Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – 7/24/25… Yesterday, Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa, introduced the Responsive Counterterrorism Policy Act, which would develop and maintain a written counterterrorism strategy for each country or region where there is a significant terrorist threat or ongoing U.S. counterterrorism engagement.

The Responsive Counterterrorism Policy Act would:

• Direct the State Department’s Bureau of Counterterrorism to produce and annually update written strategies for each country or region where the U.S. is actively engaged or faces a significant terrorist threat
• Require these strategies to identify threats, articulate objectives, outline coordination with interagency and international partners, and define metrics for assessing success
• Mandate briefings to Congress to keep lawmakers informed of the Bureau’s 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“We can’t afford to rely on fragmented or outdated approaches to counterterrorism, especially in regions where our interests are most at risk,” said Congressman Lawler.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 broader legislative package spearheaded by Chairman Lawler to modernize and strengthen the State Department's operations. The package includes proposals to streamline outdated processes, update legacy authorities, enhance counterterrorism capabilities, and ensure accountability within the Department.

As Chairman of the MENA Subcommittee, which holds jurisdiction over both the State Department’s Bureau of Management and Bureau of Counterterrorism, Lawler is leveraging his role to advance reforms that support a more agile and effective foreign policy.

Each of these bills, including the Responsive Counterterrorism Policy Act, has been submitted for consideration in the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s State Department reauthorization. 

Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York's 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress, 8th overall, surpassing dozens of committee chairs.

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Full text of the bill can be found HERE.