Senators Hassan, Lee Introduce Bipartisan Counterterrorism Bill

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced the Reporting Efficiently to Proper Officials in Response to Terrorism (REPORT) Act, which requires federal agencies to report to Congress after a terrorist attack with information about exactly what happened and recommendations to prevent future attacks.

“At the Senate Homeland Security Committee’s recent field hearing in New York City ahead of the 9/11 attacks, we renewed our pledge to never forget – and if we want to live up to that promise, we need to do everything we can to strengthen our counterterrorism efforts,” said Senator Hassan. “This bipartisan bill will help us take one step forward in our counterterrorism efforts by ensuring that after a terrorist attack does occur, federal agencies issue recommendations to Congress for what could be done to prevent similar attacks in the future.”

“Congress needs all of the information necessary to make better public policy to protect the American people’s lives and liberty following terrorist incidents,” said Senator Lee. “Responsible for electing our leaders, the American people also need the information necessary to inform their vote. The REPORT Act ensures that both Congress and the American people have the facts following a terrorist attack on the U.S.”

The bipartisan bill requires the Department of Homeland Security, the Justice Department, the FBI, and/or the National Counterterrorism Center to work together to submit a report to Congress after a foreign or domestic terrorist attack, which must include an explanation of what happened, any gaps in national security, and recommendations for additional measures to improve homeland security and prevent future terrorist attacks.

As a member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, Senator Hassan has prioritized protecting national security and keeping Granite Staters and all Americans safe. Senator Hassan recently joined a Senate Homeland Security Committee field hearing at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York City where she asked former Department of Homeland Security secretaries from the Bush and Obama Administrations about protecting houses of worship and shoring up state and local cybersecurity. Senator Hassan has also focused on bipartisan oversight over the Administration’s handling of the release of convicted terrorist offenders once they complete their sentences. Additionally, in May, Senator Hassan and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) expressing concern over the rise in domestic terrorism and requesting information about what steps DHS has taken to mitigate and prevent these threats.

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