Pray Safe Act of 2025

Bill Number

H.R. 5645

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Emergency Management

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-10-01: Referred to the Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology.

Last Updated

2026-05-27T08:05:51Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The Pray Safe Act of 2025 aims to enhance the safety and security of nonprofit organizations, faith-based organizations, and houses of worship by creating a centralized federal resource within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This resource would provide evidence-based best practices for preventing and responding to threats like terrorist attacks, natural disasters, or other incidents, along with information on available federal grants to support these efforts.

Key Provisions

• Definitions: The bill defines key terms, such as "Clearinghouse" (the new federal resource), "nonprofit organization" (tax-exempt groups under IRS Section 501(c)(3) deemed at risk by DHS), "faith-based organization" (nonprofits with religious or spiritual motivations), "house of worship" (places like churches, synagogues, or mosques), and "safety and security" (measures to prevent, protect against, or recover from threats).

• Establishment of the Federal Clearinghouse:
• DHS must create the Clearinghouse within 270 days of enactment, in consultation with the Attorney General, the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, and other relevant agencies.
• Purpose: Serve as the main federal hub for online best practices, recommendations, and grant information tailored to these organizations.
• Personnel: Includes assigned staff, possible detailees from other agencies, and at least one designated contact person familiar with nonprofits and security measures; contact details must be publicly available.

• Contents of the Clearinghouse:
• Develop evidence-based tiers for best practices, prioritizing strong research from experimental or quasi-experimental studies, and considering promising evidence from high-quality evaluations.
• Best practices must cover areas like event planning, facility improvements (e.g., "hardening" buildings against attacks), checklists, exercises, and resilience measures for threats including disasters or terrorism.
• Include supporting evidence from federal, state, local, tribal, private, and nonprofit research.
• Maintain an index of all eligible federal grants, including application links, performance requirements, and user guides.
• Incorporate existing recommendations from various sources where practical.
• Use an existing online platform if feasible.

• Assistance, Training, and Continuous Improvement:
• Produce training materials for implementing best practices.
• Collect user feedback, data analytics, and evaluations to update the Clearinghouse annually.
• Coordinate with advisory councils and agencies to identify gaps, propose new practices, and report updates to Congress every three years.

• Notification and Grants Overview:
• Notify state advisors, governors, federal agencies (e.g., FBI task forces, fusion centers), and congressional committees about the Clearinghouse and grant updates.
• Create a website section listing all relevant federal grants, eligibility details, FAQs, and links to applications.
• Encourage states to share their grant and resource information for inclusion.
• List contacts for assistance, such as DHS personnel, Protective Security Advisors, fusion centers, and the "If You See Something, Say Something" campaign.

• Rule of Construction and Sunset:
• Clarifies that the Act does not affect or waive federal civil rights laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (which protects people with disabilities from discrimination in public services) or Title VI of the Civil Rights Act (which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in federally funded programs).
• The Act expires four years after enactment.

• GAO Report:
• The Government Accountability Office (GAO, an independent agency that audits federal programs) must report to Congress on the status of federal grants and resources for these organizations' safety.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This bill introduces a new entity—the Federal Clearinghouse—within DHS, which did not previously exist in this form. It centralizes and expands access to scattered resources and best practices, building on existing DHS programs (e.g., grants for security enhancements) without altering their core structures. It mandates evidence-based development of recommendations and requires ongoing updates and notifications, which represent new coordination requirements across federal, state, and local levels. The four-year sunset provision makes it a temporary measure, unlike permanent DHS authorities.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: DHS will need to allocate personnel and resources for setup and maintenance, fostering better interagency collaboration (e.g., with Justice Department and White House offices). Other agencies must share grant information, potentially streamlining administration but increasing reporting burdens. States may voluntarily contribute data, aiding local-federal partnerships. The GAO report could lead to future program evaluations or reforms.

• On Citizens: Nonprofit organizations, faith-based groups, and houses of worship—often community hubs—gain easier access to free, practical tools for threat prevention and recovery, potentially reducing risks to congregants and staff. This could improve overall community resilience without direct costs to users, though grant applications might require effort.

• On International Relations: No direct impacts; the focus is domestic security for U.S.-based organizations.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Nonprofit, Faith-Based Organizations, and Houses of Worship: Primary beneficiaries, receiving tailored safety guidance and grant access to protect vulnerable spaces.
• Department of Homeland Security and Federal Agencies: Responsible for implementation, including DHS (lead), DOJ, FBI, and grant-administering bodies; they must provide data and support.
• State and Local Governments: Notified entities like homeland security advisors, governors, and fusion centers, who can share resources and assist local organizations.
• Congressional Committees: Oversight bodies (e.g., House and Senate Homeland Security and Judiciary Committees) receive notifications and reports.
• Community Members: Indirectly affected as users of these organizations, benefiting from enhanced safety measures.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Emphasizes evidence-based practices supported by research, ensuring recommendations are defensible. The civil rights clarification upholds existing protections, avoiding any implication of favoritism or discrimination in grant access. The sunset clause allows Congress to reassess effectiveness without long-term commitment.

• Constitutional: Aligns with the government's role in promoting public safety (under the general welfare clause) while respecting religious freedoms by including faith-based entities without endorsing any religion. No apparent conflicts with First Amendment (free exercise) or Establishment Clause issues, as aid is security-focused and neutral.

• Political: Bipartisan sponsorship (from Democrats and Republicans) signals broad support for protecting community institutions amid rising concerns over targeted violence. It could influence future homeland security funding debates, highlighting needs for nonprofits often overlooked in broader disaster or terrorism policies. The temporary nature may encourage pilot-testing before permanence.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6]

Cosponsors (47)

Rep. Salazar, Maria Elvira [R-FL-27], Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10], Rep. Miller, Max L. [R-OH-7], Rep. Min, Dave [D-CA-47], Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17], Rep. Schneider, Bradley Scott [D-IL-10], Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2], Rep. Correa, J. Luis [D-CA-46], Rep. Mackenzie, Ryan [R-PA-7], Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7], Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-12], Rep. Magaziner, Seth [D-RI-2], Rep. Ciscomani, Juan [R-AZ-6], Rep. Frankel, Lois [D-FL-22], Rep. Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24], Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12], Rep. Taylor, David J. [R-OH-2], Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1], Rep. Stevens, Haley M. [D-MI-11], Rep. Kean, Thomas H. [R-NJ-7], Rep. Latimer, George [D-NY-16], Rep. Malliotakis, Nicole [R-NY-11], Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5], Rep. McCaul, Michael T. [R-TX-10], Rep. Kennedy, Timothy M. [D-NY-26], Rep. Gonzales, Tony [R-TX-23], Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4], Rep. Moolenaar, John R. [R-MI-2], Rep. Suozzi, Thomas R. [D-NY-3], Rep. Van Drew, Jefferson [R-NJ-2], Rep. McDonald Rivet, Kristen [D-MI-8], Rep. Flood, Mike [R-NE-1], Rep. Moskowitz, Jared [D-FL-23], Rep. Huizenga, Bill [R-MI-4], Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-25], Rep. Stefanik, Elise M. [R-NY-21], Rep. Landsman, Greg [D-OH-1], Rep. Schmidt, Derek [R-KS-2], Rep. Stanton, Greg [D-AZ-4], Rep. Weber, Randy K. Sr. [R-TX-14], Rep. Gillen, Laura [D-NY-4], Rep. LaLota, Nick [R-NY-1], Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9], Rep. Kim, Young [R-CA-40], Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3], Rep. Langworthy, Nicholas A. [R-NY-23], Rep. Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5]

Recent Actions

• 2025-10-01: Referred to the Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology.
• 2025-09-30: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-09-30: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-09-30: Introduced in House
• 2025-09-30: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Pray Safe Act of 2025 — issued 2025-09-30 — PDF (18 pages)

Related Bills

• S. 2947 (119th Congress)