Bill Details
S.848 - 119th Congress
Status
Latest action
2025-11-03 - Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 255.
Introduced Date
2025-03-05
Policy Area
Emergency Management
Committees
View committees (1)
Cosponsors
View cosponsors (1)
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AI Summary This summary was generated by AI from the bill text. AI can get information wrong.
This bill would require key federal officials to send Congress a shared report after any act of terrorism in the United States. The report would explain what happened, point out weaknesses in homeland or national security that could help stop similar attacks, and suggest changes in law or law enforcement practices. The report would mostly be public, though it could include a secret add-on if needed, and it must be posted online so people can read it. The bill also lets officials leave out information if sharing it could harm an active investigation or criminal case. These reporting rules would end after five years.
- The report would be prepared by the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Attorney General, the FBI Director, and, when needed, the head of the National Counterterrorism Center.
- The report must be sent to the main Senate and House committees that oversee homeland security, justice, and intelligence. It must be sent no later than one year after the lead federal investigation into the attack is finished.
- Each report must include the known facts of the attack, any gaps in security that were exposed, and recommendations for steps that could help prevent future attacks.
- Officials could combine several required reports into one quarterly report. They may also withhold information that would endanger an active investigation or prosecution, but they must tell Congress when they do so.
Official Summaries
Reporting Efficiently to Proper Officials in Response to Terrorism Act of 2025 or the REPORT Act
This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and (as appropriate) the National Counterterrorism Center to submit a report to specified congressional committees whenever an act of domestic or international terrorism occurs in the United States.
Specifically, within one year after completion of the government investigation of the act of terrorism, these entities must submit a publicly accessible report including the facts of the event and recommendations for improving homeland or national security to prevent similar future acts. Information that could jeopardize an ongoing investigation or prosecution may be withheld. The requirement sunsets five years after the bill’s enactment.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 848 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 255
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 848
To provide for joint reports by relevant Federal agencies to Congress
regarding incidents of terrorism, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 5, 2025
Ms. Hassan (for herself and Mr. Lee) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security
and Governmental Affairs
November 3, 2025
Reported by Mr. Paul, without amendment
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for joint reports by relevant Federal agencies to Congress
regarding incidents of terrorism, 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 TITLES.
This Act may be cited as the ``Reporting Efficiently to Proper
Officials in Response to Terrorism Act of 2025'' or the ``REPORT Act''.
SEC. 2. DUTY TO REPORT.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Act of terrorism.--The term ``act of terrorism'' has
the meaning given such term in section 3077(1) of title 18,
United States Code.
(2) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate;
(B) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate;
(C) the Select Committee on Intelligence of the
Senate;
(D) the Committee on Homeland Security of the House
of Representatives;
(E) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of
Representatives; and
(F) the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
of the House of Representatives.
(b) Requirement.--
(1) In general.--Whenever an act of terrorism occurs in the
United States, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Attorney
General, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation,
and, as appropriate, the head of the National Counterterrorism
Center shall--
(A) submit to the appropriate congressional
committees, by not later than 1 year after the
completion of the investigation concerning such act by
the primary Government agency conducting such
investigation, an unclassified report (which may be
accompanied by a classified annex) concerning such act
of terrorism; and
(B) make the report required under subparagraph (A)
available on a publicly accessible website.
(2) Other reports.--Reports required under this subsection
may be combined into a quarterly report submitted to Congress.
(3) Availability.--Each unclassified report and classified
annex described in paragraph (1)(A) shall be made available
upon request by any Member of Congress.
(c) Content of Reports.--Each report submitted pursuant to
subsection (b) shall--
(1) include a statement of the facts of each act of
terrorism covered by the report, to the extent such facts are
known at the time the report is submitted to the appropriate
congressional committees;
(2) identify any gaps in homeland or national security that
could be addressed to prevent similar future acts of terrorism;
and
(3) include any recommendations for additional measures
that could be taken to improve homeland or national security,
including recommendations relating to potential changes in law
enforcement practices or changes in law, with particular
attention to changes that could help prevent future acts of
terrorism.
(d) Exception.--
(1) In general.--If the Secretary of Homeland Security, the
Attorney General, or the Director of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation determines any information described in
subsection (c) that is required to be included in the report
required under subsection (b) could jeopardize an ongoing
investigation or prosecution, the Secretary, Attorney General,
or Director, as the case may be--
(A) may withhold from reporting such information;
and
(B) shall notify the appropriate congressional
committees of such determination.
(2) Savings provision.--Withholding of information pursuant
to a determination described in paragraph (1) shall not affect,
in any manner, the responsibility of the appropriate Federal
official to submit a report required under subsection (b)
containing other information described in subsection (c) that
is not subject to such determination.
(e) Sunset.--This section shall terminate on the date that is 5
years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(f) Savings Provision.--Nothing in this Act may be construed to
provide the National Counterterrorism Center with prosecutorial or
investigatory authority.
Calendar No. 255
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 848
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for joint reports by relevant Federal agencies to Congress
regarding incidents of terrorism, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
November 3, 2025
Reported without amendment