PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Mar 4, 2025
This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish a pilot program for the prevention and mitigation of acts of terrorism using motor vehicles.
Among other things, the pilot program must
develop a uniform standard for the type of information collected by rental agencies;
distribute guidance for improving the suspicious activity reporting process; and
establish a procedure for dealers and rental companies to check information against a designated watch list to provide notice of a sale or rental to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, if DHS determines that this is necessary.
Under the bill, a dealer or rental company is not liable for any action taken in accordance with the pilot program.
DHS and the Transportation Security Administration must jointly submit regular reports to Congress on the pilot program.
In addition, DHS must submit a study to Congress that examines how to work with rental car and ride sharing companies on how to identify risks and threats of terrorist attacks.
People & committees
Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5] · D–NJ
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence.
Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We also preserved the text version used in the PlainBill explanation below.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Jul 9, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2025-03-04 text. This explanation has not received human editorial review. This overview describes the proposal’s major provisions; it does not establish what its real-world effects would be.
This bill would require the Department of Homeland Security to create a temporary program to help vehicle sellers and rental businesses identify and report possible terrorist threats. It would combine information standards, threat guidance and reporting assistance, with congressional reporting on privacy and civil liberties. Dealers and rental companies would receive protection from liability for actions taken in accordance with the program.
the Secretary of Homeland Security shall establish a pilot program, for a period not to exceed one year
develop a uniform standard for the type of information collected by rental agencies and the type of information used in submitting suspicious activity reports
provide operators with a threat assessment prepared by the Undersecretary of Homeland Security for Intelligence and Analysis regarding the terrorism threat of large vehicles
provide technical assistance to operators to better access suspicious activity reports
jointly submit to Congress a report on the pilot program, including the following: (A) An assessment of the impact of the pilot program on privacy and civil liberties.
A dealer or rental company shall not be liable for any action taken in accordance with this pilot program under this section.
The Secretary of Homeland Security would have to establish the pilot program within one year after enactment. The program could last no more than one year.
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall establish a pilot program, for a period not to exceed one year
The program would develop a common standard for the kinds of information rental agencies collect and use in suspicious activity reports—reports flagging potentially suspicious conduct. Automotive sales and rental industry representatives would be consulted.
in consultation with representatives of the automotive sale and rental industry, develop a uniform standard for the type of information collected by rental agencies and the type of information used in submitting suspicious activity reports
Operators would receive an assessment of terrorism threats involving large vehicles, prepared by Homeland Security's Undersecretary for Intelligence and Analysis.
provide operators with a threat assessment prepared by the Undersecretary of Homeland Security for Intelligence and Analysis regarding the terrorism threat of large vehicles
The program would distribute guidance on improving suspicious activity reporting, including training for designated employees to identify suspicious activity. It would also provide technical assistance to help operators access suspicious activity reports.
distribute guidance for improving the suspicious activity reporting process, including training for designated employees to better identify suspicious activity
provide technical assistance to operators to better access suspicious activity reports
If the Secretary determined it necessary, the program would establish a procedure for checking information against a designated watch list containing no classified information and for dealers and rental companies to notify the Federal Bureau of Investigation of a sale or rental.
if determined necessary by the Secretary, establish a procedure for checking information against a designated watch list that does not contain any classified information, and for dealers and rental companies to provide notice of a sale or rental to the Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Homeland Security Secretary and Transportation Security Administration Administrator would jointly report to Congress within 120 days after the program begins and every 120 days afterward until it ends. Reports would assess privacy and civil liberties impacts and describe how making the program permanent would affect efforts to protect against terrorist attacks; this is a reporting requirement, not evidence of a proven security benefit.
Not later than 120 days after the date of establishment of the pilot program under subsection (a) and every 120 days thereafter until the conclusion of the pilot program, the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration shall jointly submit to Congress a report on the pilot program
(A) An assessment of the impact of the pilot program on privacy and civil liberties. (B) A description of the effect that permanent implementation of the pilot program would have on efforts to protect the United States against terrorist attacks.
Within 18 months after enactment, the Homeland Security Secretary would submit a study to Congress on working with rental car and ride-sharing companies, including through apps connecting users directly, to identify terrorist attack risks and threats.
Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to Congress a study examining how to work with rental car and ride sharing companies (such as through peer to peer apps) to identify risks and threats of terrorist attacks.
Dealers and rental companies would be exempt from liability for any action taken in accordance with the pilot program. The stated protection is tied to compliance with the program.
A dealer or rental company shall not be liable for any action taken in accordance with this pilot program under this section.
The bill defines “covered rental vehicle” using a list of vehicle types and the phrase “capable of transporting more than 15 passengers.” It adopts the existing federal definitions of “dealer” and “rental company” from section 30102 of title 49, without reproducing them.
The term covered rental vehicle means a truck, tractor, trailer, bus, semitrailer, or van capable of transporting more than 15 passengers.
The terms dealer and rental company have the meanings given such terms in section 30102 of title 49, United States Code.
The supplied actions snapshot, updated July 9, 2026, records introduction in the House and referrals to the House Committee on Homeland Security and its Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence on March 4, 2025. These entries do not establish enactment or the bill's status after that snapshot.
Source snapshot updated 2026-07-09T13:27:22Z. 2025-03-04: Referred to the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence. 2025-03-04: Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security. 2025-03-04: Introduced in House
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2025-03-04. These findings describe provisions and who may benefit; they are not judgments of waste, corruption, or motive.
This review covers the supplied bill text. “None identified” does not rule out provisions in later versions or accompanying reports and disclosures.
Provisions outside the bill’s main subject, or policy changes attached to appropriations.
None identified in the reviewed text
No unrelated provision or policy change attached to appropriations was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Spending directed to particular recipients or places outside ordinary competitive or formula-based allocation.
None identified in the reviewed text
No congressionally directed spending for particular recipients or places was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
Findings to examine
The supplied introduced text contains a special liability exemption tied to the bill's main program. This classification does not judge whether the exemption is justified.
Dealers and rental companies would receive protection from liability for any action taken in accordance with the pilot program. This is a targeted legal exemption for those businesses, connected directly to their conduct under the program.
A dealer or rental company shall not be liable for any action taken in accordance with this pilot program under this section.
Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: Jul 9, 2026. How PlainBill uses AI