118 HR 7433 IH: Law Enforcement Support and Transnational Repression Hotline Act U.S. House of Representatives 2024-02-23 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I118th CONGRESS2d SessionH. R. 7433IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESFebruary 23, 2024Mr. D'Esposito (for himself, Mr. Magaziner, and Mr. Pfluger) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, 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 concernedA BILLTo amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish a transnational repression hotline and conduct a transnational repression public service announcement campaign, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Law Enforcement Support and Transnational Repression Hotline Act.

2.

Transnational repression hotline and public service announcement campaign

(a)

In general

Subtitle H of title VIII of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 451 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

890E.

Transnational repression hotline and public service announcement campaign

(a)

Transnational repression hotline

The Secretary, in coordination with the Director of Homeland Security Investigations, shall establish a hotline to receive anonymous information from any United States person that believes such person is the victim of transnational repression or a related terrorism threat.(b)

Transnational repression public service announcement campaign

(1)

In general

The Secretary, in coordination with the Director of Homeland Security Investigations, shall direct the Office of Partnership and Engagement of the Department to conduct a public service announcement campaign educating the public on the issue of transnational repression and related terrorism threats and the resources available to victims of transnational repression and related terrorism threats.(2)

Implementation

Public service announcement campaigns under paragraph (1) should be carried out in the following languages:(A)English.(B)Mandarin.(C)Russian.(D)Farsi.(E)Arabic.(F)Spanish.(G)Turkish.(H)Hindi.(I)Urdu.(J)Any other language determined relevant by the Director of Homeland Security Investigations.(c)

Research

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary, in coordination with the Under Secretary for Science and Technology of the Department, and the Director of Homeland Security Investigations, shall, to the extent practicable, carry out research and development, including operational testing, of technologies and techniques for enhancing the Department’s security and situational awareness support to Federal, State, local, Tribal, and territorial officials relating to combating transnational repression and related terrorism threats, in accordance with applicable constitutional, privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties protections.(d)

Definitions

In this section:(1)

Agent of a foreign government

The term agent of a foreign government means an individual or entity that operates subject to the direction or control of—(A)a foreign government; or(B)an official or entity of such foreign government.(2)

Foreign government

The term foreign government means the government of a foreign country.(3)

Transnational repression

The term transnational repression means an action of a foreign government or an agent of a foreign government that satisfies each of the following:(A)The action involves—(i)any effort intended to coerce, harass, or digitally or physically threaten, including by force or reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury or imprisonment of a person or an immediate family member of a person, a person to take an action in the interest of such a foreign government;(ii)any effort intended to harass or coerce, including by force or fear, a person to forebear from exercising their First Amendment rights or any other right guaranteed to the person by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or to retaliate against a person for having exercised such a right;(iii)an extrajudicial killing; or(iv)any act intended to further the efforts specified in clause (i), (ii), or (iii).(B)The action is engaged in for or in the interests of such a foreign government.(C)The action—(i)occurs, in whole or in part, in the United States; or(ii)is committed against a United States person.(4)

United States person

The term United States person has the meaning given such term in section 1637(d)(10) of the Carl Levin and Howard P. Buck McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal year 2015 (50 U.S.C. 1708(d)(10)).

.(b)

Clerical amendment

The table of contents in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 890D the following new item:Sec. 890E. Transnational repression hotline and public service announcement campaign..