DHS launches free security clearinghouse for nonprofits and houses of worship

What it does

This bill creates a federal clearinghouse within the Department of Homeland Security to compile and publish best practices for safety and security at nonprofits, faith-based organizations, and houses of worship. It will serve as a centralized online resource offering security recommendations, training materials, and information about federal grant programs available to these organizations, with a designated point of contact to help applicants navigate funding opportunities.

Why we flagged it

The bill's operative mechanism is the creation and maintenance of a centralized, evidence-based clearinghouse for safety best practices and grant information. It is a facilitative, informational tool with no regulatory teeth, liability shields, or private carve-outs.

What the text implies

• The clearinghouse's effectiveness depends on voluntary participation by federal agencies in providing grant information; no enforcement mechanism compels timely or complete disclosure.
• The 4-year sunset clause means the clearinghouse will terminate unless Congress reauthorizes it, creating potential service disruption for organizations relying on the resource.
• The bill requires evidence-based tiering of best practices but does not mandate that organizations implement recommendations, leaving security outcomes dependent on voluntary adoption.
• DHS retains discretion over personnel assignments and resource allocation; underfunding could render the clearinghouse a shell with minimal staffing or outdated content.

Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.

Who it affects

The bill creates a public information resource that helps nonprofits and faith organizations access federal safety funding and evidence-based security practices, reducing barriers to preparedness. No restrictions on citizen rights or protections are imposed; the mechanism is purely informational and facilitative.

Named in the bill

Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice, White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, Federal Bureau of Investigation, State homeland security advisors, Homeland Security Fusion Centers, Protective Security Advisors

Where it stands

17 cosponsors: 9 Republicans, 8 Democrats.

• Sep 30, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in Senate”
• Sep 30, 2025 — Referred to Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs · Congress.gov: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs”

Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.

Money around this bill

5 lobbying clients named this bill on 7 disclosure filings across 3 quarters, Dec 2025 to Jun 2026. Those filings disclosed $1,121,376 in lobbying spend. A filing names 48 bills on average, so that figure is what each filing reported, not a share belonging to this bill.

More lobbying clients named this bill than 78% of bills with at least one filing.

Maggie Hassan, the sponsor, reported $608,285 in PAC receipts in the 2026 cycle.

• Anti-defamation League — $590,000 on 2 filings
• J Street — $340,000 on 2 filings
• Jewish Federations of North America — $121,376 on 1 filing
• Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America, Inc. — $60,000 on 1 filing
• American Jewish Committee — $10,000 on 1 filing

Lobbying Disclosure Act filings through Jul 20, 2026. A filing shows who paid to lobby on a bill it names, not what changed.