Sponsors (3)
The bill centralizes and streamlines DHS intelligence liaison functions to save money, clarify partner engagement, and maintain continuity for SLTT partners, but it constrains DHS flexibility, risks workforce and partnership disruptions, and concentrates access to intelligence systems with attendant oversight and privacy concerns.
State and local governments and priority law enforcement agencies will have clearer communication and a single, centralized point of contact for intelligence sharing, improving coordination between federal and SLTT partners.
State and local governments will retain uninterrupted access to intelligence support (including HSIN‑INTEL) during the transition, reducing disruption to local responses and preserving situational awareness.
Taxpayers and federal employees should see lower administrative costs and improved efficiency as DHS develops a plan to reduce redundant ELO roles.
The Secretary of Homeland Security and law enforcement may be prevented from increasing ELO staffing, budget, or scope until DHS submits and certifies a reorganization plan, potentially delaying urgently needed capacity expansions.
The Department of Homeland Security and federal employees will be limited from creating new offices with similar missions without congressional authorization, which could slow rapid reorganization or the creation of specialized units during crises.
Federal employees and SLTT partners may experience career disruption and strained local relationships as ELO positions are reassigned or eliminated during the transition.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires DHS to submit a plan within 120 days to move the ELO office into I&A as a Partner Engagement directorate, list redundancies, staffing changes, timelines, and preserve intelligence access.
Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to prepare and submit a plan within 120 days to reorganize the Department’s Engagement, Liaison, and Outreach (ELO) office into a Partner Engagement directorate inside the Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A). The plan must identify redundant or nonessential positions and functions, propose staffing reassignments and transition timelines, establish oversight, and include measures to preserve continuity of intelligence support (including HSIN‑INTEL access). Implementation may not expand ELO staffing, budget, or scope nor create new DHS offices that duplicate ELO or Partner Engagement missions until the plan is submitted and the Secretary certifies to House and Senate Homeland Security committees (within 60 days after starting implementation) that implementation has begun and meets the plan’s requirements. The bill also defines key terms used in the reorganization requirements.
Introduced February 13, 2026 by Gabe Evans · Last progress February 13, 2026