[Senate Report 117-81]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


                                                      Calendar No. 277
117th Congress       }                           {             Report
                                 SENATE
 2d Session          }                           {             117-81
_______________________________________________________________________



                             PRAY SAFE ACT

                               __________

                              R E P O R T

                                 of the

                   COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND

                          GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS

                          UNITED STATES SENATE

                              to accompany

                                S. 2123

          TO ESTABLISH THE FEDERAL CLEARINGHOUSE ON SAFETY AND
         SECURITY BEST PRACTICES FOR FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS
             AND HOUSES OF WORSHIP, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES



		[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]


               February 17, 2022.--Ordered to be printed
               
               			__________
               			
               			
               	    U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
               		
29-010		            WASHINGTON : 2022               		
               
               
               
        COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS

                   GARY C. PETERS, Michigan, Chairman
THOMAS R. CARPER, Delaware           ROB PORTMAN, Ohio
MAGGIE HASSAN, New Hampshire         RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin
KYRSTEN SINEMA, Arizona              RAND PAUL, Kentucky
JACKY ROSEN, Nevada                  JAMES LANKFORD, Oklahoma
ALEX PADILLA, California             MITT ROMNEY, Utah
JON OSSOFF, Georgia                  RICK SCOTT, Florida
                                     JOSH HAWLEY, Missouri

                   David M. Weinberg, Staff Director
                    Zachary I. Schram, Chief Counsel
         Christopher J. Mulkins, Director of Homeland Security
                Benjamin J. Schubert, Research Assistant
                Pamela Thiessen, Minority Staff Director
  Andrew C. Dockham, Minority Chief Counsel and Deputy Staff Director
        Margaret E. Frankel, Minority Professional Staff Member
                     Laura W. Kilbride, Chief Clerk



                                                      Calendar No. 277
117th Congress       }                           {             Report
                                 SENATE
 2d Session          }                           {             117-81

======================================================================



 
                             PRAY SAFE ACT

                                _______
                                

               February 17, 2022.--Ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

 Mr. Peters, from the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
                    Affairs, submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                         [To accompany S. 2123]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs, to which was referred the bill (S. 2123), to establish 
the Federal Clearinghouse on Safety and Security Best Practices 
for Faith-Based Organizations and Houses of Worship, and for 
other purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably 
thereon with amendments and recommends that the bill, as 
amended, do pass.

                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page
  I. Purpose and Summary..............................................1
 II. Background and Need for the Legislation..........................2
III. Legislative History..............................................3
 IV. Section-by-Section Analysis of the Bill, as Reported.............3
  V. Evaluation of Regulatory Impact..................................6
 VI. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate........................7
VII. Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............8

                         I. Purpose and Summary

    S. 2123, the Pray Safe Act, aims to protect American faith-
based organizations by centralizing information on improving 
safety and security best practices and resources to protect 
houses of worship and congregants practicing their religious or 
spiritual beliefs. It establishes a Clearinghouse for safety 
and security best practices for faith-based organizations and 
houses of worship at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). 
That Clearinghouse will also include information on federal 
grant programs to help faith-based organizations identify and 
determine what resources they can access to help protect their 
houses of worship.

              II. Background and Need for the Legislation

    Violence against faith-based institutions and houses of 
worship has increased across the nation in recent years.\1\ The 
nature of these attacks, the numbers of victims, and the 
geographic regions in which the attacks have occurred vary 
widely.\2\ Recent attacks have included arson against mosques;\ 
3\ shootings at synagogues,\4\ Sikh temples,\5\ and 
churches;\6\ and vandalism targeting catholic churches,\7\ 
Mosques,\ 8\ and Jewish institutions.\9\ In 2020 alone, the 
number of hate crimes in the United States rose to its highest 
level in 12 years,\10\ including more than 1,170 hate crimes 
categorized as anti-religious,\11\ marking the sixth year in 
the last seven that the number of hate crimes increased against 
the preceding year.\12\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\Department of Homeland Security, Cybersecurity and 
Infrastructure Security Agency, Mitigating Attacks on Houses of Worship 
Security Guide, at 5, 13 (Dec. 2020).
    \2\See id. at 23.
    \3\See American Civil Liberties Union, Nationwide Anti-Mosque 
Activity (May 2021) (https://www.aclu.org/issues/national-security/
discriminatory-profiling/nationwide-anti-mosque-activity) (hereinafter 
``Nationwide Anti-Mosque Activity'').
    \4\11 Killed in Synagogue Massacre; Suspect Charged With 29 Counts, 
New York Times (Oct. 27, 2018) (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/27/us/
active-shooter-pittsburgh-synagogue-shooting.html).
    \5\Gunman Kills 6 at a Sikh Temple Near Milwaukee, New York Times 
(Aug. 5, 2012) (https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/06/us/shooting-
reported-at-temple-in-wisconsin.html).
    \6\Nine Killed in Shooting at Black Church in Charleston, New York 
Times (June 17, 2015) (https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/18/us/church-
attacked-in-charleston-south-carolina.html).
    \7\Desecration of Catholic Churches Across U.S. Leaves 
Congregations Shaken, Wall Street Journal (July 22, 2020) (https://
www.wsj.com/articles/desecration-of-catholic-churches-across-u-s-
leaves-congregations-shaken-11595451973).
    \8\See Nationwide Anti-Mosque Activity, supra note 3.
    \9\Anti-Defamation League, Audit of Antisemitic Incidents: Year in 
Review 2020 (April 27, 2021) (https://www.adl.org/media/16191/
download).
    \10\Hate Crimes Rise to Highest Level in 12 Years amid Increasing 
Attacks on Blacks, Asians, FBI Says, Washington Post (Aug. 30, 2021) 
(https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/hate-crimes-fbi-2020-
asian-black/2021/08/30/28bede00-09a7-11ec-9781-07796ffb56fe_story.html) 
(hereinafter ``Hate Crimes Rise'').
    \11\See Federal Bureau of Investigation, Crime Data Explorer 
(accessed Oct. 6, 2021) (https://crime-data-explorer.fr.cloud.gov/
pages/explorer/crime/hate-crime).
    \12\See Hate Crimes Rise, supra note 10.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    In response to the growing, violent threat against 
religious institutions, the Homeland Security Advisory Council 
(HSAC) issued a report, Preventing Targeted Violence Against 
Faith-Based Communities, in December 2019.\13\ The report 
addressed the lack of consistent, clear, and centralized 
information regarding training, grants, and security best 
practices for faith-based communities.\14\ Additionally, 
findings revealed that faith-based organizations and houses of 
worship do not have a central point of contact at DHS, which 
harms coordination efforts and increases confusion among faith-
based communities.\15\ In fact, HSAC expressed that the need 
for a central point of contact at DHS was the ``single most 
important recommendation,'' made in the report.\16\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \13\Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Advisory 
Council, Preventing Targeted Violence Against Faith-Based Communities 
(Dec. 17, 2019).
    \14\See id. at 8.
    \15\See id. at 12.
    \16\See id. at 12.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The Pray Safe Act helps to address this alarming trend by 
better connecting houses of worship and religious institutions 
with resources to protect their communities. It creates a 
Clearinghouse at DHS for safety and security best practices for 
faith-based institutions and houses of worship. The bill 
requires the Secretary of DHS to work with the Attorney 
General, the Executive Director of the White House Office of 
Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, and other agencies 
to identify and make available evidence-based practices that 
demonstrate a significant effect on improving the safety and 
security of faith-based organizations and houses of worship. 
The bill also requires the Secretary to publish materials to 
help with training and implementation of those best practices 
and recommendations.
    The bill further requires the Clearinghouse to be the 
primary location for all information regarding DHS grant 
programs that are available for faith-based organizations and 
houses of worship, including direct links and user guides for 
each grant program application. The Pray Safe Act requires a 
specific individual to be listed on the Clearinghouse website 
that can provide additional support regarding available 
resources. Finally, the bill requires DHS to submit an annual 
report to Congress about the updates made to the Clearinghouse 
during the preceding one-year period.

                        III. Legislative History

    Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Margaret Hassan (D-NH) 
introduced S. 2123, the Pray Safe Act, on June 17, 2021. The 
bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security 
and Governmental Affairs. Senators Johnson (R-WI), Rosen (D-
NV), and Peters (D-MI) later joined as cosponsors on June 21, 
2021.
    The Committee considered S. 2123 at a business meeting on 
July 14, 2021. During the business meeting, Senator Lankford 
offered an amendment that broadened the definition of ``faith-
based organization'' so that organizations who might not be 
explicitly or knowingly ``at risk'' can still access and find 
applicable resources. The amendment was adopted en bloc by 
voice vote with Senators Peters, Hassan, Rosen, Padilla, 
Ossoff, Portman, Johnson, Lankford, Romney, Scott, and Hawley 
present for the vote. Senator Hawley offered an amendment, as 
modified, that added the definition of ``safety and security'' 
to the section of the bill that establishes the Federal 
Clearinghouse. The amendment, as modified, was adopted en bloc 
by voice vote with Senators Peters, Hassan, Rosen, Padilla, 
Ossoff, Portman, Johnson, Lankford, Romney, Scott, and Hawley 
present for the vote.
    The Committee ordered the bill, as amended, to be favorably 
reported by voice vote en bloc. Senators present for the vote 
on the bill were: Peters, Hassan, Rosen, Padilla, Ossoff, 
Portman, Johnson, Lankford, Romney, Scott, and Hawley. 
Consistent with Committee Rule 11, the Committee reports the 
bill with a technical amendment by mutual agreement of the 
Chairman and Ranking Member.

        IV. Section-by-Section Analysis of the Bill, as Reported


Section 1. Short title

    This section designates the name of the bill as the ``Pray 
Safe Act.''

Section 2. Definitions

    This section defines the terms ``Clearinghouse,'' 
``Department,'' ``faith-based organization,'' ``house of 
worship,'' and ``Secretary.''

Section 3. Federal Clearinghouse on Safety and Security Best Practices 
        for Faith-Based Organizations and Houses of Worship

    Subsection (a) amends Subtitle A of title XXII of the 
Homeland Security Act of 2002 by adding a new section 2220A 
titled ``Federal Clearinghouse on Safety and Security Best 
Practices for Faith-Based Organizations and Houses of 
Worship.''
    Section 2220A, subsection (a) defines the terms 
``Clearinghouse,'' ``faith-based organization,'' ``house of 
worship,'' and ``safety and security.''
    Section 2220A, subsection (b) establishes the Federal 
Clearinghouse on Safety and Security Best Practices for Faith-
Based Organizations and Houses of Worship not later than 270 
days after the enactment of the bill, in consultation with the 
Attorney General, the Executive Director of the White House 
Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, and the 
head of any other agency that the DHS Secretary deems 
appropriate. This subsection also establishes the purpose of 
the Clearinghouse; the personnel and resources needed to 
operate the Clearinghouse, including detailees; a designated 
point of contact to provide information and assistance to 
faith-based organizations and houses of worship; and the 
qualifications for personnel assigned or detailed to the 
Clearinghouse.
    Section 2220A, subsection (c) provides that the Secretary 
of DHS, in consultation with other entities, shall develop 
tiers for determining evidence-based safety and security 
practices for faith-based organizations and houses of worship. 
The subsection establishes requirements for the development of 
these tiers and criteria for best practices and recommendations 
developed by the Clearinghouse. The subsection requires the 
Clearinghouse to maintain and make available a comprehensive 
index of all federal grant programs for which faith-based 
institutions and houses of worship are eligible, including the 
performance metrics that prospective grant recipients will be 
required to provide. The subsection also requires the 
Clearinghouse to identify and present best practices and 
recommendations previously issued by federal, state, local, 
tribal, territorial, private sector, and nongovernmental 
organizations relevant to the safety and security of faith-
based organizations and houses of worship.
    Section 2220A, subsection (d) authorizes the DHS Secretary 
to produce and publish materials on the Clearinghouse website 
to assist and train faith-based organizations, houses of 
worship, and law enforcement agencies on the implementation of 
the safety and security best practices and recommendations 
detailed by the Clearinghouse.
    Section 2220A, subsection (e) requires the DHS Secretary, 
for the purpose of continuous improvement of the Clearinghouse, 
to collect: Clearinghouse data analytics; user feedback on the 
implementation of resources, best practices, and 
recommendations identified by the Clearinghouse; and any 
evaluations conducted on implementation of the best practices 
and recommendations of the Clearinghouse.
    This subsection also requires the DHS Secretary, in 
coordination with other entities, to: assess and identify 
Clearinghouse best practices and recommendations for which 
there are no resources available through federal government 
programs for implementation; provide feedback on the 
implementation of best practices and recommendations of the 
Clearinghouse; propose additional recommendations for best 
practices for inclusion in the Clearinghouse; and, at least 
annually, update the Clearinghouse with the information and 
recommendations collected under this subsection. The subsection 
further requires the DHS Secretary to submit an annual report 
to Congress on the updates and changes made to the 
Clearinghouse during the preceding 1-year period.
    Subsection (b) makes a technical amendment to the table of 
contents of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 by adding the 
newly established section 2220A.

Section 4. Notification of Clearinghouse

    This section requires the DHS Secretary to provide a 
written notification of the establishment of the Clearinghouse 
and an overview of the resources required as described in 
sections (3) and (5) of this bill to: state homeland security 
advisors; state departments of homeland security; other federal 
agencies with grant programs or initiatives that aid in the 
safety and security of faith-based organization and houses of 
worship, as determined appropriate by the Secretary; the FBI 
Joint Terrorism Task Force; Homeland Security Fusion Centers; 
state and territorial governors or other chief executives; the 
Senate Committees on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 
and the Judiciary; and the House Committees on Homeland 
Security and the Judiciary.

Section 5. Grant program overview

    Subsection (a) requires the DHS Secretary to include a 
grant program overview on the Clearinghouse website. The grant 
program overview is required to be the primary location for all 
information regarding DHS grant programs that are open to 
faith-based organizations and houses of worship, and to provide 
a direct link to each grant application and any applicable user 
guides. It will also: identify all safety and security homeland 
security assistance programs managed by DHS that may be used to 
implement best practices and recommendations of the 
Clearinghouse; aid smaller organizations by providing annual 
information on certain federal grant application processes; and 
provide answers to frequently asked questions about the 
implementation of best practices and recommendations of the 
Clearinghouse.
    Subsection (b) requires each federal agency notified under 
section 4(3) to provide to the DHS Secretary or appropriate 
point of contact for the Clearinghouse necessary information on 
any federal grant programs or resources provided by that agency 
that are available for faith-based organizations and houses of 
worship.
    Subsection (c), paragraph (1) permits states notified under 
paragraphs (1), (2), or (6) of section 4 to provide necessary 
information on any state grant programs or resources available 
for faith-based organizations and houses of worship to the DHS 
Secretary or the appropriate point of contact for the 
Clearinghouse. Paragraph (2) requires the Clearinghouse, to the 
extent practicable, to identify resources available for each 
state, including agencies responsible for safety for faith-
based organizations and houses of worship, and identify any 
state that does not have a designated agency. It also requires 
the Clearinghouse to identify, for each state, any grant 
program that may be used to implement the Clearinghouse's best 
practices and recommendations and any resources that may be 
used to assist in targeted violence and terrorism prevention.

Section 6. Other resources

    This section requires the Secretary to include a separate 
section on the Clearinghouse website for other resources in 
order to provide a centralized list of all available points of 
contact to seek assistance in grant applications and in 
carrying out the best practices and recommendations of the 
Clearinghouse. This list will include contact information for 
relevant DHS, CISA, and Department Fusion Center personnel, as 
well as ``If you See Something, Say Something'' campaign 
information and any other appropriate contacts.

Section 7. Rule of construction

    This section provides that nothing in this bill, including 
the amendments it makes, shall be construed to create, satisfy, 
or waive any requirement under federal civil rights laws, 
including title II of the Americans With Disabilities Act of 
1990 (42 U.S.C. 12131 et seq.) or title VI of the Civil Rights 
Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.).

Section 8. Exemption

    This section provides that chapter 35 of title 44, United 
States Code (commonly known as the ``Paperwork Reduction Act'') 
shall not apply to any rulemaking or information collection 
required under this bill or under section 2220A of the Homeland 
Security Act of 2002, as added by section 3 of this bill.

Section 9. Technical corrections

    This section makes technical corrections to the Homeland 
Security Act of 2002 and the DOTGOV Act of 2020 (title IX of 
division U of Public Law 116-260).\17\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \17\The technical corrections set forth in section 9 of the bill 
were incorporated in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2022 (Pub. L. 117-81, Sec. 1547(b)(1)), which became law before 
this bill was reported out of committee. These amendments are now moot 
and are not reflected in Section VII of this report.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

                   V. Evaluation of Regulatory Impact

    Pursuant to the requirements of paragraph 11(b) of rule 
XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee has 
considered the regulatory impact of this bill and determined 
that the bill will have no regulatory impact within the meaning 
of the rules. The Committee agrees with the Congressional 
Budget Office's statement that the bill contains no 
intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the 
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) and would impose no costs 
on state, local, or tribal governments.

             VI. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                Washington, DC, September 17, 2021.
Hon. Gary Peters,
Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, U.S. 
        Senate, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 2123, the Pray Safe 
Act.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Lindsay 
Wylie.
            Sincerely,
                                         Phillip L. Swagel,
                                                          Director.
    Enclosure.

    		[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
    

    S. 2123 would require the Department of Homeland Security 
(DHS) to publish information regarding the safety and security 
of faith-based organizations and houses of worship, including 
best practices for those entities and information on relevant 
federal and state grant programs. The bill would require DHS to 
establish and administer a website as the primary federal 
source for that information within nine months of enactment. 
The agency also would be required to designate at least one 
employee to assist website users and report to the Congress 
annually on the bill's implementation.
    Using information from DHS about similar programs, CBO 
estimates that implementing the bill would cost about $2 
million in 2022 and $1 million each year thereafter, for a 
total of $6 million over the 2022-2026 period; such spending 
would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds. 
That estimate includes the cost of about 10 employees who would 
establish the site and compile information required in the bill 
and about five employees who would update the site annually, 
assist users, and report to the Congress.
    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Lindsay Wylie. 
The estimate was reviewed by Leo Lex, Deputy Director of Budget 
Analysis.

       VII. Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported

    In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by 
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows: (existing law 
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in brackets, new matter is 
printed in italic, and existing law in which no change is 
proposed is shown in roman):

                     HOMELAND SECURITY ACT OF 2002

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Homeland 
Security Act of 2002''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act 
is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
     * * * * * * *

      TITLE XXII--CYBERSECURITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE SECURITY AGENCY

          Subtitle A--Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security

     * * * * * * *
Sec. 2220A. Federal Clearinghouse on Safety Best Practices for Faith-
          Based Organizations and Houses of Worship.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


      TITLE XXII--CYBERSECURITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE SECURITY AGENCY

SUBTITLE A--CYBERSECURITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE SECURITY

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SEC. 2220A. FEDERAL CLEARINGHOUSE ON SAFETY AND SECURITY BEST PRACTICES 
                    FOR FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND HOUSES OF 
                    WORSHIP.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section--
          (1) the term `Clearinghouse' means the Clearinghouse 
        on Safety and Security Best Practices for Faith-Based 
        Organizations and Houses of Worship established under 
        subsection (b)(1);
          (2) the term `faith-based organization' means a 
        group, center, or nongovernmental organization with a 
        religious, ideological, or spiritual motivation, 
        character, affiliation, or purpose;
          (3) the term `house of worship' means a place or 
        building, including synagogues, mosques, temples, and 
        churches, in which congregants practice their religious 
        or spiritual beliefs; and
          (4) the term `safety and security', for the purpose 
        of the Clearinghouse, means prevention of, protection 
        against, or recovery from threats, including manmade 
        disasters, natural disasters, or violent attacks.
    (b) Establishment.--
          (1) In general.--Not later than 270 days after the 
        date of enactment of the Pray Safe Act, the Secretary, 
        in consultation with the Attorney General, the 
        Executive Director of the White House Office of Faith-
        Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, and the head of 
        any other agency that the Secretary determines 
        appropriate, shall establish a Federal Clearinghouse on 
        Safety and Security Best Practices for Faith-Based 
        Organizations and Houses of Worship within the 
        Department.
          (2) Purpose.--The Clearinghouse shall be the primary 
        resource of the Federal Government--
                  (A) to educate and publish online best 
                practices and recommendations for safety and 
                security for faith-based organizations and 
                houses of worship; and
                  (B) to provide information relating to 
                Federal grant programs available to faith-based 
                organizations and houses of worship.
          (3) Personnel.--
                  (A) Assignments.--The Clearinghouse shall be 
                assigned such personnel and resources as the 
                Secretary considers appropriate to carry out 
                this section.
                  (B) Detailees.--The Secretary may coordinate 
                detailees as required for the Clearinghouse.
                  (C) Designated point of contact.--There shall 
                be not less than 1 employee assigned or 
                detailed to the Clearinghouse who shall be the 
                designated point of contact to provide 
                information and assistance to faith-based 
                organizations and houses of worship, including 
                assistance relating to the grant program 
                established under section 5 of the Pray Safe 
                Act. The contact information of the designated 
                point of contact shall be made available on the 
                website of the Clearinghouse.
                  (D) Qualification.--To the maximum extent 
                possible, any personnel assigned or detailed to 
                the Clearinghouse under this paragraph should 
                be familiar with faith-based organizations and 
                houses of worship and with physical and online 
                security measures to identify and prevent 
                safety and security risks.
    (c) Clearinghouse Contents.--
          (1) Evidence-based tiers.--
                  (A) In general.--The Secretary, in 
                consultation with the Attorney General, the 
                Executive Director of the White House Office of 
                Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, and 
                the head of any other agency that the Secretary 
                determines appropriate, shall develop tiers for 
                determining evidence-based practices that 
                demonstrate a significant effect on improving 
                safety or security, or both, for faith-based 
                organizations and houses of worship.
                  (B) Requirements.--The tiers required to be 
                developed under subparagraph (A) shall--
                          (i) prioritize--
                                  (I) strong evidence from not 
                                less than 1 well-designed and 
                                well-implemented experimental 
                                study; and
                                  (II) moderate evidence from 
                                not less than 1 well-designed 
                                and well-implemented quasi-
                                experimental study; and
                          (ii) consider promising evidence that 
                        demonstrates a rationale based on high-
                        quality research findings or positive 
                        evaluations that such activity, 
                        strategy, or intervention is likely to 
                        improve security and promote safety for 
                        faith-based organizations and houses of 
                        worship.
          (2) Criteria for best practices and 
        recommendations.--The best practices and 
        recommendations of the Clearinghouse shall, at a 
        minimum--
                  (A) identify areas of concern for faith-based 
                organizations and houses of worship, including 
                event planning recommendations, checklists, 
                facility hardening, tabletop exercise 
                resources, and other resilience measures;
                  (B) involve comprehensive safety measures, 
                including threat prevention, preparedness, 
                protection, mitigation, incident response, and 
                recovery to improve the safety posture of 
                faith-based organizations and houses of worship 
                upon implementation;
                  (C) involve comprehensive safety measures, 
                including preparedness, protection, mitigation, 
                incident response, and recovery to improve the 
                resiliency of faith-based organizations and 
                houses of worship from manmade and natural 
                disasters;
                  (D) include any evidence or research 
                rationale supporting the determination of the 
                Clearinghouse that the best practices or 
                recommendations under subparagraph (B) has have 
                been shown to have a significant effect on 
                improving the safety and security of 
                individuals in faith-based organizations and 
                houses of worship, including--
                          (i) findings and data from previous 
                        Federal, State, local, Tribal, 
                        territorial, private sector, and 
                        nongovernmental organization research 
                        centers relating to safety, security, 
                        and targeted violence at faith-based 
                        organizations and houses of worship; 
                        and
                          (ii) other supportive evidence or 
                        findings relied upon by the 
                        Clearinghouse in determining best 
                        practices and recommendations to 
                        improve the safety and security posture 
                        of a faith-based organization or house 
                        of worship upon implementation; and
                  (E) include an overview of the available 
                resources the Clearinghouse can provide for 
                faith-based organizations and houses of 
                worship.
          (3) Additional information.--The Clearinghouse shall 
        maintain and make available a comprehensive index of 
        all Federal grant programs for which faith-based 
        organizations and houses of worship are eligible, which 
        shall include the performance metrics for each grant 
        management that the recipient will be required to 
        provide.
          (4) Past recommendations.--To the greatest extent 
        practicable, the Clearinghouse shall identify and 
        present, as appropriate, best practices and 
        recommendations issued by Federal, State, local, 
        Tribal, territorial, private sector, and 
        nongovernmental organizations relevant to the safety 
        and security of faith-based organizations and houses of 
        worship.
    (d) Assistance and Training.--The Secretary may produce and 
publish materials on the Clearinghouse to assist and train 
faith-based organizations, houses of worship, and law 
enforcement agencies on the implementation of the best 
practices and recommendations.
    (e) Continuous Improvement.--
          (1) In general.--The Secretary shall--
                  (A) collect for the purpose of continuous 
                improvement of the Clearinghouse--
                          (i) Clearinghouse data analytics;
                          (ii) user feedback on the 
                        implementation of resources, best 
                        practices, and recommendations 
                        identified by the Clearinghouse; and
                          (iii) any evaluations conducted on 
                        implementation of the best practices 
                        and recommendations of the 
                        Clearinghouse; and
                  (B) in coordination with the Faith-Based 
                Security Advisory Council of the Department, 
                the Department of Justice, the Executive 
                Director of the White House Office of Faith-
                Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, and any 
                other agency that the Secretary determines 
                appropriate--
                          (i) assess and identify Clearinghouse 
                        best practices and recommendations for 
                        which there are no resources available 
                        through Federal Government programs for 
                        implementation;
                          (ii) provide feedback on the 
                        implementation of best practices and 
                        recommendations of the Clearinghouse; 
                        and
                          (iii) propose additional 
                        recommendations for best practices for 
                        inclusion in the Clearinghouse; and
                  (C) not less frequently than annually, 
                examine and update the Clearinghouse in 
                accordance with--
                          (i) the information collected under 
                        subparagraph (A); and
                          (ii) the recommendations proposed 
                        under subparagraph (B)(iii).
          (2) Annual report to congress.--The Secretary shall 
        submit to Congress, on an annual basis, a report on the 
        updates made to the Clearinghouse during the preceding 
        1-year period under paragraph (1)(C), which shall 
        include a description of any changes made to the 
        Clearinghouse.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


                                  [all]