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H.R. 940: SCOUTS Act

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H.R. 940: SCOUTS Act

115th Congress · introduced 2017-02-07 · Emergency Management · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2017-02-07 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Jackson Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

SCOUTS Act

Plain summary

Securing Communications of Utilities from Terrorist Threats or the SCOUTS Act This bill authorizes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to work with critical infrastructure owners and operators and state, local, tribal, and territorial entities to seek voluntary participation of sector-specific agencies to determine how DHS can best serve cybersecurity needs to manage risk and strengthen the security and resilience of the nation's critical infrastructure against terrorist attacks. A "sector-specific agency" is a federal agency designated as such by Presidential Policy Directive 21 relating to critical infrastructure security and resilience. DHS: (1) shall seek to reduce vulnerabilities, minimize consequences, identify and disrupt terrorism threats, and hasten response and recovery efforts related to impacted critical infrastructures; (2) may investigate the best means for engaging sector-specific agencies in a voluntary cybersecurity information sharing, emergency support, and emerging threat awareness program; and (3) shall establish voluntary opportunities for such agencies and critical infrastructure owners and operators to inform DHS of sector-specific challenges to cybersecurity. DHS shall: (1) establish terrorism prevention policy to engage with international partners to strengthen the security and resilience of domestic critical infrastructure and critical infrastructure located outside of the United States or in its territorial waters, and (2) facilitate the timely exchange of terrorism threat and vulnerability information as well as information that allows for the development of a situational awareness capability for federal civilian agencies during terrorist incidents. DHS shall implement an integration and analysis function for critical infrastructure that includes: (1) operational and strategic analysis on terrorism incidents, threats, and emerging risks; and (2) integration of data sharing capabilities with Fusion Centers.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

SCOUTS Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Jackson Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Securities
Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong115-hr940 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115