Press Releases

Legislation Will Strengthen Preparedness Against Terrorist Threats Targeting Critical Infrastructure During Extreme Cold Weather Events

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. House of Representatives passed Congressman Tim Kennedy’s (NY-26) legislation, H.R. 3106, the Weatherizing Infrastructure in the North and Terrorism Emergency Readiness (WINTER) Act. This common-sense legislation aims to strengthen the nation's preparedness for terrorist attacks during extreme winter weather events.

The WINTER Act directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to conduct a terrorism preparedness exercise examining how a successful attack on critical infrastructure during an extreme cold weather event would impact communities and how emergency managers, state officials, and federal partners can better coordinate to respond. The legislation also requires DHS to report its findings and recommendations to Congress to improve future emergency planning.

Full remarks here.

“By identifying security gaps before disaster strikes, we can enhance our resilience and be better prepared to respond to increasingly sophisticated acts of terrorism,” said Congressman Kennedy. “We cannot control when the next severe winter storm will strike, and we cannot predict when terrorists will look to exploit our vulnerabilities. But we can ensure that our homeland security enterprise is prepared for both. That is exactly what this legislation will help us do.”

The WINTER Act was introduced with the support of Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member Bennie Thompson (MS-2), was unanimously passed out of the Committee on Homeland Security, and passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support.

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