Legislation
House Passes Landmark Department of Homeland Security Authorization
(WASHINGTON) - Following the attacks of September 11, 2001, our nation’s leaders created the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to better protect our country. Fifteen years later, the Department still has not been reauthorized by Congress. Reforming and improving DHS through a first-ever comprehensive reauthorization is key to staying ahead of ever-evolving threats. Today, under the bipartisan leadership of House Homeland Security Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX), Ranking Member Bennie G. … Continue Reading
June 20, 2017
Bill to Improve Workforce Morale at DHS Passes House
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, announced House passage of legislation he sponsored to improve morale within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) workforce: the Department of Homeland Security Morale, Recognition, Learning and Engagement Act of 2017 or DHS MORALE Act (H.R. 2283). The DHS MORALE Act will: Authorize DHS-wide employee engagement, leadership development, rotational opportunities, as well as … Continue Reading
May 03, 2017
Thompson, Lowey Introduce Bill to Improve TSA Frontline Workforce
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, along with Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY), Ranking Member of the Committee on Appropriations, introduced legislation to ensure that the more than 44,000 Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) who serve on the frontlines at our airports are provided basic Federal workplace protections and rights that are provided to other Federal employees under Title 5 of the U.S. Code. These protections … Continue Reading
April 06, 2017
Congressman Thompson Introduces Bill To Protect Daniela Vargas
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, introduced a private bill to prevent the deportation of Daniela Vargas, a DACA recipient from Jackson, Mississippi. Ms. Vargas was taken into custody last month by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after participating in a public media event to protest the Trump Administration’s immigration policies. She was released nine days later from a detention center in Louisiana but an … Continue Reading
March 10, 2017
Legislation Introduced to Help Protect JCCs, Non-Profits
(WASHINGTON) - Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, introduced the Securing American Non-Profit Organizations Against Terrorism Act of 2017 (H.R. 1486) to ensure that non-profits across the country that are at risk of terrorism have the Federal support needed to stay safe. In just the first three months of 2017, there have been a spate of threats against 71 of the nation’s 151 Jewish Community Centers, five Anti-Defamation League locations, and … Continue Reading
March 02, 2017
Thompson, Grassley Introduce American Red Cross Transparency Act
(WASHINGTON) - Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) today introduced legislation to give the congressional watchdog arm complete access to American Red Cross records for oversight purposes. The bipartisan, bicameral American Red Cross Transparency Act of 2017 responds to concerns that the Red Cross tried to quash a review by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) of its practices, successfully limiting the scope of the review, and has failed to be as transparent as … Continue Reading
January 31, 2017
DHS Security Clearance Legislation Passes House
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, announced House passage of legislation he sponsored - H.R. 697 - the Department of Homeland Security Clearance Management and Administration Act. This bill, which previously passed the House in 2015, makes specific reforms in how the Department of Homeland Security manages its security clearance processes. Specifically, it addresses how DHS identifies positions that warrant clearances, … Continue Reading
December 02, 2016
Bill to Enhance DHS Overseas Operations Passes House
(WASHINGTON) - Today, the House Representatives voted on the Conference Report for S. 2943, the FY2017 Defense Authorization Act. This bill includes bipartisan legislation authored by Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, to strengthen international border security efforts, including Customs and Border Protection's Preclearance program and Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Visa Security Program. This language requires the Department of … Continue Reading
May 16, 2016
Legislation Introduced to Expand DHS Overseas Efforts to Prevent Terrorist Travel, Add 2000 Officers to CBP Workforce
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, introduced legislation to help prevent terrorist travel and improve security. This new bill will increase the Department of Homeland Security's presence overseas by expanding programs that allow DHS personnel to vet and screen travelers before they come to the United States. The Expanding DHS Overseas Passenger Security Screening And Vetting Operations Act (H.R. 5256) … Continue Reading
February 09, 2016
Thompson, Lowey Introduce Bill to Grant Rights to the TSA Frontline Workforce
(WASHINGTON) - Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, along with Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY), Ranking Member of the Committee on Appropriations, introduced legislation to ensure that the more than 40,000 Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) who serve on the security frontlines at our Nation's airports are provided basic Federal workplace protections and rights that are provided to other Federal employees under Title 5 of the U.S. Code. They include … Continue Reading
November 02, 2015
Security Clearance Legislation Passes House
(WASHINGTON) - Today, the House of Representative passed the Department of Homeland Security Clearance Management and Administration Act (H.R. 3505) sponsored by Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security. H.R. 3505 makes specific reforms in how the Department of Homeland Security manages its security clearance processes. Specifically, it addresses how DHS identifies positions that warrant clearances, how it investigates candidates for clearances, and … Continue Reading
July 28, 2015
Bipartisan Legislation Passes House to Address TSA Expedited Screening Vulnerabilities
(WASHINGTON) - Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on the House passage of his legislation, the Securing Expedited Screening Act (H.R. 2127). This bipartisan bill addresses serious security vulnerabilities in how the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) carries out expedited airport checkpoint screening. These vulnerabilities were identified by both the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector … Continue Reading
July 15, 2015
Thompson Markup Statement on H.R. 2899
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Committee on Homeland Security Ranking Member Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) delivered the following opening statement for the full Committee markup of H.R. 2899, the "Countering Violent Extremism Act of 2015": "On the Homeland Security Committee, a long-standing concern has been the prospect of an attack being carried out on U.S. soil by an individual inspired by the violent extremist propaganda generated by a domestic or foreign terrorist group. As a result, … Continue Reading
June 23, 2015
Interoperable Communications Strategy Bill to Become Law
(WASHINGTON) - Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the final version of H.R. 615, the Department of Homeland Security Interoperable Communications Act, sponsored by Rep. Donald Payne Jr. (D-NJ), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security's Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications Subcommittee, together with full Committee Ranking Member Thompson, Full Committee Chairman McCaul, and Subcommittee Chairman McSally. H.R. 615 requires DHS to create and submit … Continue Reading
June 23, 2015
First Bill to Address Security Implications of Drones Passes House
(WASHINGTON) - Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed two Democratic-sponsored bipartisan bills: the Homeland Security Drone Assessment and Analysis Act (H.R. 1646) and the Homeland Security University-based Centers Review Act (H.R. 2390). The Homeland Security Drone Assessment and Analysis Act, sponsored by Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security's Oversight and Management Efficiency Subcommittee, is the first bill to tackle the … Continue Reading
May 20, 2015
Democratic Homeland Security Bills Pass Committee
(WASHINGTON) - Today, the Committee on Homeland Security reported out three Democrat-sponsored bills that address administrative and security challenges at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and aim to improve our nation's homeland security infrastructure. H.R. 1646, the "Homeland Security Drone Assessment and Analysis Act" is sponsored by Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ). She released the following statement on her bill being approved by Committee: "In order to tap into the … Continue Reading
April 30, 2015
Bipartisan Legislation Introduced to Address Vulnerabilities in TSA Expedited Screening
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, along with Rep. John Katko (R-NY), Chairman of the Committee's Transportation Security Subcommittee, and Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-NY), Ranking Member of the Committee's Transportation Security Subcommittee, introduced H.R. 2127, the Securing Expedited Screening Act, to address serious security vulnerabilities identified by the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General and the … Continue Reading
April 23, 2015
Bipartisan Cybersecurity Bill Overwhelmingly Passes House
(WASHINGTON) - Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the National Cybersecurity Protection Advancement Act (H.R. 1731) by a vote of 355-63. This bipartisan legislation is the result of months of stakeholder outreach and collaboration and represents another step towards securing our nation's cyberspace by promoting the sharing of timely, cybersecurity threat information between and among the private sector and the Department of Homeland Security. During consideration, Rep. Bennie G. … Continue Reading
April 22, 2015
Sunset Provision Added to Cyber Legislation
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on passage of a bipartisan amendment he cosponsored to the Protecting Cyber Networks Act (H.R. 1560). The amendment, sponsored by Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-SC), will sunset the provisions in the legislation after 7 years. Last week, in the Committee on Homeland Security, Ranking Member Thompson offered a similar amendment to the National Cybersecurity … Continue Reading
April 13, 2015
Thompson, Richmond Statement on Cybersecurity Legislation
(WASHINGTON) - Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, and Rep. Cedric L. Richmond (D-LA), Ranking Member of the Committee's Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies Subcommittee, released the following statement regarding the National Cybersecurity Protection Advancement Act. This legislation was introduced today and will be marked up in committee tomorrow. "The legislation introduced today is another bold step … Continue Reading