Strengthening State and Local Efforts to Counter Transnational Repression Act

Last action on Apr 9, 2025Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.

Summary

H.R. 2139 would amend the Homeland Security Act to require the Department of Homeland Security to strengthen state and local law enforcement capabilities in combating transnational repression. Transnational repression occurs when foreign governments or their agents use coercion, harassment, threats, or violence against people in the United States to silence political dissidents, journalists, and activists or to prevent them from exercising constitutional rights.

If enacted, the bill would require DHS to establish a specialized training program for state, local, tribal, campus, and territorial law enforcement officers to identify and counter transnational repression threats. The bill also directs DHS to conduct research and development on technology to enhance law enforcement participation in training and to share information on methods for identifying victims and perpetrators of such threats. The Government Accountability Office would be required to report to Congress within two years on how the bill is being implemented.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill would cost approximately $6 million over the 2025-2030 period. The bill has passed committee review and is now eligible for a full House floor vote.

Lifecycle of the Bill

Referred to the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence.

Mar 14, 2025

Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

Mar 25, 2025

Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.

Mar 25, 2025

HearingHouseMarkup

Mar 25, 2025 · 18:00

H.R. 1327, (Mr. Luttrell) the “Syria Terrorism Threat Assessment Act”; H.R. 1508, (Ms. Titus) the “DHS Special Events Program and Support Act”; H.R. 1736, (Mr. Pfluger) the “Generative AI Terrorism Risk Assessment Act”; H.R. 2116, (Mr. Evans of CO) the “Law Enforcement Support and Counter Transnational Repression Act”; H.R. 2139, (Mr. Magaziner) the “Strengthening State and Local Efforts to Counter Transnational Repression Act”; H.R. 2158, (Mr. Pfluger) the “Countering Transnational Repression Act of 2025”; H.R. 2212, (Mr. Mackenzie) the “DHS Intelligence Rotational Assignment Program and Law Enforcement Support Act”; H.R. 2259, (Mr. Tony Gonzales of TX) the “National Strategy for School Security Act of 2025”; H.R. 2261, (Mr. Hernández) the “Strengthening Oversight of DHS Intelligence Act"; and H.R. 2285, (Ms. Pou) the “DHS Basic Training Accreditation Improvement Act of 2025”

Committee

Counterterrorism and Intelligence

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Summary

On March 25, 2025, the House Counterterrorism and Intelligence Subcommittee held a markup hearing to consider ten bills addressing various homeland security and counterterrorism issues. The bills examined included measures to improve DHS basic training program accreditation, authorize DHS security assessments for special events, assess terrorism threats from generative AI, develop a national school security strategy, counter transnational repression, support law enforcement efforts, strengthen state and local counterterrorism capabilities, establish DHS intelligence programs, and improve DHS oversight. The bills represent bipartisan efforts to enhance federal, state, and local coordination on terrorism prevention and security matters. The legislation examined reflects congressional focus on modernizing DHS capabilities and improving coordination across government levels. Several bills address emerging threats, including the use of generative AI by terrorist organizations and transnational repression by foreign governments targeting Americans. Other measures aim to strengthen existing programs through better training standards, reporting requirements, and interagency coordination. The bills generally propose establishing new working groups, requiring periodic assessments and reports to Congress, and supporting research and development of technologies to enhance security operations. Following the markup hearing, the bills were advanced for further consideration. Several bills subsequently passed out of committee and advanced in the legislative process, though passage of a bill out of committee does not guarantee it will become law. The bills must still be considered by the full House and, if passed, would require Senate approval and presidential signature to become law.

Video

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

Apr 9, 2025

Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.

Apr 9, 2025

HearingHouseMarkup

Apr 9, 2025 · 14:00

H.R. 275, (Ms. Greene of Georgia) the “Special Interest Alien Reporting Act of 2024”; H.R. 820, (Mr. Swalwell) the “Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening Enhancement Act”; H.R. 881, (Mr. Pfluger) the “DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act”; H.R. 1327, (Mr. Luttrell) the “Syria Terrorism Threat Assessment Act”; H.R. 1508, (Ms. Titus) the “DHS Special Events Program and Support Act”; H.R. 1569, (Mr. Higgins of Louisiana) the “Contraband Awareness Technology Catches Harmful Fentanyl Act” or the “CATCH Fentanyl Act”; H.R. 1608, (Mr. Gimenez) the “Department of Homeland Security Vehicular Terrorism Prevention and Mitigation Act of 2025”; H.R. 2116, (Mr. Evans of Colorado) the “Law Enforcement Support and Counter Transnational Repression Act”; H.R. 2139, (Mr. Magaziner) the “Strengthening State and Local Efforts to Counter Transnational Repression Act”; H.R. 2158, (Mr. Pfluger) the “Countering Transnational Repression Act of 2025”; H.R. 2285, (Ms. Pou) the “DHS Basic Training Accreditation Improvement Act of 2025”; and, H.R. 2659, (Mr. Ogles) the “Strengthening Cyber Resilience Against State-Sponsored Threats Act”

Committee

House Committee on Homeland Security

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Summary

On April 09, 2025, the House Committee on Homeland Security held a legislative hearing to examine a diverse slate of twelve bills aimed at strengthening national security and departmental operations. The legislative package covers a broad range of issues, including H.R. 275, which focuses on reporting requirements for special interest aliens, and H.R. 1569, the CATCH Fentanyl Act, which seeks to improve contraband awareness technology. Other significant measures include H.R. 881, regarding restrictions on Chinese entities of concern, and a trio of bills (H.R. 2116, H.R. 2139, and H.R. 2158) designed to counter transnational repression by foreign actors against individuals within the United States. The committee also reviewed legislation intended to enhance public safety and infrastructure, such as H.R. 1608 for vehicular terrorism prevention and H.R. 2659 for cyber resilience against state-sponsored threats. Additionally, the hearing addressed administrative and humanitarian concerns through H.R. 820, which focuses on breastfeeding equipment screening, and H.R. 2285, which aims to improve accreditation for Department of Homeland Security basic training programs. These bills collectively represent an effort to modernize the department's response to both physical and digital threats while refining internal protocols. As a legislative hearing, this session served as a formal venue for committee members to discuss the merits and potential impacts of each proposal. While no witnesses were listed for this specific session, the committee typically uses such meetings to determine which bills warrant further consideration or amendment. This hearing is a preliminary step in the legislative process; it does not guarantee that any of the bills will be reported out of committee or receive a vote on the House floor.

Strengthening State and Local Efforts to Counter Transnational Repression Act

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House Committee on Homeland Security

House Committee on the Judiciary

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Strengthening State and Local Efforts to Counter Transnational Repression Act

Summary

Lifecycle of the Bill

Committee

Summary

Video

Committee

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Lifecycle of the Bill

Committee

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Committee

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Bill Information

Sponsors & Co-sponsors (7)

Cosponsors (6)

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Legislative Subjects (6)

Committees (2)

House Committee on Homeland Security

House Committee on the Judiciary

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