Weatherizing Infrastructure in the North and Terrorism Emergency Readiness Act of 2025
Weatherizing Infrastructure in the North and Terrorism Emergency Readiness Act of 2025 would require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop and conduct a collective, cross-agency terrorism exercise that specifically tests how cascading failures to critical infrastructure could unfold during extreme cold weather. The exercise would simulate a polar-vortex–like event and examine how emergency managers, state and local officials, private sector partners, and community stakeholders mitigate impacts and bolster community resilience. After the exercise, DHS must issued an after-action report within 60 days, outlining initial findings, plans to implement lessons learned in future DHS operations, and any proposed legislative changes, while protecting classified information. The bill is sponsored by Representatives Kennedy (NY) and Thompson (MS) and referred to the Homeland Security Committee.
Key Points
- 1Short title: “Weatherizing Infrastructure in the North and Terrorism Emergency Readiness Act of 2025.”
- 2DHS mandate: DHS must develop and conduct a collective response to a terrorism exercise that includes managing cascading effects on critical infrastructure during extreme cold weather, integrated into existing DHS exercise programs.
- 3Exercise scope (requirements): includes an extreme cold weather scenario (e.g., polar vortex), cascading infrastructure effects, mitigation strategies by emergency managers and public/private stakeholders, and steps to bolster community resilience; requires coordination across federal, state, local, Tribal, and territorial entities and with private sector and community partners.
- 4After-action reporting: within 60 days after the exercise, DHS must submit an after-action report with initial findings, immediate and longer-term plans to apply lessons, and proposed legislative changes, while protecting classified information.
- 5Definitions/framework: relies on the statutory definition of critical infrastructure (per 42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)) and aligns the exercise with existing homeland security program goals.