Homeland Security Committee debates bill on denying foreign fighters entry into US

The U.S. House Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday marked up a bill that requires a stress test of various U.S. government protection and prevention programs against potential terrorist attacks.

The Terrorist and Foreign Fighter Travel Exercise Act of 2017 was introduced by U.S. Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ) last week for committee consideration.

The bill specifically intends to enhance domestic preparedness for a collective response to terrorism, promote the dissemination of homeland security information, and test the security posture of the United States and the Secretary of Homeland Security. To accomplish this, it requires the development of various exercises related to stopping terrorist and foreign fighter threats no later than one year after the bill’s enactment.

“It has been almost a decade since the last major test of our security systems aimed at preventing terrorism, and we must remain vigilant against threats to the homeland,” McSally said. “It is critical that we reexamine the infrastructure that we have in place to stop terrorist attacks and ensure their effectiveness.”

The committee also recently launched the Task Force on Denying Terrorists Entry into the United States, which examines all pathways by which extremists might infiltrate the country by identifying gaps in government information sharing and vetting procedures.