Federal Building Threat Notification Act

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, Federal employees deserve to work in safety and security, and the Americans who go to Federal buildings to access essential services deserve to do so with the same assurances.

A 2025 GAO report found that in fiscal year 2024 alone, there were over 3,500 incidents, recorded incidents, at Federal facilities across this country: 763 threats, 142 weapons violations, 9 arson attacks, 3 homicides, and 1 kidnapping.

These are attacks on the women and men who show up every day to serve the American people. Right now, in this political climate, Federal employees are being targeted, online, in person, and in the buildings where they work. The hostility directed at our civil servants has reached a boiling point, and Congress must act to keep people safe.

However, threats don't only come from people. When Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005, 83 Federal facilities in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama were significantly damaged. Back- to-back hurricanes, Irma and Maria, severely damaged Puerto Rico's Federal buildings and Federal courthouses in 2017. Storms are getting stronger and more destructive. It is critical that workers and visitors to Federal buildings know what to do in case of an emergency.

H.R. 6481, the Federal Building Threat Notification Act, introduced by myself and cosponsored by Congressman Perry, directs the Administrator of General Services and the Director of the Federal Protective Service to develop and disseminate a clear, actionable emergency communication protocol for public buildings.

The guidance will include best practices and protocols to inform building tenants of threats to the buildings or their occupants and instructions for safety practices in response to threats or heightened risk.

The Federal Building Threat Notification Act is common sense and good policy. Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 6481, the Federal Building Threat Notification Act, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important bill.

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