Congressman Mike Lawler, who serves as Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa, has introduced new legislation aimed at improving U.S. counterterrorism policy. The Responsive Counterterrorism Policy Act would require the State Department’s Bureau of Counterterrorism to develop and annually update written strategies for every country or region where there is a significant terrorist threat or ongoing U.S. counterterrorism activity.
The proposed bill directs that these strategies should identify threats, set objectives, describe coordination with interagency and international partners, and define metrics for assessing progress. It also mandates regular briefings to Congress about these strategies.
“We can’t afford to rely on fragmented or outdated approaches to counterterrorism, especially in regions where our interests are most at risk,” said Congressman Lawler. “This bill ensures that for every high-risk region, we have a clear, coordinated strategy rooted in intelligence, aligned with U.S. interests, and accountable to Congress and the American people.”
The Responsive Counterterrorism Policy Act is part of a larger legislative package led by Lawler intended to modernize operations within the State Department. This package includes efforts to streamline processes, update authorities, improve counterterrorism capabilities, and strengthen accountability.
As chairman of the subcommittee overseeing both the Bureau of Management and Bureau of Counterterrorism at the State Department, Lawler is using his position to push for reforms supporting more effective foreign policy actions.
All bills in this package—including the Responsive Counterterrorism Policy Act—have been submitted for consideration during the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s review of State Department reauthorization.
Lawler represents New York’s 17th Congressional District north of New York City, covering Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated as one of Congress’s most bipartisan members and recognized as the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress.
