H.R. 3106: Weatherizing Infrastructure in the North and Terrorism Emergency Readiness Act of 2025

This bill, known as the Weatherizing Infrastructure in the North and Terrorism Emergency Readiness Act of 2025, seeks to enhance the United States' preparedness for potential terrorism threats under extreme cold weather conditions. The key components of the bill are as follows:

Purpose of the Bill

The legislation mandates that the Secretary of Homeland Security must develop and conduct a collective response exercise that simulates a terrorist attack occurring during extreme cold weather. This exercise aims to evaluate and improve how critical infrastructure is managed during such scenarios.

Components of the Exercise

The bill outlines specific requirements regarding the exercises to be conducted:

• Extreme Cold Weather Events: The exercise will focus on situations like those caused by a polar vortex, assessing access to critical services during these extreme weather conditions.
• Cascading Effects: It will analyze potential cascading effects on critical infrastructure, examining how these effects could compound and impact services.
• Terrorism Mitigation: The exercise will include strategies on how emergency managers, state officials, and community stakeholders can mitigate the consequences of a successful terrorist attack against critical infrastructure.
• Resilience Building: Strategies to bolster the resilience of communities that might be adversely affected by such an attack will be tested and developed.
• Interagency Coordination: The bill emphasizes the need for coordination among various federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial agencies, as well as private sector and community stakeholders.

Reporting Requirements

After the completion of the exercise, the Secretary of Homeland Security is required to submit a report within 60 days. This report will include:

• Initial findings from the exercise
• Plans for implementing lessons learned into future Department of Homeland Security operations
• Any proposed legislative changes that may arise from the exercise’s findings

Overall Goals

The overall aim of the bill is to strengthen the nation's infrastructure and emergency response capabilities in the face of both extreme weather conditions and potential terrorist threats. By conducting simulations and exercises, the bill seeks to ensure that the necessary protocols and strategies are in place to manage and respond effectively during such crises.

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