Rep. Lou Correa ‘DHS Firearms Act’ Passes House

Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Lou Correa’s bipartisan bill, H.R. 1437, “The Securing DHS Firearms Act Of 2019,” was passed by the House of Representatives.

Rep. Correa said, “In 2015, Antonio Ramos, from Oakland, California, was shot and killed with a gun misplaced by a DHS officer. This is far from an anomaly, with numerous accounts of DHS weapons being found at crime scenes. In the past decade, DHS has lost more than 500 firearms, 1,889 badges, and 2,100 highly sensitive assets. We must ensures these dangerous mistakes become far less common, and those responsible are held accountable.

“As the largest federal law enforcement agency, the Department of Homeland Security must do better. My legislation requires robust and standardized department-wide requirements and safeguards for reporting lost firearms and sensitive items.

“It is critical to public safety and our homeland security that DHS officials know exactly where their weapons and sensitive items are at al times. My bill will create the rules necessary to prevent future mistakes and keep Americans safe.”

Background: H.R. 1437, “The Securing DHS Firearms Act Of 2019” requires the Department of Homeland Security to take additional steps to safeguard firearms, badges, and other sensitive assets. Between 2014 to 2016, DHS personnel lost 2,142 sensitive assets—including 228 firearms, 1,889 badges, and 25 secure immigration stamps.

Within 120 days of the bill’s enactment, the DHS undersecretary for management would have to issue:

• A directive for securing firearms and other sensitive assets, with reporting and record keeping requirements for assets that are lost or stolen.
• A revised version of the department’s Personal Property Asset Management Program Manual that includes requirements for safeguarding such assets, using safety locking devices, training personnel, and reporting lost or stolen assets.