119-hr1299

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1299 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 1299

 To amend title 18, United States Code, to reauthorize and expand the 
 National Threat Assessment Center of the Department of Homeland 
 Security.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 February 13, 2025

 Mr. Diaz-Balart (for himself and Mr. Moskowitz) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, 
 and in addition to the Committee on Education and Workforce, 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

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To amend title 18, United States Code, to reauthorize and expand the 
 National Threat Assessment Center of the Department of Homeland 
 Security.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``EAGLES Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    (a) 

=== Findings ===
-Congress finds the following:

    (1) On February 14, 2018, 17 individuals were murdered in a 
 senseless and violent attack on Marjory Stoneman Douglas High 
 School in Parkland Florida, a school whose mascot is the eagle.

    (2) These individuals--Alaina Petty, Alex Schachter, Alyssa 
 Alhadeff, Cara Loughran, Carmen Schentrup, Gina Montalto, 
 Helena Ramsay, Jaime Guttenberg, Joaquin Oliver, Luke Hoyer, 
 Martin Duque, Meadow Pollack, Nicholas Dworet, Peter Wang, 
 Aaron Feis, Chris Hixon, and Scott Beigel--lived lives of 
 warmth, joy, determination, service, and love, and their loss 
 is mourned by the Nation.

    (3) Like many attackers, the shooter in that attack 
 exhibited patterns of threatening and concerning behavior prior 
 to the massacre that were alarming and that should have alerted 
 law enforcement and other Federal, State, and local officials 
 about the potential for violence.

    (4) Acts of targeted violence, including the attack on 
 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, are preventable.

    (5) Lives were saved because of the brave and exemplary 
 conduct of many students, teachers, and staff at Marjory 
 Stoneman Douglas High School, including several of the victims 
 of the attack.

    (6) The Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center 
 (referred to in this Act as the ``Center'') was established in 
 1998 to conduct research on all forms of targeted violence, 
 including attacks targeting government officials, government 
 facilities, workplaces, houses of worship, K-12 schools, 
 universities, and mass attacks in public spaces.

    (7) Research published by the Center on targeted violence 
 has shown that--
        (A) most incidents were planned in advance;
        (B) the attackers' behavior gave some indication 
 that the individual was planning, or at least 
 contemplating, an attack;
            (C) most attackers had already exhibited a pattern 
 of behavior that elicited concern to other people in 
 their lives; and
            (D) prior to the attack, someone associated with 
 the attacker, such as a family member or peer, often 
 knew the attack was to likely to occur.

    (8) Through their research, the Center developed the Secret 
 Service's behavioral threat assessment model for preventing 
 targeted violence, which includes a 3-step process--
        (A) identifying individuals who are exhibiting 
 threatening or concerning behaviors that indicate they 
 may pose a risk of violence;
        (B) assessing whether the individual poses a risk, 
 based on articulable facts; and
            (C) risk posed by the individualized proactive and 
 preventive measures.

    (9) The Secret Service's behavioral threat assessment model 
 works most effectively when all the relevant parties, including 
 local law enforcement, mental health professionals, workplace 
 managers, school personnel, and members of the community, are 
 part of a comprehensive protocol to identify, assess, and 
 manage a potential threat.

    (10) The primary goal of behavioral threat assessment 
 programs is to prevent targeted violence, with an emphasis on 
 providing early intervention and connecting individuals 
 exhibiting threatening or concerning behavior to existing 
 community resources for support.

    (11) Early intervention is a proven and effective way to 
 prevent violent conduct that would otherwise harm others and 
 necessitate more punitive action, including criminal penalties.

    (12) The parties involved need the appropriate research, 
 guidance, training, and tools to establish the appropriate 
 mechanisms for implementing this type of preventative approach.

    (13) In K-12 schools, a behavioral threat assessment is a 
 proactive approach to identify, assess, and provide age-
 appropriate interventions, resources, and supports for students 
 who display behavior that elicits concerns for the safety of 
 themselves or others.

    (14) There has been a 79 percent decline in juvenile 
 arrests in K-12 school communities who have received Center 
 training, thus successfully diverting youth away from the 
 criminal justice system.

    (15) The demand from local communities throughout the 
 United States for behavioral threat assessment trainings has 
 significantly increased. Since its inception, the Center has 
 provided over 2,575 training sessions to over 273,000 
 attendees.

    (16) From fiscal year 2018 to fiscal year 2022, the Center 
 has experienced a 117 percent increase in demand for training 
 sessions, with five times as many participants.

    (17) The Center additionally provides consultation and 
 follow-up engagements with government agencies, law 
 enforcement, schools, and other organizations with public 
 safety responsibilities. From fiscal year 2018 to fiscal year 
 2022 the Center has seen a 553 percent increase in consultation 
 activities.

    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that a fact-
based behavioral threat assessment approach, involving local law 
enforcement, mental health professionals, workplace managers, school 
personnel, other public safety officials, and members of the community, 
is one of the most effective ways to prevent targeted violence 
impacting communities across the country, and is a fitting memorial to 
those whose lives were taken in the February 14, 2018, attack on 
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and those who heroically acted to 
preserve the lives of their friends, students, and colleagues.

SEC. 3. REAUTHORIZATION AND EXPANSION OF THE NATIONAL THREAT ASSESSMENT 
 CENTER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 203 of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after 

section 3056A the following:
``

Sec. 3056B. Functions of the National Threat Assessment Center of the 
 United States Secret Service
 ``

    (a) In General.--There is established a National Threat 
Assessment Center (in this section referred to as the `Center'), to be 
operated by the United States Secret Service, at the direction of the 
Secretary of Homeland Security.
 ``

    (b) Functions.--The functions of the Center shall include the 
following:
 ``

    (1) Training and education in the area of best practices 
 on threat assessment and the prevention of targeted violence.
 ``

    (2) Consultation on complex threat assessment cases and 
 programs.
 ``

    (3) Research on threat assessment and the prevention of 
 targeted violence, consistent with evidence-based standards and 
 existing laws and regulations.
 ``

    (4) Facilitation of information sharing on threat 
 assessment and the prevention of targeted violence among 
 agencies and organizations with protective or public safety 
 responsibilities, as well as other public or private entities.
 ``

    (5) Development of evidence-based programs to promote the 
 standardization of Federal, State, and local threat assessments 
 and best practices for the prevention of targeted violence.
 ``
            (c) Safe School Initiative.--In carrying out the functions 
described in subsection

    (b) , the Center shall establish a national 
program on targeted school violence prevention, focusing on the 
following activities:
 ``

    (1) Research.--The Center shall--
 ``
        (A) conduct research into targeted school 
 violence and evidence-based practices in targeted 
 school violence prevention, including school threat 
 assessment; and
 ``
        (B) publish the findings of the Center on the 
 public website of the United States Secret Service and 
 on the School Safety Clearinghouse website, known as 
 www. SchoolSafety.gov.
 ``

    (2) Training.--
 ``
        (A) In general.--The Center shall develop and 
 offer training courses on targeted school violence 
 prevention to agencies with protective or public safety 
 responsibilities and other public or private entities, 
 including local educational agencies.
 ``
        (B) Plan.--Not later than one year after the date 
 of enactment of this section, the Center shall 
 establish a plan to offer its training and other 
 educational resources to public or private entities 
 within each State.
 ``

    (3) Coordination with other federal agencies.--The Center 
 shall develop research and training programs under this section 
 in coordination with the Department of Justice, the Department 
 of Education, and the Department of Health and Human Services.
 ``

    (4) Consultation with entities outside the federal 
 government.--The Center is authorized to consult with State and 
 local educational, law enforcement, and mental health officials 
 and private entities in the development of research and 
 training programs under this section.
 ``

    (5) Interactive website.--The Center may create an 
 interactive website to disseminate information and data on 
 evidence-based practices in targeted school violence 
 prevention.
 ``
            (d) Hiring of Additional Personnel.--The Director of the United 
States Secret Service may hire additional personnel to comply with the 
requirements of this section, which, if the Director exercises such 
authority, shall include--
 ``

    (1) at least one employee with expertise in child 
 psychological development; and
 ``

    (2) at least one employee with expertise in school threat 
 assessment.
 ``

    (e) Report to Congress.--Not later than two years after the date 
of enactment of this section, the Director of the Secret Service shall 
submit to the Committee on the Judiciary, the Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions, and the Committee on Appropriations of 
the Senate and the Committee on the Judiciary, the Committee on 
Education and Labor, and the Committee on Appropriations of the House 
of Representatives a report on actions taken by the United States 
Secret Service to implement provisions of this section, which shall 
include information relating to the following:
 ``

    (1) The number of employees hired (on a full-time 
 equivalent basis).
 ``

    (2) The number of individuals in each State trained in 
 threat assessment.
 ``

    (3) The number of school districts in each State trained 
 in school threat assessment or targeted school violence 
 prevention.
 ``

    (4) Information on Federal, State, and local agencies 
 trained or otherwise assisted by the Center.
 ``

    (5) A formal evaluation indicating whether the training 
 and other assistance provided by the Center is effective.
 ``

    (6) A formal evaluation indicating whether the training 
 and other assistance provided by the Center was implemented by 
 the school.
 ``

    (7) A summary of the Center's research activities and 
 findings.
 ``

    (8) A strategic plan for disseminating the Center's 
 educational and training resources to each State.
 ``

    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2026 through 2030.
 ``

    (g) No Funds To Provide Firearms Training.--Amounts made 
available to carry out this section may not be used to train any person 
in the use of a firearm.
 ``

    (h) No Effect on Other Laws.--Nothing in this section may be 
construed to preclude or contradict any other provision of law 
authorizing training in the use of firearms.
 ``
            (i) Termination.--This section shall terminate on September 30, 
2030.
 ``

    (j) 

=== Definitions. ===
-In this section:
 ``

    (1) Evidence-based.--The term `evidence-based' means--
 ``
        (A) strong evidence from at least one well-
 designed and well-implemented experimental study;
 ``
        (B) moderate evidence from at least one well-
 designed and well-implemented quasi-experimental study; 
 or
 ``
            (C) promising evidence from at least one well-
 designed and well-implemented correlational study with 
 statistical controls for selection bias.
 ``

    (2) Local educational agency.--The term `local 
 educational agency' has the meaning given such term under 
 

section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801); and
 ``

    (3) State.--The term `State' means any State of the 
 United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of 
 Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the 
 Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.''.

    (b) Technical, Conforming, and Clerical Amendments.--

    (1) Technical and conforming amendment.--

Section 4 of the 
 Presidential Threat Protection Act of 2000 (18 U.S.C. 3056 
 note) is repealed.

    (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 
 203 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting 
 after the item relating to 

section 3056A the following new 
 item:

``3056B. Functions of the National Threat Assessment Center of the 
 United States Secret Service.''.
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