DHS Authorization Act
Latest action. By Senator Johnson from Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs filed written report. Report No. 115-351.
Department of Homeland Security Authorization Act or the DHS Authorization Act
DIVISION A--HOMELAND SECURITY
TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY HEADQUARTERS
Department of Homeland Security Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 2018 and 2019
Subtitle A--Headquarters Operations
(Sec. 1101) This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (HSA) to define "homeland security enterprise" as any relevant governmental or nongovernmental entity involved in homeland security, including a federal, state, or local government official, private sector representative, academic, or other policy expert.
(Sec. 1102) The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall coordinate through the Office of Partnership and Engagement (established by this bill) with specified entities, including by entering into agreements with governments of other countries and international nongovernmental organizations to achieve DHS missions.
The bill establishes in DHS a Headquarters, which shall include:
the Office of the Secretary;
the Office of the Deputy Secretary;
the Executive Secretary;
the Management Directorate, including the Office of the Chief Financial Officer;
the Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans;
the Office of the General Counsel;
the Office of the Chief Privacy Officer;
the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties;
the Office of Operations Coordination;
the Office of Intelligence and Analysis;
the Office of Legislative Affairs;
the Office of Public Affairs;
the Office of the Inspector General;
the Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman; and
the Office of Partnership and Engagement.
DHS, acting through its appropriate Headquarters' official, shall:
establish an overall strategy to successfully further its mission;
establish initiatives that improve DHS-wide operational performance;
establish mechanisms to ensure that DHS components comply with department policies and fully implement DHS strategies and initiatives;
establish annual operational and management objectives to evaluate the performance of DHS;
ensure that DHS successfully meets operational and management performance objectives by conducting oversight of component agencies;
ensure that the strategies, priorities, investments, and workforce of DHS components align with DHS objectives;
establish and implement policies related to DHS ethics and compliance standards;
The summary continues for 554 more paragraphs. Read it in full on Congress.gov
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Passed House amended" stage on July 20, 2017. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on November 13, 2018: By Senator Johnson from Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs filed written report. Report No. 115-351.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 115th Congress (2017-18), 442 of the 11,421 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 3.9 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
Michael McCaul (R-TX) introduced it on June 8, 2017, and 11 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They are 11 Republicans.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on June 8, 2017, 3381 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 2858 days ago, on November 13, 2018.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 115th Congress has not finished by January 3, 2019 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers