Overview
Title
To amend title 18, United States Code, to reauthorize and expand the National Threat Assessment Center of the Department of Homeland Security.
ELI5 AI
The "EAGLES Act of 2025" wants to help keep schools safe by improving how we understand and stop bad things from happening using smart ways. It plans to spend money to help people learn and work together to make schools safer but needs to be careful about how they spend the money and to think about what happens after their plan ends in 2030.
Summary AI
S. 560, also known as the “EAGLES Act of 2025,” aims to reauthorize and expand the National Threat Assessment Center operated by the U.S. Secret Service. The bill focuses on improving the prevention of targeted violence by introducing a national program for school violence prevention, increasing research, promoting training initiatives, and enhancing collaboration with local communities and federal agencies. It emphasizes a fact-based, behavioral threat assessment approach involving various stakeholders and provides a five-year financial commitment to support these activities. The act also includes provisions for hiring additional personnel with expertise in child psychological development and school threat assessment and mandates a report to Congress on the effectiveness of these measures.
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AnalysisAI
Summary of the Bill
The proposed legislation, titled the "EAGLES Act of 2025," aims to amend the United States Code to reauthorize and expand the National Threat Assessment Center within the Department of Homeland Security. This bill is a response to the tragic attack at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, and underscores a commitment to preventing similar acts of targeted violence. The key focus areas of the bill include research, training, consultation, and information sharing to aid in the prevention of such violence, specifically within schools. It also authorizes $10 million annually from 2026 to 2030 to support these initiatives.
Significant Issues
One of the primary concerns with the bill is the allocation of $10 million per year without a detailed breakdown of how these funds will be used. This lack of clarity raises potential issues regarding financial oversight and the efficient use of resources. Additionally, the bill prohibits the use of funds for firearms training and includes language about not affecting other laws regarding firearms, which might lead to confusion in interpreting spending restrictions.
Another issue is the lack of specific performance metrics or accountability measures for evaluating the effectiveness of the Center’s programs. The absence of detailed evaluation criteria could lead to insufficient oversight and an inability to measure the true impact of these initiatives. Moreover, the bill's termination clause in 2030 does not outline the future of the programs, leading to uncertainty about their continuity.
Impact on the Public
Broadly, the bill seeks to enhance public safety by implementing preventative measures against targeted violence, potentially protecting communities from tragic events. By focusing on early intervention and threat assessment, the act aims to address behaviors before they manifest into violence, thus safeguarding lives.
However, the overall public impact may vary depending on the bill's execution and the resources allocated for training and implementation across different regions. The success of such programs will likely hinge on the availability of trained personnel and collaboration between various local agencies and communities.
Impact on Stakeholders
For schools and educational institutions, the bill provides a framework for developing and implementing threat assessment programs, which could help create safer learning environments. However, the lack of clear guidance on age-appropriate interventions for K-12 students might lead to inconsistent application across school districts.
Local law enforcement and mental health professionals stand to benefit from enhanced training and resources, which would enable them to identify and manage potential threats more effectively. Yet, without detailed budget allocations and metrics for success, these stakeholders might face challenges in achieving the intended outcomes of the bill.
Furthermore, federal and local agencies involved in threat assessments could experience increased responsibilities and workload, especially given the rising demand for the Center's training and consultation services. This could potentially strain resources if the Center's capacity does not scale appropriately to meet demand.
In conclusion, while the EAGLES Act of 2025 presents a proactive approach to reducing targeted violence, its success will largely depend on financial transparency, the establishment of clear performance metrics, and the practical implementation of its programs across diverse regions and communities.
Financial Assessment
The "EAGLES Act of 2025" focuses on reauthorizing and expanding the National Threat Assessment Center, specifically targeting the prevention of school and targeted violence. Financial allocations are an integral part of this act, which outlines specific funding provisions and guidelines for their use.
Financial Allocations
The bill authorizes $10,000,000 annually to carry out the outlined functions of the National Threat Assessment Center for fiscal years 2026 through 2030. This funding is meant to support the expansion and operational activities of the Center, including research, training, and collaboration efforts.
Analysis of Financial Issues
Lack of Detailed Budget Breakdown: The authorization of $10 million each year raises questions since there is no accompanying detailed budget breakdown. This absence of detail creates potential concerns regarding fiscal mismanagement or inefficiency. The lack of transparency regarding how these funds will be specifically allocated or spent contributes to uncertainty and could lead to ineffective financial oversight.
Prohibition on Firearms Training: The bill explicitly prohibits using allocated funds for firearms training. However, it also states that this prohibition does not affect other laws regarding firearms training, which could lead to ambiguity and confusion about spending restrictions. This duality might require further clarification to prevent misunderstandings in interpreting how funds can be deployed.
Unclear Future Beyond 2030: The bill includes a termination clause for September 30, 2030, which does not address the future of the Center’s programs, employees, or ongoing projects post-termination. This lack of foresight regarding long-term funding and program continuation presents uncertainties that could affect the sustainability and long-term impact of the initiatives started under this bill.
Performance Metrics and Accountability: There is an absence of specific performance metrics or accountability measures tied to the financial allocations. Without clear criteria to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the spending, there’s a risk of oversight deficiencies and inadequate assessments of the outcomes generated by these financial investments.
Conclusion
The financial provisions of the "EAGLES Act of 2025" are critical for its intended initiatives. However, the issues identified highlight the need for more detailed financial oversight and transparency. This would ensure an effective application and management of the funds, addressing potential ambiguities and planning for beyond the specified fiscal years.
Issues
The allocation of $10,000,000 annually for fiscal years 2026 through 2030 is not accompanied by a detailed budget breakdown, raising concerns about potential financial mismanagement or inefficiency (Sections 3 and 3056B).
The prohibition on using the authorized funds for firearms training, combined with language affirming that this does not affect other laws regarding firearms training, may lead to ambiguity and confusion in interpreting the spending restrictions (Sections 3 and 3056B).
The bill's termination clause on September 30, 2030, does not address the future of programs, employees, or ongoing projects, creating uncertainty about long-term impacts (Section 3).
The absence of specific performance metrics or accountability measures for evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of the Center's functions could result in inadequate oversight and assessment of outcomes (Section 3056B).
The section on "Findings; sense of Congress" lacks specificity in funding amounts and allocation, making it difficult to evaluate the financial implications and potential wasteful spending (Section 2).
The lack of detail on how the behavioral threat assessment model will be age-appropriate for K–12 students raises concerns over potential inconsistency and ineffectiveness in its application (Section 2).
The substantial increase in demand for the Center's training and consultation services is not addressed in terms of the Center's capacity and available resources, which may lead to service bottlenecks or diminished effectiveness (Section 2).
Sections
Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.
1. Short title Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The first section of this act states its official name, which is the "EAGLES Act of 2025."
2. Findings; sense of Congress Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
Congress finds that the attack on Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School highlights the importance of early intervention programs. It emphasizes a behavioral threat assessment model, developed by the National Threat Assessment Center, to prevent acts of targeted violence by identifying and managing potential threats with the help of local law enforcement, mental health professionals, and community members.
3. Reauthorization and expansion of the national threat assessment center of the Department of Homeland Security Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section establishes a National Threat Assessment Center within the United States Secret Service to enhance training, consultation, research, and information sharing for preventing targeted violence, with a specific focus on preventing school violence. It mandates collaboration with other federal agencies, authorizes additional staffing, and outlines reporting requirements, funding, and restriction on firearm training, with the program set to terminate in 2030.
Money References
- “(f) Authorization of appropriations.—There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
3056B. Functions of the National Threat Assessment Center of the United States Secret Service Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section establishes a National Threat Assessment Center within the U.S. Secret Service to develop and share best practices for preventing targeted violence, with a focus on training, research, and supporting schools and other agencies. It outlines specific functions and goals, such as creating a program to prevent targeted school violence, collaborating with other federal and local organizations, and requires an evaluation of its effectiveness, without using funds for firearms training, terminating in 2030.
Money References
- (8) A strategic plan for disseminating the Center’s educational and training resources to each State. (f) Authorization of appropriations.—There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.