govt.fyi
US Congress · H.R. 901 · Passed the House

Research Security and Accountability in DHS Act

Introduced
Moved
Reached a final decision
Introduced 2025-01-31
Derived from the official record below.

Officially: “Research Security and Accountability in DHS Act Read the full text

Science, Technology, Communications

What it does

Research Security and Accountability in DHS Act This bill requires the Science and Technology Directorate in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop a department-wide policy for safeguarding research and development from unauthorized access or disclosures of sensitive information in related acquisitions. Additionally, the Government Accountability Office must report on the compliance of DHS with a 2021 presidential memorandum and related guidance that required certain disclosures about government-funded research and development (e.g., conflicts of interest involving foreign govern
Summary by the Congressional Research Service, from the official record. Plain-language version below. Not legal advice.

Read it in plain language

AI plain language2 sections
Written by AI from the complete official bill text and independently fact-checked against it. Not legal advice.
1Short title

This section would give the Act the short title "Research Security and Accountability in DHS Act."

Show official text
Official text, verbatim from the record

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Research Security and Accountability in DHS Act .

2Safeguarding sensitive research in the Department of Homeland Security

This section would add a new duty for the Under Secretary of the Science and Technology Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security: developing, in coordination with appropriate agency officials, a Department-wide policy and process to safeguard research and development from unauthorized access to or disclosure of sensitive information in research and development acquisitions. Not later than one year after the Act is enacted, this section would require the Comptroller General of the United States to submit a report to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate on how the Department of Homeland Security has complied with National Security Presidential Memorandum-33 (NSPM-33) and adopted the National Science and Technology Council's 2022 implementation guidance. That report would have to address how the Department has complied with NSPM-33's disclosure requirements and how violations are reported to relevant executive agencies, including agencies in the intelligence community as defined in section 3(4) of the National Security Act of 1947; how the Department coordinates and complies with research security guidelines set by the National Science Foundation, the National Science and Technology Council, the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and other executive agencies; and the role of the Science and Technology Directorate in establishing a research security framework for research and development projects across the Department. Not later than 90 days after the Act is enacted, this section would also require the Secretary of Homeland Security to give the same two committees a briefing on the development of policies and processes to safeguard the Department's research and development under the new duty described above.

Show official text
Official text, verbatim from the record

2. Safeguarding sensitive research in the Department of Homeland Security (a) In general Section 302 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 ( 6 U.S.C. 182 ) is amended— (1) in paragraph (13), by striking and after the semicolon; (2) in paragraph (14), by striking the period and inserting ; and ; and (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (15) developing, in coordination with appropriate agency officials, a Department-wide policy and process to safeguard research and development from unauthorized access to or disclosure of sensitive information in research and development acquisitions. . (b) GAO report (1) In general Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report on how the Department of Homeland Security has complied with National Security Presidential Memorandum–33 (NSPM–33) and adopted the National Science and Technology Council’s 2022 implementation guidance. (2) Elements The report required under paragraph (1) shall address the following: (A) How the Department of Homeland Security has complied with disclosure requirements outlined in NSPM–33, and how violations are reported to the relevant executive agencies, including in the intelligence community (as such term is defined in section 3(4) of the National Security Act of 1947 ( 50 U.S.C. 3003(4) ). (B) Coordination and compliance with guidelines established by the National Science Foundation, the National Science Technology Council, the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and other executive agencies regarding Federal research security. (C) The role of the Science and Technology Directorate of the Department regarding establishing a research security framework for research and development projects across the Department. (c) Congressional briefing Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a briefing addressing the development of policies and processes to safeguard Department of Homeland Security research and development in accordance with paragraph (15) of section 302 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 ( 6 U.S.C. 182 ), as added by subsection (a).

AI plain languageRead the whole bill in plain language, 2 sections

Where it is

Introduced · 2025-01-31

In the House.

Passed the House · 2025-03-10
Senate floor vote · next · the next step

Official documents

The on-site text is shown verbatim from the GovInfo publication, captured 2026-07-23. The same version at GovInfo.

The numbers

29%
of bills that passed one chamber became law in the 118th Congress, 2023 to 2024 (n=939)
3
sponsors, out of 218 needed to pass
Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record. Last action: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. (2025-03-11).