Committee Advances Multiple Bipartisan Hassan Bills, Including Bill to Strengthen Security at the Northern Border

WASHINGTON – The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted yesterday to advance multiple bipartisan bills introduced and led by U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH), including a bill to strengthen security at the Northern Border, a bill to improve the federal response to terrorist acts, and a bill to reduce government waste.

“Our government’s number one job is to keep people safe. The bipartisan bills that advanced yesterday represent commonsense ways that Congress can protect our national security and safeguard taxpayer dollars,” said Senator Hassan. “I will continue to stand up for Granite Staters and measures that keep our country safe, secure, and free.”

Measures that advanced from the Homeland Security Committee included:

• The Northern Border Security Enhancement and Review Act, introduced by Senators Hassan and Cramer (R-ND), which requires the Department of Homeland Security to regularly complete a new Northern Border Threat Analysis and update its Northern Border Strategy
• The Reporting Efficiently to Proper Officials in Response to Terrorism (REPORT) Act, introduced by Senators Hassan and Lee (R-UT), which requires executive branch agencies to provide a report to Congress within a year of concluding a terrorist attack investigation, including any recommendations to improve national security and prevent any future attacks
• The Billion Dollar Boondoggle Act, led by Senators Ernst (R-IA) and Hassan, which requires federal agencies to publicly report on projects that are more than five years behind schedule or cost more than $1 billion over their original estimate
• The Disclosing Foreign Influence in Lobbying Act, introduced by Senators Grassley (R-IA) and Peters (D-MI) and co-sponsored by Senator Hassan, which closes a loophole that foreign governments, including the Chinese government, have used to conceal their role in lobbying efforts
• The Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act, introduced by Senators Kennedy (R-LA) and Peters (D-MI) and co-sponsored by Senator Hassan, which requires agencies to share death certificate information across the federal government to help prevent Social Security and other payments from going to people who have passed away

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