Does the U.S. Need a National Strategy to Keep Terrorists from Traveling? (H.R. 4408)

What is H.R. 4408?

(Updated January 16, 2018)

This bill would require the President and Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop and implement a national strategy for keeping terrorists and foreign fighters from traveling.

The national strategy to combat terrorist travel include:

• An account of all federal programs, projects, and activities to constrain domestic and international travel by terrorists and foreign fighters;

• Specific security vulnerabilities within the U.S. and abroad that can be exploited by terrorists and foreign fighters;

• Goals for closing those security vulnerabilities and improving the federal government’s ability to prevent terrorists from traveling and descriptions of the actions needed to achieve them.

For each component of the national strategy, the President and DHS would have to come up with an implementation plan in collaboration with other agencies. They would also be responsible for giving annual updates on the national strategy — until that requirement expires seven years after this bill’s enactment.

The strategy would be reported to relevant Congressional committees within 180 days of this legislation’s enactment.

Argument in favor

There is an urgent need for a comprehensive plan to prevent foreign fighters and terrorists from traveling. The Dept. of Homeland Security needs to ensure that its resources are being used as efficiently as possible.

Argument opposed

The current efforts of Homeland Security and other federal agencies to prevent terrorists from traveling are sufficient. Security forces should be enforcing existing regulations, not messing around with reports.

Impact

Airline and airport employees, U.S. public safety; people who travel frequently in and out of the U.S.; people who fit the description for foreign fighters and terrorists; relevant Congressional committees; DHS and other relevant federal agencies; and the President.

Cost of H.R. 4408

A CBO cost estimate found that implementing this bill would cost less than $500,000 every year.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Sponsoring Rep. John Katko (R-NY) introduced this legislation to correct deficiencies that were uncovered by the Task Force on Combating Terrorist and Foreign Fighter Travel:

“Our Task Force found that our country lacks a comprehensive plan to address foreign fighter travel and to combat the surging threat of ISIS. It is clear that we must do more to protect Americans both at home and abroad. The pieces of legislation that I introduced today take important steps towards the development of a national strategy to address this threat, as well as to ensure that our government agencies collaborate to fight terrorism.”

This legislation was passed by the House Homeland Security Committee on a voice vote, and it currently has the support of nine cosponsors in the House, including four Democrats and five Republicans.

Media:

• Sponsoring Rep. John Katko (R-NY) Press Release
• CBO Cost Estimate
• Auburn Citizen
• Syracuse