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Today, the House Committee on Homeland Security approved H.R. 4227, the bipartisan Vehicular Terrorism Prevention Act, legislation authored by Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) that would improve vigilance in the face of growing terrorist attacks using vehicles. The bill passed by voice vote.

The legislation requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to assess current actions at the department to support emergency response providers and the private sector to prevent, mitigate, and respond to the threat of vehicular terrorism. The bill then requires DHS to submit a strategy to Congress that includes an examination of the current threat of vehicular terrorism, methods to improve information sharing activities with the private sector, and training activities that the department can undertake. The strategy would also include recommendations from DHS on what can be done to aid department efforts to prevent vehicular terrorism.
 
“We’ve seen terrorists in Europe using vehicles, often times rental vans or trucks, to kill innocent people and inflict terror,” said Latta. “With the October attack in New York City showing that these groups will not hesitate to carry out the same type of attack here, it’s important that the Department of Homeland Security is doing their due diligence regarding this threat. It’s also critical that the department has the resources they need to prevent the use of vehicles as a means of terror and keep American citizens safe. The Vehicular Terrorism Prevention Act will bolster efforts to address this threat, and I thank Chairman McCaul and the House Committee on Homeland Security for approving this legislation.”

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