DHS Reform Act of 2020

Bill: 116-hr-8791
Sponsor: Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2]
Introduced: 2020-11-19 in the House
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Accounting and auditing
Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Administrative remedies
Advisory bodies
Aviation and airports
Buy American requirements
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Child health
Child safety and welfare
Coast guard
Computer security and identity theft
Computers and information technology
Congressional oversight
Contracts and agency
Crime prevention
Crimes against property
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
Criminal justice information and records
Department of Homeland Security
Disaster relief and insurance
Due process and equal protection
Education programs funding
Elementary and secondary education
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Employee hiring
Employee leave
Employee performance
Employment and training programs
Employment discrimination and employee rights
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Federal officials
Federal-Indian relations
Firearms and explosives
Foreign language and bilingual programs
Government buildings, facilities, and property
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Health promotion and preventive care
Higher education
Homeland security
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information
Intergovernmental relations
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Labor-management relations
Law enforcement administration and funding
Law enforcement officers
Mental health
Military personnel and dependents
Minority and disadvantaged businesses
Minority education
Minority employment
Natural disasters
Performance measurement
Preschool education
Public contracts and procurement
Public-private cooperation
Research administration and funding
Research and development
Right of privacy
School administration
Small business
State and local government operations
Student aid and college costs
Telephone and wireless communication
Terrorism
Transportation employees
Transportation safety and security
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
Women in business
Worker safety and health

Summary:
action_date: 2020-11-19
text: 

Department of Homeland Security Reform Act of 2020 or the DHS Reform Act of 2020

 
This bill makes extensive changes to the structure of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and to the responsbilities of DHS components.
 
Specifically, the bill, among other things
 
 
creates a new Associate Secretary responsible for overseeing DHS's law enforcement functions; 
 
modifies the responsibilities of the Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, including to engage with individuals and communities whose civil rights and liberties may be affected by DHS programs and activities; 
 
directs DHS to establish an employee engagement steering committee to identify factors that have a negative impact on employee engagement, morale, and communications within DHS; 
 
establishes within DHS a school security coordinating council; 
 
requires that DHS's use-of-force policy be updated to emphasize de-escalation; 
 
requires DHS to carry out an intelligence and cybersecurity diversity fellowship program; 
 
grants rights to Transportation Security Administration officers under the federal personnel system; and 
 
requires DHS to issue a DHS-wide strategy to enhance partnerships with historically black colleges and universities and minority-serving institutes that includes yearly goals. 



Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-11-20
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
action_date: 2020-11-20
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.
action_date: 2020-11-19
text: Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Reform, the Judiciary, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 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: 2020-11-19
text: Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Reform, the Judiciary, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 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: 2020-11-19
text: Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Reform, the Judiciary, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 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: 2020-11-19
text: Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Reform, the Judiciary, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 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: 2020-11-19
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2020-11-19
text: Introduced in House