H.R. 4971

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4971 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4971

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to improve the accuracy of 
the Department of Homeland Security's terrorism screening information, 
and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

August 15, 2025

Mr. Thompson of Mississippi introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Homeland Security

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to improve the accuracy of 
the Department of Homeland Security's terrorism screening information, 
and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Terrorist Watchlist Data Accuracy 
and Transparency Act''.

SEC. 2. QUALITY ASSURANCE REVIEWS OF DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY 
NOMINATIONS TO THE TERRORIST WATCHLIST AND OTHER 
TERRORISM DATABASES.

(a) In General.--Subtitle A of title II of the Homeland Security 
Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 121 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
following new section:

``SEC. 210H. QUALITY ASSURANCE REVIEWS OF DEPARTMENTAL NOMINATIONS TO 
THE TERRORIST WATCHLIST AND OTHER TERRORISM DATABASES.

``(a) Quality Assurance Reviews.--
``(1) In general.--Prior to submission to the Federal 
Bureau of Investigation's Terrorist Screening Center and the 
National Counterterrorism Center of an initial Department 
nomination of an individual for inclusion in the terrorist 
watchlist, including subsets of such watchlist, such as the No 
Fly List, the Selectee List, and watchlist exceptions, or other 
terrorism databases, or successors of such watchlist or other 
terrorism databases, the Secretary shall conduct a quality 
assurance review of such initial nomination to determine if all 
information contained in such initial Department nomination is 
free from error.
``(2) Submission of review and determination.--The 
Secretary shall ensure that reviews and determinations under 
paragraph (1) are included in each initial Department 
nomination submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's 
Terrorist Screening Center and the National Counterterrorism 
Center.
``(b) Annual Audits of United States Persons Nominations.--Not 
later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this section and 
annually thereafter, the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary 
for Intelligence and Analysis, shall review, as of the date of each 
such review, all Department nominations of United States persons for 
inclusion in the terrorist watchlist, including subsets of such 
watchlist, such as the No Fly List, the Selectee List, and watchlist 
exceptions, or other terrorism databases, or successors of such 
watchlist or other terrorism databases, and determine the following for 
each such nomination:
``(1) If all information contained in each such Department 
nomination is free from error.
``(2) If each such Department nomination continues to 
satisfy the criteria specified in the Watchlisting Advisory 
Council's Watchlisting Guidance for such inclusion.
``(c) Random Audits.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this section and monthly thereafter, the Secretary, acting 
through the Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, shall 
establish a random audit program to periodically review, as of the date 
of each such review, all Department nominations of individuals for 
inclusion in the terrorist watchlist, including subsets of such 
watchlist, such as the No Fly List, the Selectee List, and watchlist 
exceptions, or other terrorism databases, or successors of such 
watchlist or other terrorism databases, and determine the following for 
each such Department nomination:
``(1) If all information contained in each such Department 
nomination is free from error.
``(2) If each such Department nomination continues to 
satisfy the criteria referred to in subsection (b)(2) for such 
inclusions.
``(d) Correcting or Retracting Records.--The Secretary, acting 
through the Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, shall notify 
the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Terrorist Screening Center and 
the National Counterterrorism Center not later than 24 hours after 
making a determination in the negative pursuant to subsection (b) or 
(c), as the case may be, with respect to a Department nomination of an 
individual for inclusion in the terrorist watchlist, including subsets 
of such watchlist, such as the No Fly List, the Selectee List, and 
watchlist exceptions, or other terrorism databases, or successors of 
such watchlist or other terrorism databases, and include in any such 
notification a request, if appropriate, for an associated correction or 
retraction with respect to such inclusion.
``(e) Consultation With FBI and NCTC.--If the Secretary determines 
a correction or retraction, as appropriate and as the case may be, 
under subsection (d) with respect to the inclusion of an individual in 
the terrorist watchlist, including subsets of such watchlist, such as 
the No Fly List, the Selectee List, and watchlist exceptions, or other 
terrorism databases, or successors of such watchlist or other terrorism 
databases has not been effectuated by the date that is 30 days after a 
request relating thereto was made pursuant to such subsection, the 
Secretary shall promptly consult with the Director of the Federal 
Bureau of Investigation or the Director of the National 
Counterterrorism Center, as appropriate, regarding any decision or 
justification by either such Director, as appropriate, relating to such 
correction or retraction, as the case may be.
``(f) Report to Congress.--The Secretary shall annually 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 containing information relating to the number of 
identities, disaggregated by United States person identities and non-
United States person identities, referred for corrections or 
retractions pursuant to this section, and the number of nominations 
recalled or reissued as a result of such referrals.
``(g) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Terrorist watchlist.--The term `terrorist watchlist' 
has the meaning given the term `terrorist screening database' 
in section 2101.
``(2) Other terrorism databases.--The term `other terrorism 
databases' means the Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment 
or any other database maintained by the National 
Counterterrorism Center pursuant to section 119(d)(6) of the 
National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3056(d)(6)).
``(3) United states person.--The term `United States 
person' means any United States citizen or alien admitted for 
permanent residence in the United States.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section 1(b) of 
the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by inserting after the 
item relating to section 210G the following new item:

``Sec. 210G. Quality assurance reviews of departmental nominations to 
the terrorist watchlist and other terrorism 
databases.''.
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