Civil Preparedness for Agroterrorism Exercise Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- H.R. 9394
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Emergency Management
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-24: Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 30 - 0.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-02T12:42:49Z
AI-Generated Summary
Summary of H.R. 9394: Civil Preparedness for Agroterrorism Exercise Act of 2026
Purpose
This legislation directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to conduct a specialized exercise focused on agroterrorism. The goal is to strengthen domestic preparedness, test response capabilities, and improve coordination for preventing, responding to, recovering from, and mitigating attacks on the agriculture and food sector.
Key Provisions
- Exercise Requirement: Within four years of the bill's enactment, DHS must conduct an exercise (either standalone or integrated into existing programs) simulating agroterrorism scenarios. These include attempts to illegally bring biological agents into the U.S. or deploy them domestically to disrupt the agriculture and food critical infrastructure sector or related economic areas.
- Exercise Elements: The exercise must cover collective response strategies, such as using incident command systems, identifying necessary resources, addressing gaps in capabilities, and allocating resources effectively across government levels.
- Coordination Mandate: Participants must include federal departments and agencies; state, local, tribal, and territorial agencies; private sector owners and operators of food and agricultural facilities; emergency preparedness experts; and other relevant stakeholders.
- After-Action Report: DHS must submit a report to the House Committee on Homeland Security and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs within 180 days after the exercise. The report includes findings, lessons learned, plans for future operations, and any recommended legislative changes, while protecting classified information.
- Definitions: The bill defines key terms, including "agroterrorism" (terrorism targeting the agriculture and food sector), "agroterrorist," "biological agent" (per existing federal code), and "critical infrastructure" (per existing public law).
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill introduces a new, one-time mandate for DHS to perform a specific agroterrorism exercise but does not amend or repeal any existing statutes. It builds on current DHS exercise programs without altering their core structure.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Requires DHS to plan, execute, and report on the exercise, potentially increasing workload and resource allocation for coordination with other federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial entities.
- Citizens and Sectors: Enhances overall U.S. security posture for the agriculture and food industry, which could lead to better protection of food supplies and related economic activities, indirectly benefiting the public through improved resilience.
- International Relations: No direct provisions affect international relations, though the exercise could indirectly support global biosecurity efforts if lessons are shared.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- The Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies.
- State, local, tribal, and territorial governments.
- Private sector entities in the agriculture, food, and related economic sectors.
- Emergency preparedness and response organizations.
- Subject matter experts in critical infrastructure defense.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
The bill operates within existing authorities under the Homeland Security Act of 2002 and related laws, with no apparent constitutional conflicts. It emphasizes information protection for classified materials and focuses on domestic preparedness without creating new regulatory burdens on individuals or businesses.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Rep. Kennedy, Timothy M. [D-NY-26]
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-24: Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 30 - 0.
- 2026-06-24: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- 2026-06-23: Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.
- 2026-06-23: Introduced in House
- 2026-06-23: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Civil Preparedness for Agroterrorism Exercise Act of 2026 — issued 2026-06-23 — PDF (6 pages)