The 114th Congress: Protecting American Interests At Home and Abroad

The 114th Congress passed several bills that are now law to protect American interests at home and abroad, including legislation to help boost our nation’s defenses against cyberattacks, ensure the men and women in our military have access to the most up-to-date equipment, and to override a Presidential veto to ensure families of victims of terrorist attacks are able to pursue justice:

Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (Passed Senate 10/27/15 and became law as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 12/18/15)

• Provides for greater sharing of information to address the rampant and growing cyberattacks facing our country.
• Improves ability for federal government to deter future cyberattacks, and helps both public and private sectors act more nimbly to respond to attacks when detected.

National Defense Authorization Act (Passed House 12/2/16, passed Senate 12/8/16, became law 12/14/16)

• Includes a pay raise for the men and women in our military, and ensures the armed forces will have access to the most up-to-date equipment.
• Authorizes needed improvements at our Texas military facilities, including projects at Fort Hood, Joint Base San Antonio, Red River Army Depot, and Ellington Field.

Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (Passed Senate 5/17/16, passed House 9/9/16, vetoed 9/23/16, passed Senate over veto 9/28/16, passed House over veto 9/28/16, became law 9/28/16)

• Allows families of victims of terror attacks on U.S. soil to sue the foreign states that fund terrorism and permit them to hold accountable those who aid and abet terrorism.
• Passed the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate unanimously, and became law after Congress overrode a Presidential veto.

Iran Sanctions Extension Act (Passed House 11/15/16, passed Senate 12/1/16, became law 12/15/16)

• Provides Congress and future administrations the tools necessary to re-impose sanctions lifted as part of the President’s Iran nuclear deal, and push back against Iranian hostile actions.