Directing the Secretary of Homeland Security to transmit to the House of Representatives certain documents relating to Department of Homeland Security policies and activities related to the security of Department information and data and the recruitment and retention of its workforce.

Bill Number

H.Res. 113

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Immigration

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-03-05: Placed on the House Calendar, Calendar No. 7.

Last Updated

2025-06-07T01:17:11Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

H. Res. 113 is a House resolution aimed at enhancing congressional oversight by directing the Secretary of Homeland Security to provide specific documents. It focuses on the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) policies and activities related to protecting sensitive information and data, as well as recruiting and retaining its workforce. The resolution seeks transparency regarding interactions with other government entities, including access to DHS systems by the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and the effects of executive actions on hiring.

Key Provisions

The resolution requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to transmit copies of relevant documents, records, memos, correspondence, or other communications to the House of Representatives within 14 days of the resolution's adoption. These must cover any DHS-held materials related to 12 specific areas:

• Requests by DOGE (created under Executive Order 14158) for access to DHS information systems or data.
• Any access granted to DOGE by DHS.
• Data supplied to DOGE by DHS.
• DHS's process for evaluating DOGE's access requests.
• DHS policies on granting non-employees or non-contractors access to DHS information systems.
• DHS policies on granting non-employees or non-contractors access to DHS data.
• DHS investigations into non-routine access to employee data by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), including security risks.
• Implementation of President Trump's January 20, 2025, memorandum imposing a "freeze on the hiring of Federal civilian employees."
• Number of pending job offers from DHS as of January 20, 2025, and details on accepted offers.
• Number of individuals who accepted DHS job offers by January 20, 2025, but remain un-onboarded, plus descriptions of vacant positions.
• Number of DHS employees who accepted OPM's deferred resignation offer, including their job titles.
• Designation of "national security employees" exempt from the hiring freeze and deferred resignation offer.

The resolution was introduced on February 5, 2025, referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security, and reported adversely (meaning the committee did not favor it) on March 5, 2025, before being placed on the House Calendar.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This resolution does not amend or create new laws; it is a non-binding directive for information disclosure under Congress's oversight authority. It introduces no statutory changes but reinforces congressional subpoena-like powers to compel executive branch transparency without altering broader legal frameworks.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: DHS would face immediate administrative burdens to compile and review sensitive documents, potentially straining resources. It could lead to greater scrutiny of executive actions like hiring freezes, affecting OPM and DOGE operations. If complied with, it promotes inter-agency accountability; non-compliance might escalate to formal subpoenas or legal challenges.
• On Citizens: Indirect effects include potential improvements in federal workforce stability and data security, as the documents could reveal risks to personal information held by DHS (e.g., employee or immigration data). No direct impact on individual rights or services.
• On International Relations: Minimal, though disclosures about DHS data security could indirectly influence perceptions of U.S. cybersecurity practices if sensitive details emerge.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• House of Representatives: Primary beneficiary, gaining access to information for oversight of DHS and executive policies.
• Department of Homeland Security (DHS): Directly obligated to provide documents, impacting its internal operations and policy implementation.
• Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE): Subject to review of its access to DHS systems and data.
• Office of Personnel Management (OPM): Involved through references to employee data access and resignation offers.
• Federal Employees and Job Applicants: Affected by hiring freeze details, deferred resignations, and workforce retention efforts.
• Executive Branch (e.g., President and Administration): Faces potential exposure of implementation details for recent executive orders and memoranda.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Relies on Congress's inherent oversight authority under Article I of the U.S. Constitution, which allows the House to request information from the executive branch. However, the executive could resist on grounds of executive privilege (protecting sensitive deliberations) or national security, potentially leading to court disputes similar to past oversight battles.
• Constitutional: Highlights tensions in the separation of powers between Congress (legislative oversight) and the executive (policy execution), especially regarding new entities like DOGE and presidential memoranda that bypass traditional rulemaking.
• Political: As an "adverse report" from the committee, it signals partisan divides, likely driven by Democratic concerns (introduced by Rep. Thompson, D-MS) over Republican-led executive actions under President Trump. It could fuel debates on government efficiency reforms versus workforce protections, influencing future appropriations or confirmations for DHS leadership.

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

Sponsor

Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2]

Recent Actions

• 2025-03-05: Placed on the House Calendar, Calendar No. 7.
• 2025-03-05: Reported adversely by the Committee on Homeland Security. H. Rept. 119-11.
• 2025-03-05: Reported adversely by the Committee on Homeland Security. H. Rept. 119-11.
• 2025-02-05: Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.
• 2025-02-05: Submitted in House

Bill Versions

• Directing the Secretary of Homeland Security to transmit to the House of Representatives certain documents relating to Department of Homeland Security policies and activities related to the security of Department information and data and the recruitment and retention of its workforce. — issued 2025-02-05 — PDF (4 pages)
• Directing the Secretary of Homeland Security to transmit to the House of Representatives certain documents relating to Department of Homeland Security policies and activities related to the security of Department information and data and the recruitment and retention of its workforce. — issued 2025-03-05 — PDF (6 pages)