Congress before providing such systems, equipment, or supplies; and 
 
report to Congress annually through 2022 regarding foreign government efforts to combat terrorist and foreign fighter travel.
 
 
The State Department may suspend non-humanitarian, non-trade-related foreign assistance to a foreign country identified in such a report as a country to which the minimum standards for serious and sustained efforts to combat terrorist and foreign fighter travel are applicable but whose government is not fully complying with such standards and is not making significant efforts to bring itself into compliance. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-09-28
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2017-09-28
text: Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2017-07-19
text: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Voice Vote .
action_date: 2017-07-19
text: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2017-05-18
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade.
action_date: 2017-03-16
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security.
action_date: 2017-03-07
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence.
action_date: 2017-03-07
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security.
action_date: 2017-02-16
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Homeland Security, and the Judiciary, 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.
action_date: 2017-02-16
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Homeland Security, and the Judiciary, 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.
action_date: 2017-02-16
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Homeland Security, and the Judiciary, 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.
action_date: 2017-02-16
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Homeland Security, and the Judiciary, 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.
action_date: 2017-02-16
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-02-16
text: Introduced in House