To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to carry out a pilot program for the prevention and mitigation of acts of terrorism using motor vehicles, and for other purposes.

Bill: 119-hr-1831
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5]
Introduced: 2025-03-04
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Latest action: action_date: 2025-03-04
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence.

Summaries:
action_date: 2025-03-04
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish a pilot program for the prevention and mitigation of acts of terrorism using motor vehicles.</p><p>Among other things, the pilot program must&nbsp;</p><ul><li>develop a uniform standard for the type of information collected by rental agencies;</li><li>distribute guidance for improving the suspicious activity reporting process; and</li><li>establish a procedure for dealers and rental companies to check information against a designated watch list to&nbsp;provide notice of a sale or rental to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, if DHS determines that this is&nbsp;necessary.</li></ul><p>Under the bill, a dealer or rental company is not liable for any action taken in accordance with the pilot program.</p><p>DHS and the Transportation Security Administration must jointly submit regular reports to Congress on the pilot program.&nbsp;</p><p>In addition, DHS must submit a study to Congress that examines how to work with rental car and ride sharing companies on how to identify risks and threats of terrorist attacks.</p>

tv_txt: I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1831 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 4, 2025 Mr. Gottheimer introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security A BILL To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to carry out a pilot program for the prevention and mitigation of acts of terrorism using motor vehicles, and for other purposes.

1. Pilot program (a) Establishment Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall establish a pilot program, for a period not to exceed one year, to— (1) in consultation with representatives of the automotive sale and rental industry, develop a uniform standard for the type of information collected by rental agencies and the type of information used in submitting suspicious activity reports; (2) provide operators with a threat assessment prepared by the Undersecretary of Homeland Security for Intelligence and Analysis regarding the terrorism threat of large vehicles; (3) distribute guidance for improving the suspicious activity reporting process, including training for designated employees to better identify suspicious activity; (4) provide technical assistance to operators to better access suspicious activity reports; and (5) if determined necessary by the Secretary, establish a procedure for checking information against a designated watch list that does not contain any classified information, and for dealers and rental companies to provide notice of a sale or rental to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. (b) Reports to Congress (1) Pilot program Not later than 120 days after the date of establishment of the pilot program under subsection (a) and every 120 days thereafter until the conclusion of the pilot program, the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration shall jointly submit to Congress a report on the pilot program, including the following: (A) An assessment of the impact of the pilot program on privacy and civil liberties. (B) A description of the effect that permanent implementation of the pilot program would have on efforts to protect the United States against terrorist attacks. (2) Study Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to Congress a study examining how to work with rental car and ride sharing companies (such as through peer to peer apps) to identify risks and threats of terrorist attacks. (c) Exemption from liability A dealer or rental company shall not be liable for any action taken in accordance with this pilot program under this section. (d) Definitions In this section: (1) Covered rental vehicle The term covered rental vehicle means a truck, tractor, trailer, bus, semitrailer, or van capable of transporting more than 15 passengers. (2) Dealer; rental company The terms dealer and rental company have the meanings given such terms in section 30102 of title 49, United States Code.