Timothy Kennedy (D-NY)
Weatherizing Infrastructure in the North and Terrorism Emergency Readiness Act of 2025
A Democratic bill with 1 Democratic cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
In the other chamber's committee
Passed one chamber and has been handed to a committee in the other.
The committee decides whether it goes any further, and most bills that reach a committee never leave it. A committee that simply does nothing kills a bill without anyone ever voting against it, so no news from here is usually the news.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- Passed House 400–7
- In Senate committee
What this bill would do
This Act, titled the "Weatherizing Infrastructure in the North and Terrorism Emergency Readiness Act of 2025," requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct a specific terrorism exercise. The exercise must include a response to a terrorist attack occurring during an extreme cold weather event, such as a polar vortex. It focuses on managing cascading effects on critical infrastructure and maintaining access to critical services. The goal is to test how emergency managers, State officials, and private sector stakeholders can mitigate effects and bolster community resilience. Additionally, the Secretary must coordinate with various Federal, State, local, Tribal, and territorial agencies. Finally, a report must be submitted to specific Congressional committees within 60 days of the exercise.
Yes· 3 of 9
- Scored +4
Does this improve help for people hit by a disaster?
The exercise improves coordination between government agencies and stakeholders to manage extreme weather and attack scenarios.
- Scored +3
Would Native Americans be better off under this?
The bill mandates coordination with Tribal agencies to enhance their resilience to infrastructure failures.
- Scored +3
Does this better protect the country from computer attacks?
The bill tests the security posture of critical infrastructure against coordinated attacks.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
What Congress actually voted on
One recorded vote has been taken on this bill.
- The House: a fast-track vote, needing two-thirds to pass The House sets aside its normal procedure to move quickly: no amendments, little debate, and a two-thirds bar instead of a simple majority. It is used for measures expected to be uncontroversial, so a bill that fails here failed despite broad expectations that it would not. Passed 400 yes · 7 no
07/13/2026 · Roll call 234 · recorded as “On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass”
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Enhanced Domestic Preparedness: The exercise aims to enhance domestic preparedness for terrorism and test the homeland security posture of the United States (Section 2(a)).
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Improved Mitigation Strategies: The exercise looks at how the effects of a successful terrorist attack against critical infrastructure could be mitigated by emergency managers, State officials, and private sector/community stakeholders (Section 2(b)(3)).
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Increased Community Resilience: The provisions include testing how the resilience of impacted communities could be bolstered (Section 2(b)(4)).
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Improved Coordination: The act requires coordination between Federal departments, State, local, Tribal, and territorial agencies, as well as private sector and community stakeholders (Section 2(b)(5) and Section 2(b)(6)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No specific negative impacts or burdens are explicitly stated in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would Native Americans be better off under this? — The bill mandates coordination with Tribal agencies to enhance their resilience to infrastructure failures. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Bolstering community resilience helps protect essential services that low-income households rely on during crises. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — The emphasis on critical infrastructure management helps ensure service continuity for all communities during extreme weather. Would people in cities be better off under this? — Improving critical infrastructure resilience helps protect dense population centers from cascading service failures.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this improve help for people hit by a disaster? — The exercise improves coordination between government agencies and stakeholders to manage extreme weather and attack scenarios. Does this repair or build roads and bridges? — The bill focuses on mitigating cascading effects of terrorism on critical infrastructure during extreme cold.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this better protect the country from computer attacks? — The bill tests the security posture of critical infrastructure against coordinated attacks. Does this put more money into stopping terrorism? — The bill mandates a new terrorism response exercise to enhance domestic preparedness.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill requires the Secretary to submit an after-action report to Congressional committees.
- 7/14/2026
- Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- 7/13/2026
- Reported by the Committee on Homeland Security. H. Rept. 119-744.
- Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 648.
- Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 400 - 7 (Roll no. 234). (text: CR H4394-4395)
- On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 400 - 7 (Roll no. 234). (text: CR H4394-4395)
- Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H4403)
- At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
- DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3106.
- Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4394-4395)
- Mr. Garbarino moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- 6/24/2026
- Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology Discharged
- Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence Discharged
- Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 30 - 0.
- 5/1/2025
- Referred to the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence.
- Referred to the Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology.
- 4/30/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
Bennie ThompsonDemocrat · Mississippi