DHS Better Ballistic Body Armor Act

The Secretary of Homeland Security shall require components of the Department of Homeland Security, when procuring ballistic resistant body armor for agents and officers, to procure ballistic resistant body armor that complies with the following requirements:

(1) Is specifically designed to fully protect the body shapes of agents and officers.

(2) Is made to conform to the individual wearer and provide the best possible fit and coverage to allow for either a flat or shaped front panel.

(3) Is assessed and verified, upon delivery, to fit properly and have sufficient coverage in accordance with American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM International) standards for fit.

(4) Has enhanced and advanced fit and technology that stops a bullet from redirecting off the chest at an upward angle into the throat region or the spinal cord area.

(5) Is certified by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), pursuant to the NIJ standard for ballistic resistant body armor, and included on the associated NIJ Compliant Products List as successfully passing the ballistic resistant body armor standards in accordance with the applicable ballistic protection level recommended by the NIJ, including passing testing that uses, for each test sample, the following:

(A) Ballistic testing on clay or gelatin molds to ensure better contact of nonplanar panels with such clay or gelatin molds, as required by the body shapes of agents and officers.

(B) Soft body armor front panels contained in soft carriers on female-shaped clay or gelatin molds designed to fill the space behind the panel.

(C) Shots to be placed on shaping features.

(D) Angled shots.

(E) An angled shot at the chest to address the concern of a bullet skipping into the neckline.

(F) Any additional testing criteria recommended by the NIJ on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter for the following two years, the head of each relevant component of the Department of Homeland Security shall submit to the Secretary of Homeland Security a report regarding the ballistic resistant body armor issued to female agents and officers of such component, including with respect to the reporting period, information relating to the following:

(A) The number of female agents and officers to whom ballistic resistant body armor was issued for performance of their official duties.

(B) The number of ballistic resistant body armor units issued to female agents and officers before the date of the enactment of this Act, the use of which was discontinued due to noncompliance with the requirements described in subsection (a).

(C) The number of ballistic resistant body armor units issued to female agents and officers before the date of the enactment of this Act that are compliant with the requirements described in subsection (a).

(D) The percentage of female agents and officers of such component who, as of the last day of the reporting period, have been issued ballistic resistant body armor that complies with the requirements described in subsection (a), disaggregated by duty station.

Not later than 30 days after receiving all of the reports required under paragraph (1) during a reporting period, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives a report that aggregates all of the data contained in such reports.

Not later than three years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall ensure that all agents and officers of any component of the Department of Homeland Security whose duties require body armor shall have been issued body armor that complies with the requirements described in subsection (a).

In this section, the term ballistic resistant body armor means torso ballistic protection containing either soft ballistic panels, hard ballistic panels, or a combination of both, contained within a carrier, which may be concealable for wear under a uniform shirt or external for wear over a uniform shirt, and holds panels and plates in position on the torso.