Washington, D.C. – Today Congresswoman Dina Titus (NV-01) released the following statement after the House Committee on Homeland Security passed her legislation, the DHS Special Events Program and Support Act, with bipartisan support.

“This is an important step toward ensuring that our state and local law enforcement agencies have the hardened support from Washington needed to secure the kinds of exciting sports, entertainment, business, and cultural events that Las Vegas is known for,” said Rep. Titus. “In today’s heightened threat environment, DHS’s ability to provide expert counterterrorism and security support is of the utmost importance. With passage of my bill, this Committee is empowering DHS to better protect large-scale events and the communities that host them.”

“One of the fundamental duties of the federal government is to ensure Americans are protected as they enjoy their day-to-day lives,” said Rep. Richard Hudson. “As Vice Chair of the Motorsports Caucus, I’m proud to lead this effort to help keep events that bring us together, like NASCAR, safe and successful.”

Background

Rep. Titus introduced H.R. 6229 along with Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC) to standardize, modernize, and improve an existing Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) program that provides federal security and counterterrorism support for high-profile entertainment and sports events such as the Las Vegas Grand Prix and the Super Bowl. A Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) is given to certain planned, high-profile events hosted by state, local, or private entities. DHS’s Special Events Working Group, comprised of representation from over 60 federal agencies and components of DHS, provides a security rating for special events in a given year to determine the level of federal support needed.

The DHS Special Events Program and Support Act would codify the Department’s SEAR program to assess and provide security support for “Special Events” such as festivals, parades, conventions, and other large-scale events at the state or local level. Additionally, the bill requires internal periodic assessments of the standardized SEAR review process to keep pace with ever-changing threat landscapes. The program that would be made permanent by Rep. Titus’s bill is not currently authorized.

While DHS’s responsibility in assigning SEAR levels derives from a 2002 law creating the Department of Homeland Security, there is currently no dedicated source of funding for the program. In addition to bolstering and modernizing existing SEAR protocol, this authorizing legislation would allow Congress to appropriate dedicated SEAR funding in the future.

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