REPORT Act
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Would require the Department of Homeland Security, the Justice Department, the FBI, and (when applicable) the National Counterterrorism Center to submit a public report to Congress within one year of completing any terrorism investigation, covering the facts of the attack and recommendations to prevent future incidents.
The requirement would sunset after five years and includes a carve-out allowing agencies to withhold details that could jeopardize an ongoing investigation or prosecution, while still obligating them to report all other available information.
What this bill would do
What it would do
The bill would require four federal entities — the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Attorney General, the FBI Director, and (as appropriate) the head of the National Counterterrorism Center — to submit a joint report to specified congressional committees within one year after the primary agency completes its investigation of any act of domestic or international terrorism occurring in the United States. Each report must state the known facts of the event, identify security gaps that contributed to it, and offer recommendations for law enforcement or legislative changes to prevent similar attacks. Reports would also have to be posted on a publicly accessible website and made available to any Member of Congress on request. Multiple reports may be consolidated into quarterly submissions.
The bill would not grant the National Counterterrorism Center any prosecutorial or investigative authority it does not already hold. Agencies may withhold specific details that could compromise an active investigation or prosecution, but that exception would not excuse them from submitting the rest of the report. The entire reporting requirement would automatically expire five years after enactment.
Key provisions
- 1Would require DHS, DOJ, the FBI, and (as appropriate) the National Counterterrorism Center to submit a report to Congress within one year of completing any terrorism investigation.
- 2Would mandate that each report include a statement of known facts, identified security gaps, and recommendations for law enforcement or legislative changes to prevent future attacks.
- 3Would require unclassified reports to be posted on a publicly accessible website and made available upon request to any Member of Congress.
- 4Would allow agencies to withhold information that could jeopardize an ongoing investigation or prosecution, while still requiring all other required content to be reported.
- 5Would sunset the entire reporting requirement five years after enactment.
Who would be affected
The Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, the FBI, and the National Counterterrorism Center, which would bear the reporting obligation. Members of the six specified congressional oversight and intelligence committees in both chambers would receive the reports. The general public would also be affected, as unclassified reports must be posted online.
Why it matters
If enacted, Congress would receive a structured, publicly available accounting of every terrorism incident on U.S. soil — including the government's own assessment of security gaps and recommended fixes. This creates a regular oversight mechanism that does not currently exist in statute, pressing agencies to evaluate and disclose lessons learned after each attack within a firm one-year deadline.
What would change
Agencies directed to act
Effective dates
- The entire reporting requirement terminates
Funding and costs
Congressional Budget Office estimate
CBO estimates the REPORT Act would have no significant effect on the federal deficit, with any discretionary spending costs totaling less than $500,000 over the 2025–2030 period.
CBO estimates the bill would result in no changes to direct (mandatory) spending or revenues, leaving the deficit unchanged over both the 2025–2030 and 2025–2035 scoring windows. The only anticipated costs are discretionary — less than $500,000 over 2025–2030 — reflecting the small number of unclassified terrorism-investigation reports that federal agencies would be required to prepare and submit to Congress each year, subject to the availability of appropriated funds. CBO identified no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates in the bill.
How implementation would work
After any U.S. terrorism incident, the lead investigating agency completes its investigation; the one-year reporting clock then starts. The four named agencies must coordinate to produce a joint unclassified report (with an optional classified annex), post it publicly, and notify relevant committees if any information is withheld to protect an ongoing case. Individual reports may be batched into quarterly submissions to Congress. No rulemaking is prescribed; the obligation is self-executing upon enactment and terminates automatically five years later.
Legislative status & sources
Latest action
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 255.
Official CRS summary
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This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and (as appropriate) the National Counterterrorism Center to submit a report to specified congressional committees whenever an act of domestic or international terrorism occurs in the United States.
Specifically, within one year after completion of the government investigation of the act of terrorism, these entities must submit a publicly accessible report including the facts of the event and recommendations for improving homeland or national security to prevent similar future acts. Information that could jeopardize an ongoing investigation or prosecution may be withheld. The requirement sunsets five years after the bill’s enactment.
Legislative subjects
Congressional oversight; Crime prevention; Criminal justice information and records; Emergency Management; Government studies and investigations; Intergovernmental relations; Terrorism