Summary#
This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to plan and run a terrorism exercise that specifically tests how a terrorist attack would affect critical infrastructure during an extreme cold event. The exercise must include how cascading failures (one failure causing others) are managed and how federal, state, local, Tribal, territorial, private-sector, and community partners coordinate. DHS must give Congress an after-action report within 60 days of the exercise.
- Main change: DHS must develop and conduct a collective-response terrorism exercise focused on extreme cold events and cascading infrastructure effects.
- Scope of the exercise: It must cover an extreme cold scenario (for example a polar vortex), cascading effects on critical infrastructure, mitigation by emergency managers and officials, community resilience, and coordination across government levels and private/community partners.
- Reporting: DHS must submit an after-action report to two congressional committees within 60 days of completing the exercise.
- Integration: The exercise can be run in addition to, or as part of, existing DHS exercise programs.
What it means for you#
- Federal agencies: DHS and other federal departments may need to plan, staff, and participate in the exercise. They must coordinate with each other and provide material for the after-action report.
- State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments: These governments could be invited or required to join the exercise. They may need to plan participation, share information, test response plans, and help identify weaknesses in cold-weather emergency procedures.
- Private sector and community organizations: Utilities, transportation firms, health care providers, and local community groups could be asked to take part. The exercise will look at how these groups, and their infrastructure, would respond and recover during extreme cold following an attack.
- Emergency managers and first responders: The exercise would test their plans for preventing cascading failures and for keeping essential services running in extreme cold.
- General public: There is no direct change to rights or services in day-to-day life from this bill alone. It is intended to improve planning and preparedness, which could affect how agencies respond in a real emergency.
Expenses#
No publicly available information.
- The bill does not include a fiscal estimate or a stated funding source.
- This could mean DHS will use existing exercise funding, or it may need new funds. Additional costs could include staff time, planning, equipment, travel, and contractor support.
- State, local, Tribal, territorial governments, and private participants may face time and resource costs if they take part.
- The after-action report may lead to further recommendations that would have separate costs if implemented; the bill does not specify funding for any follow-up actions.
Proponents' View#
- The bill appears intended to improve national preparedness for terrorist attacks that occur during extreme cold.
- It could help identify weak points where one infrastructure failure would cause others to fail (cascading effects).
- The exercise is designed to strengthen coordination among federal, state, local, Tribal, territorial, private-sector, and community partners.
- Requiring an after-action report gives Congress early findings and possible legislative changes based on lessons learned.
Opponents' View#
- One concern is that the bill does not say how the exercise will be funded, so it could strain DHS budgets or shift resources from other priorities.
- The bill does not set a timeline for when the exercise must occur or how often similar exercises must be held.
- It is unclear whether and how classified findings will be shared with non-federal participants or the public.
- The requirement may duplicate existing exercises or planning efforts unless DHS clearly integrates it with current programs.
- The bill does not detail who decides which private or local partners must participate or how to handle costs for those participants.