Sponsors (2)
The bill centralizes and streamlines DHS intelligence liaison functions to improve continuity, coordination, and potentially reduce costs, but it constrains DHS flexibility and risks workforce disruption and concentrated access/privacy concerns during the transition.
State and local governments and law enforcement will retain continuous intelligence support (including HSIN-INTEL access) during the ELO reorganization, reducing disruption to local responses and operations.
State, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) partners and priority law enforcement agencies will have clearer communication and a more centralized point of contact for intelligence sharing, improving coordination across jurisdictions.
Taxpayers and federal employees: DHS will be required to plan to reduce redundant ELO roles, which could lower administrative costs and improve organizational efficiency.
The Secretary of Homeland Security and law enforcement: DHS is barred from increasing ELO staffing, budgets, or scope until the plan is submitted and certified, which could delay urgent capacity expansions during crises.
Federal employees and local partners: reassigning or eliminating ELO positions could disrupt careers and weaken established local partnerships during the transition, harming operational continuity and morale.
The Department of Homeland Security and its ability to reorganize: the bill prohibits creating new DHS offices with similar missions without congressional authorization, which could slow rapid reorganization or the creation of specialized units in response to emerging threats.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Directs DHS to plan and implement moving the ELO office into I&A’s Partner Engagement directorate, with staffing, timelines, oversight, and continuity requirements.
Introduced February 13, 2026 by Gabe Evans · Last progress February 13, 2026
Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to create and implement a plan to move the Department’s Engagement, Liaison, and Outreach (ELO) office into the Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) as a Partner Engagement directorate. The plan must identify redundant or nonessential positions or functions, propose staff reassignments and transition timelines, preserve continuity of intelligence support (including HSIN-INTEL access), and set oversight measures. Requires the plan within 120 days of enactment and a certification to relevant House and Senate Homeland Security committees within 60 days after implementation begins. While the plan is pending and until implementation is certified, the bill bars expanding ELO staffing, budget, scope, or creating new DHS offices that duplicate the mission being realigned.