Department of Homeland Security Data Framework Act of 2018
Public Law 115-331 · H.R. 2454 · 115th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Donald Trump (R) on Dec 19, 2018 · Government Operations and Politics
Sponsor: Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX-23)
Cosponsors (1): Rep. Michael McCaul
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Department of Homeland Security Data Framework Act of 2018
(Sec. 2) This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to: (1) develop a data framework to integrate existing DHS datasets and systems for access by authorized personnel in a manner consistent with relevant legal authorities and privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties protections; (2) ensure that all information of a DHS office or component that falls within the scope of the information sharing environment, and any information or intelligence relevant to priority mission needs and capability requirements of the homeland security enterprise, is included; and (3) ensure that the framework is accessible to DHS employees who have an appropriate security clearance, who are assigned to perform a function that requires access, and who are trained in applicable standards for safeguarding and using such information.
DHS shall: (1) issue guidance for DHS employees authorized to access and contribute to the framework that enforces a duty to share between DHS offices and components for mission needs; and (2) promulgate data standards and instruct DHS components to make available information through the framework in a machine-readable standard format.
DHS may exclude information that may:
• jeopardize the protection of sources, methods, or activities;
• compromise a criminal or national security investigation;
• be inconsistent with the other federal laws or regulations; or
• be duplicative or not serve an operational purpose.
DHS shall incorporate into such framework systems capabilities for auditing and ensuring the security of information. Such capabilities shall include: (1) mechanisms for identifying insider threats and security risks; and (2) safeguards for privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties.
DHS shall ensure that, by two years after this bill's enactment, the framework has the ability to include appropriate information in existence within DHS to meet its critical mission operations.
DHS shall: (1) submit to Congress regular updates on the status of the data framework until it is fully operational, and (2) annually brief Congress on component use of such framework to support operations that disrupt terrorist activities and incidents in the homeland.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Homeland Security Committee · House · referred toSubcommittee: Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement, and Intelligence Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.
S. 2397Related bill
Department of Homeland Security Data Framework Act of 2018
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 24 actions.
- Dec 19, 2018Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 115-331.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Dec 13, 2018FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Dec 12, 2018Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by voice vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · At the conclusion of debate, the chair put the question on the motion to suspend the rules. Mr. Hurd objected to the vote on the grounds that a quorum was not present. Further proceedings on the motion were postponed. The point of no quorum was considered as withdrawn.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Hurd moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on the motion to suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment to H.R. 2454.
- OtherOther · Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by voice vote.
- Dec 10, 2018FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Dec 6, 2018FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
- Sep 13, 2017CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- Sep 12, 2017FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2454.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Hurd moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- May 18, 2017CommitteeCommittee · Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
- CommitteeCommittee · Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
- May 17, 2017CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence.
- May 16, 2017CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in House
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
1 amendment offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.
- Agreed to
S.Amdt. 4071SenateSen. Ron JohnsonR-WI· offered Dec 6, 2018Agreed to
In the nature of a substitute.
Dec 6, 2018: Amendment SA 4071 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.