Zeldin highlights importance of bipartisan bill to curb terrorist travel in wake of Brussels attacks

In the wake of terrorist attacks in Brussels, U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) touted a bill on Monday that would establish international border security standards.

The House of Representatives approved Zeldin’s bipartisan Counterterrorism Screening and Assistance Act, H.R. 4314, hours before terrorist attacks in Brussels left more than 30 people dead.

“Under my bill, international border security standards would be established to close security gaps that currently exist that allow foreign fighters to travel internationally,” Zeldin wrote in an op-ed. “Another important component of my bill is that it would ensure U.S. resources are utilized in the most efficient way possible, focusing on high-risk and medium-risk countries to boost security, while also putting in place a reporting system that would monitor the efforts of foreign governments to combat terrorism and foreign fighter travel. Foreign assistance would be suspended for countries that do not make significant efforts to comply.”

In addition to protecting the homeland from terrorist threats, the Counterterrorism Screening and Assistance Act would put into place a monitoring system for infectious diseases to contain potential outbreaks.

“Under my bill, the secretary of homeland security would be authorized to provide the necessary equipment and supplies to mitigate the risk or threat of infectious diseases, which will help quarantine viruses, such as Zika, a disease that continues to spread and was recently declared a public health emergency by the World Health Organization,” Zeldin wrote.