Official Summaries

Producing Advanced Technologies for Homeland Security Act or the PATHS Act

This bill extends through FY2028 the authority of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to use other transactions (OT) to carry out research and prototype projects when the use of contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements is not feasible or appropriate. (OTs, in contrast to traditional procurement contracts, are exempt from many federal procurement laws and regulations.) DHS must notify Congress within 72 hours of using or extending this authority for research and development projects related to artificial intelligence technology and must offer to brief Congress on the rationale for such a decision. 

The bill also lowers from $4 million to $1 million the minimum value of contract awards that DHS must publicly report on its website.

Current Full Text

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1692 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1692


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 12, 2025

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security 
                        and Governmental Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
    To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to enable secure and 
trustworthy technology through other transaction contracting authority, 
                        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 ``Producing Advanced Technologies for 
Homeland Security Act'' or the ``PATHS Act''.

SEC. 2. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACQUISITION PILOT PROGRAM EXTENSION.

    (a) In General.--Section 831 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 
(6 U.S.C. 391) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
                striking ``Until September 30, 2024, and subject to 
                subsection (d)'' and inserting ``Until September 30, 
                2028, and subject to subsection (c)''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraph:
            ``(3) Other transaction authority involving artificial 
        intelligence.--Not later than 72 hours after the use or 
        extension of the transaction authority authorized under 
        paragraph (1) involving artificial intelligence technology, the 
        Secretary shall notify the Committee on Appropriations and the 
        Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the 
        Senate and the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on 
        Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and offer a 
        briefing explaining the reason for the use or extension.''; and
            (2) in subsection (c)(1), in the matter preceding 
        subparagraph (A), by striking ``September 30, 2024'' and 
        inserting ``September 30, 2028''.
    (b) Reduction in Amount of Covered Contract Award.--Subparagraph 
(A) of section 7113(d)(1) of the James M. Inhofe National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (6 U.S.C. 112 note; Public Law 
117-263) is amended by striking ``$4,000,000'' and inserting 
``$1,000,000''.

            Passed the House of Representatives March 11, 2025.

            Attest:

                                             KEVIN F. MCCUMBER,

                                                                 Clerk.