# 114-hr-3578: DHS Science and Technology Reform and Improvement Act of 2015

114-hr-3578, DHS Science and Technology Reform and Improvement Act of 2015, is a 114th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Ratcliffe, John [R-TX-4] (R-TX); status Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. (as of 2025-11-18).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-3578
- As of: 2025-11-18
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 114-hr-3578
- Congress: 114
- Title: DHS Science and Technology Reform and Improvement Act of 2015
- Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- Introduced: 2015-09-18
- Sponsor: Rep. Ratcliffe, John [R-TX-4] (R-TX)
- Cosponsors: 2
- Policy area: Emergency Management
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2025-11-18

## Summary

DHS Science and Technology Reform and Improvement Act of 2015 This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to expand: (1) the role of the Directorate of Science and Technology as the primary research, development, testing, and evaluation arm of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS); and (2) the duties of the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, who is the head of the Directorate, to include: enhanced oversight and coordination of all DHS research, development, demonstration, testing, and evaluation activities; identification of technologies that address an existing or imminent homeland security capability gap; review of DHS conflict of interest policies; establishment of a process to define, identify, prioritize, fund, and task the basic and applied homeland security research and development activities of the Directorate;  development of a strategy to guide the activities of the Directorate and a five-year research and development plan for its activities; establishment and utilization of a system to track the progress of the research, development, testing, and evaluation activities of the Directorate; establishment of the Homeland Security Science and Technology Fellows Program to place fellows in relevant scientific or technological fields in DHS components; support of cybersecurity research and development; and establishment of integrated product teams to identify, coordinate, and align DHS research and development efforts with departmental missions. The bill also establishes in the Directorate a Test, Evaluation, and Standards Division to establish, review, and update DHS test and evaluation policies.

## Cosponsors (2)

- Rep. Richmond, Cedric L. [D-LA-2] (D-LA), 2015-09-18T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McCaul, Michael T. [R-TX-10] (R-TX), 2015-09-25T00:00:00.000Z

## Related bills

- 114-hr-5621: To posthumously award a Congressional Gold Medal to Lawrence Eugene "Larry" Doby in recognition of his achievements and contributions to American major league…
- 114-hr-3510: Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity Strategy Act of 2015
- 114-hr-3490: Strengthening State and Local Cyber Crime Fighting Act
- 114-hr-3326: Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2015
- 114-hr-2903: Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act of 2015
- 114-hr-6221: To award a Congressional Gold Medal to Don Stephens, President and Founder of Mercy Ships, in recognition of his 38 years of service as the leader of a humanit…

## Sources
- [114-hr-3578 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/3578)

## Related
- [114-hr-5621: To posthumously award a Congressional Gold Medal to Lawrence Eugene "Larry" Dob…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-5621)
- [114-hr-3510: Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity Strategy Act of 2015](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-3510)
- [114-hr-3490: Strengthening State and Local Cyber Crime Fighting Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-3490)
- [114-hr-3326: Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2015](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-3326)
- [114-hr-2903: Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act of 2015](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-2903)
- [114-hr-6221: To award a Congressional Gold Medal to Don Stephens, President and Founder of M…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-6221)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/114-hr-3578 (as of 2025-11-18).