The House of Representatives today approved legislation sponsored by Congresswoman Dina Titus (D-NV1) to strengthen and make permanent the Department of Homeland Security’s system for providing federal security and counterterrorism support for major sports and entertainment events commonly held in Las Vegas.

The House passed the DHS Special Events Program and Support Act which would standardize, modernize, and streamline the DHS Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) system for large events nationally. It also would give Congress the authority to dedicate funding for the system on a permanent basis.

“When hosting multiple champion sports teams, world-class entertainment events, and business conventions with a global scope, cities like Las Vegas rely on federal support to supplement state and local security efforts. DHS is a vital partner in that work, and my legislation would make permanent its program that helps ensure that the kind of special events my district is known for stay safe and successful,” Congresswoman Titus said.

The legislation would codify in federal law DHS’s SEAR system to assess and provide security support for special events, including festivals, parades, conventions and sports events, such as the 2024 Super Bowl in Las Vegas and the annual Las Vegas Grand Prix.

DHS provides a security rating for special events each year to determine the level of federal support needed. The scope of that support ranges from canine explosive detection teams to air security and cyber risk assessments. 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. The legislation would allow Congress to appropriate dedicated SEAR funding in the future. Additionally, the bill requires internal periodic assessments of the SEAR process to keep pace with changing and increasingly sophisticated threat landscapes.

Congresswoman Titus’s legislation has been endorsed by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, and the Las Vegas Grand Prix.