Homeland Security Act of 2002 Part 5

(ix) Multi-modal transportation.

(x) Information security and information engineering.

(xi) Engineering.

(xii) Educational outreach and technical a.s.sistance.

(xiii) Border transportation and security.

(xiv) The public policy implications and public dissemination of homeland security related research and development.

(C) Discretion of secretary.--To the extent that exercising such discretion is in the interest of homeland security, and with respect to the designation of any given university- based center for homeland security, the Secretary may except certain criteria as specified in section 308(b)(2)(B) and consider additional criteria beyond those specified in section 308(b)(2)(B). Upon designation of a university-based center for homeland security, the Secretary shall that day publish in the Federal Register the criteria that were excepted or added in the selection process and the justification for the set of criteria that were used for that designation.

(D) Report to congress.--The Secretary shall report annually, from the date of enactment, to Congress concerning the implementation of this section. That report shall indicate which center or centers have been designated and how the designation or designations enhance homeland security, as well as report any decisions to revoke or modify such designations.

(E) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this paragraph.

(c) Intramural Programs.-- (1) Consultation.--In carrying out the duties under section 302, the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, may draw upon the expertise of any laboratory of the Federal Government, whether operated by a contractor or the Government.

(2) Laboratories.--The Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, may establish a headquarters laboratory for the Department at any laboratory or site and may establish additional laboratory units at other laboratories or sites.

(3) Criteria for headquarters laboratory.--If the Secretary chooses to establish a headquarters laboratory pursuant to paragraph (2), then the Secretary shall do the following: (A) Establish criteria for the selection of the headquarters laboratory in consultation with the National Academy of Sciences, appropriate Federal agencies, and other experts.

(B) Publish the criteria in the Federal Register.

(C) Evaluate all appropriate laboratories or sites against the criteria.

(D) Select a laboratory or site on the basis of the criteria.

(E) Report to the appropriate congressional committees on which laboratory was selected, how the selected laboratory meets the published criteria, and what duties the headquarters laboratory shall perform.

(4) Limitation on operation of laboratories.--No laboratory shall begin operating as the headquarters laboratory of the Department until at least 30 days after the transmittal of the report required by paragraph (3)(E).

SEC. 309. [6 U.S.C. 189] UTILIZATION OF DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY NATIONAL LABORATORIES AND SITES IN SUPPORT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ACTIVITIES.

(a) Authority to Utilize National Laboratories and Sites.-- (1) In general.--In carrying out the missions of the Department, the Secretary may utilize the Department of Energy national laboratories and sites through any 1 or more of the following methods, as the Secretary considers appropriate: (A) A joint sponsorship arrangement referred to in subsection (b).

(B) A direct contract between the Department and the applicable Department of Energy laboratory or site, subject to subsection (c).

(C) Any ''work for others'' basis made available by that laboratory or site.

(D) Any other method provided by law.

(2) Acceptance and Performance by Labs and Sites.-- Notwithstanding any other law governing the administration, mission, use, or operations of any of the Department of Energy national laboratories and sites, such laboratories and sites are authorized to accept and perform work for the Secretary, consistent with resources provided, and perform such work on an equal basis to other missions at the laboratory and not on a noninterference basis with other missions of such laboratory or site.

(b) Joint Sponsorship Arrangements.-- (1) Laboratories.--The Department may be a joint sponsor, under a multiple agency sponsorship arrangement with the Department of Energy, of 1 or more Department of Energy national laboratories in the performance of work.

(2) Sites.--The Department may be a joint sponsor of a Department of Energy site in the performance of work as if such site were a federally funded research and development center and the work were performed under a multiple agency sponsorship arrangement with the Department.

(3) Primary sponsor.--The Department of Energy shall be the primary sponsor under a multiple agency sponsorship arrangement referred to in paragraph (1) or (2).

(4) Lead agent.--The Secretary of Energy shall act as the lead agent in coordinating the formation and performance of a joint sponsorship arrangement under this subsection between the Department and a Department of Energy national laboratory or site.

(5) Federal acquisition regulation.--Any work performed by a Department of Energy national laboratory or site under a joint sponsorship arrangement under this subsection shall comply with the policy on the use of federally funded research and development centers under the Federal Acquisition Regulations.

(6) Funding.--The Department shall provide funds for work at the Department of Energy national laboratories or sites, as the case may be, under a joint sponsorship arrangement under this subsection under the same terms and conditions as apply to the primary sponsor of such national laboratory under section 303(b)(1)(C) of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 (41 U.S.C.

253(b)(1)(C)) or of such site to the extent such section applies to such site as a federally funded research and development center by reason of this subsection.

(c) Separate Contracting.--To the extent that programs or activities transferred by this Act from the Department of Energy to the Department of Homeland Security are being carried out through direct contracts with the operator of a national laboratory or site of the Department of Energy, the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of Energy shall ensure that direct contracts for such programs and activities between the Department of Homeland Security and such operator are separate from the direct contracts of the Department of Energy with such operator.

(d) Authority With Respect to Cooperative Research and Development Agreements and Licensing Agreements.--In connection with any utilization of the Department of Energy national laboratories and sites under this section, the Secretary may permit the director of any such national laboratory or site to enter into cooperative research and development agreements or to negotiate licensing agreements with any person, any agency or instrumentality, of the United States, any unit of State or local government, and any other ent.i.ty under the authority granted by section 12 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3710a). Technology may be transferred to a non-Federal party to such an agreement consistent with the provisions of sections 11 and 12 of that Act (15 U.S.C. 3710, 3710a).

(e) Reimburs.e.m.e.nt of Costs.--In the case of an activity carried out by the operator of a Department of Energy national laboratory or site in connection with any utilization of such laboratory or site under this section, the Department of Homeland Security shall reimburse the Department of Energy for costs of such activity through a method under which the Secretary of Energy waives any requirement for the Department of Homeland Security to pay administrative charges or personnel costs of the Department of Energy or its contractors in excess of the amount that the Secretary of Energy pays for an activity carried out by such contractor and paid for by the Department of Energy.

(f) Laboratory Directed Research and Development by the Department of Energy.--No funds authorized to be appropriated or otherwise made available to the Department in any fiscal year may be obligated or expended for laboratory directed research and development activities carried out by the Department of Energy unless such activities support the missions of the Department of Homeland Security.

(g) Office for National Laboratories.--There is established within the Directorate of Science and Technology an Office for National Laboratories, which shall be responsible for the coordination and utilization of the Department of Energy national laboratories and sites under this section in a manner to create a networked laboratory system for the purpose of supporting the missions of the Department.

(h) Department of Energy Coordination on Homeland Security Related Research.--The Secretary of Energy shall ensure that any research, development, test, and evaluation activities conducted within the Department of Energy that are directly or indirectly related to homeland security are fully coordinated with the Secretary to minimize duplication of effort and maximize the effective application of Federal budget resources.

SEC. 310. [6 U.S.C. 190] TRANSFER OF PLUM ISLAND ANIMAL DISEASE CENTER, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

(a) In General.--In accordance with t.i.tle XV, the Secretary of Agriculture shall transfer to the Secretary of Homeland Security the Plum Island Animal Disease Center of the Department of Agriculture, including the a.s.sets and liabilities of the Center.

(b) Continued Department of Agriculture Access.--On completion of the transfer of the Plum Island Animal Disease Center under subsection (a), the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of Agriculture shall enter into an agreement to ensure that the Department of Agriculture is able to carry out research, diagnostic, and other activities of the Department of Agriculture at the Center.

(c) Direction of Activities.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall continue to direct the research, diagnostic, and other activities of the Department of Agriculture at the Center described in subsection (b).

(d) Notification.-- (1) In general.--At least 180 days before any change in the biosafety level at the Plum Island Animal Disease Center, the President shall notify Congress of the change and describe the reasons for the change.

(2) Limitation.--No change described in paragraph (1) may be made earlier than 180 days after the completion of the transition period (as defined in section 1501).

SEC. 311. [6 U.S.C. 191] HOMELAND SECURITY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

(a) Establishment.--There is established within the Department a Homeland Security Science and Technology Advisory Committee (in this section referred to as the ''Advisory Committee''). The Advisory Committee shall make recommendations with respect to the activities of the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, including identifying research areas of potential importance to the security of the Nation.

(b) Membership.-- (1) Appointment.--The Advisory Committee shall consist of 20 members appointed by the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, which shall include emergency first-responders or representatives of organizations or a.s.sociations of emergency first- responders. The Advisory Committee shall also include representatives of citizen groups, including economically disadvantaged communities. The individuals appointed as members of the Advisory Committee-- (A) shall be eminent in fields such as emergency response, research, engineering, new product development, business, and management consulting; (B) shall be selected solely on the basis of established records of distinguished service; (C) shall not be employees of the Federal Government; and (D) shall be so selected as to provide representation of a cross-section of the research, development, demonstration, and deployment activities supported by the Under Secretary for Science and Technology.

(2) National research council.--The Under Secretary for Science and Technology may enter into an arrangement for the National Research Council to select members of the Advisory Committee, but only if the panel used by the National Research Council reflects the representation described in paragraph (1).

(c) Terms of Office.-- (1) In general.--Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the term of office of each member of the Advisory Committee shall be 3 years.

(2) Original appointments.--The original members of the Advisory Committee shall be appointed to three cla.s.ses. One cla.s.s of six shall have a term of 1 year, one cla.s.s of seven a term of 2 years, and one cla.s.s of seven a term of 3 years.

(3) Vacancies.--A member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring before the expiration of the term for which the member's predecessor was appointed shall be appointed for the remainder of such term.

(d) Eligibility.--A person who has completed two consecutive full terms of service on the Advisory Committee shall thereafter be ineligible for appointment during the 1- year period following the expiration of the second such term.

(e) Meetings.--The Advisory Committee shall meet at least quarterly at the call of the Chair or whenever one-third of the members so request in writing. Each member shall be given appropriate notice of the call of each meeting, whenever possible not less than 15 days before the meeting.

(f) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Advisory Committee not having a conflict of interest in the matter being considered by the Advisory Committee shall const.i.tute a quorum.

(g) Conflict of Interest Rules.--The Advisory Committee shall establish rules for determining when 1 of its members has a conflict of interest in a matter being considered by the Advisory Committee.

(h) Reports.-- (1) Annual report.--The Advisory Committee shall render an annual report to the Under Secretary for Science and Technology for transmittal to Congress on or before January 31 of each year. Such report shall describe the activities and recommendations of the Advisory Committee during the previous year.

(2) Additional reports.--The Advisory Committee may render to the Under Secretary for transmittal to Congress such additional reports on specific policy matters as it considers appropriate.

(i) Federal Advisory Committee Act Exemption.--Section 14 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act shall not apply to the Advisory Committee.

(j) Termination.--The Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Advisory Committee shall terminate on December 31, 2008.

SEC. 312. [6 U.S.C. 192] HOMELAND SECURITY INSt.i.tUTE.

(a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a federally funded research and development center to be known as the ''Homeland Security Inst.i.tute'' (in this section referred to as the ''Inst.i.tute'').

(b) Administration.--The Inst.i.tute shall be administered as a separate ent.i.ty by the Secretary.

(c) Duties.--The duties of the Inst.i.tute shall be determined by the Secretary, and may include the following: (1) Systems a.n.a.lysis, risk a.n.a.lysis, and simulation and modeling to determine the vulnerabilities of the Nation's critical infrastructures and the effectiveness of the systems deployed to reduce those vulnerabilities.

(2) Economic and policy a.n.a.lysis to a.s.sess the distributed costs and benefits of alternative approaches to enhancing security.

(3) Evaluation of the effectiveness of measures deployed to enhance the security of inst.i.tutions, facilities, and infrastructure that may be terrorist targets.

(4) Identification of instances when common standards and protocols could improve the interoperability and effective utilization of tools developed for field operators and first responders.

(5) a.s.sistance for Federal agencies and departments in establishing testbeds to evaluate the effectiveness of technologies under development and to a.s.sess the appropriateness of such technologies for deployment.

(6) Design of metrics and use of those metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of homeland security programs throughout the Federal Government, including all national laboratories.

(7) Design of and support for the conduct of homeland security-related exercises and simulations.

(8) Creation of strategic technology development plans to reduce vulnerabilities in the Nation's critical infrastructure and key resources.

(d) Consultation on Inst.i.tute Activities.--In carrying out the duties described in subsection (c), the Inst.i.tute shall consult widely with representatives from private industry, inst.i.tutions of higher education, nonprofit inst.i.tutions, other Government agencies, and federally funded research and development centers.

(e) Use of Centers.--The Inst.i.tute shall utilize the capabilities of the National Infrastructure Simulation and a.n.a.lysis Center.

(f) Annual Reports.--The Inst.i.tute shall transmit to the Secretary and Congress an annual report on the activities of the Inst.i.tute under this section.

(g) Termination.--The Homeland Security Inst.i.tute shall terminate 5 years after its establishment.

SEC. 313. [6 U.S.C. 193] TECHNOLOGY CLEARINGHOUSE TO ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO ENHANCE HOMELAND SECURITY.

(a) Establishment of Program.--The Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, shall establish and promote a program to encourage technological innovation in facilitating the mission of the Department (as described in section 101).

(b) Elements of Program.--The program described in subsection (a) shall include the following components: (1) The establishment of a centralized Federal clearinghouse for information relating to technologies that would further the mission of the Department for dissemination, as appropriate, to Federal, State, and local government and private sector ent.i.ties for additional review, purchase, or use.

(2) The issuance of announcements seeking unique and innovative technologies to advance the mission of the Department.

(3) The establishment of a technical a.s.sistance team to a.s.sist in screening, as appropriate, proposals submitted to the Secretary (except as provided in subsection (c)(2)) to a.s.sess the feasibility, scientific and technical merits, and estimated cost of such proposals, as appropriate.

(4) The provision of guidance, recommendations, and technical a.s.sistance, as appropriate, to a.s.sist Federal, State, and local government and private sector efforts to evaluate and implement the use of technologies described in paragraph (1) or (2).

(5) The provision of information for persons seeking guidance on how to pursue proposals to develop or deploy technologies that would enhance homeland security, including information relating to Federal funding, regulation, or acquisition.

(c) Miscellaneous Provisions.-- (1) In general.--Nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing the Secretary or the technical a.s.sistance team established under subsection (b)(3) to set standards for technology to be used by the Department, any other executive agency, any State or local government ent.i.ty, or any private sector ent.i.ty.

(2) Certain proposals.--The technical a.s.sistance team established under subsection (b)(3) shall not consider or evaluate proposals submitted in response to a solicitation for offers for a pending procurement or for a specific agency requirement.

(3) Coordination.--In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall coordinate with the Technical Support Working Group (organized under the April 1982 National Security Decision Directive Numbered 30).

SEC. 314. OFFICE FOR INTEROPERABILITY AND COMPATIBILITY.

(a) Clarification of Responsibilities.--The Director of the Office for Interoperability and Compatibility shall-- (1) a.s.sist the Secretary in developing and implementing the science and technology aspects of the program described in subparagraphs (D), (E), (F), and (G) of section 7303(a)(1) of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (6 U.S.C.

194(a)(1)); (2) in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission, the National Inst.i.tute of Standards and Technology, and other Federal departments and agencies with responsibility for standards, support the creation of national voluntary consensus standards for interoperable emergency communications; (3) establish a comprehensive research, development, testing, and evaluation program for improving interoperable emergency communications; (4) establish, in coordination with the Director for Emergency Communications, requirements for interoperable emergency communications capabilities, which shall be nonproprietary where standards for such capabilities exist, for all public safety radio and data communications systems and equipment purchased using homeland security a.s.sistance administered by the Department, excluding any alert and warning device, technology, or system; (5) carry out the Department's responsibilities and authorities relating to research, development, testing, evaluation, or standards-related elements of the SAFECOM Program; (6) evaluate and a.s.sess new technology in real- world environments to achieve interoperable emergency communications capabilities; (7) encourage more efficient use of existing resources, including equipment, to achieve interoperable emergency communications capabilities; (8) test public safety communications systems that are less p.r.o.ne to failure, support new nonvoice services, use spectrum more efficiently, and cost less than existing systems; (9) coordinate with the private sector to develop solutions to improve emergency communications capabilities and achieve interoperable emergency communications capabilities; and (10) conduct pilot projects, in coordination with the Director for Emergency Communications, to test and demonstrate technologies, including data and video, that enhance-- (A) the ability of emergency response providers and relevant government officials to continue to communicate in the event of natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man- made disasters; and (B) interoperable emergency communications capabilities.

(b) Coordination.--The Director of the Office for Interoperability and Compatibility shall coordinate with the Director for Emergency Communications with respect to the SAFECOM program.

(c) Sufficiency of Resources.--The Secretary shall provide the Office for Interoperability and Compatibility the resources and staff necessary to carry out the responsibilities under this section.