H.R. 7119

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7119 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7119

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require a policy on use 
of force and deescalation by law enforcement officers, and for other 
purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 15, 2026

Mrs. Ramirez (for herself, Mr. Magaziner, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, 
Ms. Norton, Mr. Thanedar, Mr. Carter of Louisiana, Ms. Elfreth, Ms. 
Crockett, Mr. Green of Texas, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Mr. Goldman of New 
York, Ms. Sewell, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Mrs. Foushee, Ms. Schakowsky, 
Mr. Jackson of Illinois, Mr. Neguse, Mrs. Beatty, and Mr. Larson of 
Connecticut) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on the 
Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, 
in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the 
jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require a policy on use 
of force and deescalation by law enforcement officers, 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 ``DHS Use of Force Oversight Act''.

SEC. 2. DHS POLICY ON USE OF FORCE.

(a) In General.--Subtitle H of Title VII of the Homeland Security 
Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 341 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
following new section:

``SEC. 890E. USE OF FORCE POLICY.

``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall implement a Department-wide 
policy on the use of force by law enforcement officers and agents of 
the Department to ensure such officers and agents--
``(1) use only the amount of force that is objectively 
reasonable in light of the totality of the circumstances;
``(2) when feasible, prior to the application of force, 
attempt to identify themselves and issue a verbal warning to 
comply with such officer or agent's instructions;
``(3) seek to employ tactics and techniques that--
``(A) effectively bring an incident under control, 
while promoting the safety of such officers or agents 
and the public; and
``(B) minimize the risk of unintended injury or 
serious property damage; and
``(4) are prohibited from using chokeholds and carotid 
restraints as a means to control non-compliant persons 
resisting arrest.
``(b) Requirements.--The Department-wide policy under subsection 
(a) shall--
``(1) specify in a clear and consistent manner that 
deescalation is preferred;
``(2) require law enforcement officers or agents of the 
Department to complete initial and recurrent training in the 
full range of use of force tactics and techniques, including 
deescalation;
``(3) require the head of each component of the Department 
with such officers or agents to--
``(A) designate an individual, having subject 
matter expertise relating to the use of force, 
training, and the application of use of force tactics 
and techniques, including deescalation, to be 
responsible for ensuring compliance with such policy; 
and
``(B) maintain a use of force review council or 
committee, the members of which shall have subject 
matter expertise described in subparagraph (A) to 
perform internal analysis of use of force incidents 
to--
``(i) inform training, tactics, and 
techniques, and develop recommendations for 
improvements to such policy; and
``(ii) identify trends and lessons learned 
to be shared within each such component and 
across the Department.
``(c) Reporting.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out the 
following:
``(A) Issue requirements for the head of each 
component of the Department to collect and maintain 
consistent data relating to the use of force within 
each such component necessary to publish the reports 
required under subparagraph (B).
``(B) Publish, every six months, a report on the 
website of the Department that includes data relating 
to each incident during the previous six-month period 
in which force was used by a law enforcement officer or 
agent of the Department in any of the following 
circumstances:
``(i) Such use of force caused any injury 
or death to--
``(I) such an officer or agent; or
``(II) a person.
``(ii) Such use of force included deadly 
force against a person, including when a 
firearm is discharged at a person.
``(iii) Such use of force included a less-
than-lethal device or canine that was 
intentionally deployed against a person.
``(iv) Such use of force involved a 
vehicle, weapon, or physical tactic or 
technique that delivers a kinetic impact to a 
person.
``(v) Such use of force included disabling 
fire against a maritime vessel or aircraft.
``(2) Additional elements.--Each report required under 
paragraph (1)(B) shall also include--
``(A) data that--
``(i) is disaggregated by Department 
component; and
``(ii) describes--
``(I) specific information on the 
region or jurisdiction in which each 
use of force incident included in such 
report occurred; and
``(II) the circumstances 
surrounding each such incident; and
``(B) a specification of whether a law enforcement 
officer or agent of the Department or other person was 
injured or killed in each such incident.
``(3) Summaries.--In conjunction with each report required 
under paragraph (1)(B), the Secretary shall publish a summary 
of any analyses under subsection (b)(3)(B) with respect to 
which, during the previous six-month period, final action was 
taken, including a summary of any findings resulting from any 
such analyses, including any findings relating to whether the 
uses of force contemplated by any such analyses complied with 
Federal law and Department-wide policy under subsection (a).
``(4) Public availability.--Not later than 24 hours after 
any use of force incident by a law enforcement officer or agent 
of the Department that results in the hospitalization or death 
of such an officer or agent or a person, the Secretary shall 
brief the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs of the Senate and inform the public with 
respect to the facts ascertained relating to such incident.
``(5) Privacy protection.--Any information published or 
made available pursuant to this subsection shall be published 
or made available in a manner that protects individual privacy.
``(d) Office of Inspector General.--The Inspector General of the 
Department shall, on an ongoing basis, review compliance with 
subsections (a) and (b).''.
(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 890D the following new item:

``Sec. 890E. Use of force policy.''.
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