[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3161 Introduced in House (IH)]
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3161
To direct the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to
provide grants to local governments and emergency response units to
develop plans for a clearly defined and coordinated response to
emergencies, and to provide grants to police and fire departments for
counterterrorism training.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 23, 2001
Mr. Larson of Connecticut (for himself, Mr. Baldacci, Mr. Pascrell, Mr.
Doyle, Mr. Weldon of Pennsylvania, Mrs. Jones of Ohio, Mr. Frank, Mrs.
Thurman, Mr. Wu, Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, Mr. Taylor of Mississippi,
Mrs. McCarthy of New York, Mr. Weiner, Mr. Langevin, Mr. Wexler, Mr.
Delahunt, Mr. Olver, Mr. Holden, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Hoeffel, Mr. Holt, Mr.
Kanjorski, Mr. Crowley, Mr. Stupak, Mr. Hill, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Ross,
Mr. Abercrombie, Mr. Hinchey, Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania, Mr. Honda, Mr.
Reyes, Mr. Clyburn, Mr. Gonzalez, Mr. Fattah, Mr. Borski, Mr. Allen,
Mr. Clay, Mr. Udall of Colorado, Mr. Cummings, Mr. Edwards, Mr. Sawyer,
Mr. Baca, Mr. Shows, Mr. Bishop, Mr. Mascara, Mr. Meeks of New York,
Mr. Kennedy of Rhode Island, Mr. Underwood, Ms. McCarthy of Missouri,
Mr. Moore, Mr. Wynn, Mr. George Miller of California, Mr. Filner, Mr.
McDermott, Mr. John, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Tierney, Mr. Ackerman, Mrs.
Christensen, Mr. Kind, Ms. Pelosi, Mr. Lampson, Mr. Farr of California,
Ms. Eshoo, Mrs. Capps, Ms. Millender-McDonald, Mr. Israel, Ms. DeLauro,
Mr. Turner, and Ms. Lee) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in
addition to the Committees on Science, and the Judiciary, for a period
to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to
provide grants to local governments and emergency response units to
develop plans for a clearly defined and coordinated response to
emergencies, and to provide grants to police and fire departments for
counterterrorism training.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Municipal Preparation and Strategic
Response Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act, the following definitions apply:
(1) Emergency response unit.--The term ``emergency response
unit'' means a State or local emergency response unit,
including any fire department, police department, sheriff's
office, paramedic unit, local public health unit, or hospital,
or any other entity determined by a State or unit of local
government to be essential to emergency response and
preparedness.
(2) Unit of local government.--The term ``unit of local
government'' includes any city, county, town, borough, tribe,
or other municipality or consortia of local governments.
SEC. 3. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that--
(1) in the event of a catastrophe or an attack on the
Nation, emergency response units are the first to respond to
the scene and thereby take the greatest risks, underscoring the
need for a coordinated response to an emergency;
(2) potential contamination of reservoirs, water supplies,
sewers, and food supplies, as well as the potential release of
biochemical agents and contaminants are a threat to front line
rescuers and appropriate protocols and procedures must be
established;
(3) the potential threats of a disruption of communications
and other high technology systems through the use of electronic
warfare techniques must be identified and appropriate protocol
and procedures must be established; and
(4) there is a clear and present need to coordinate a
response to terrorism-related emergencies among emergency
response units and between local, State, and Federal agencies.
SEC. 4. GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--The Director of the Federal Emergency Management
Agency shall make grants on a competitive basis to units of local
government and emergency response units.
(b) Use of Grants.--Grants made under this section shall be used
to--
(1) develop strategic response plans that--
(A) provide for a clearly defined and unified
response to a terrorist attack or other catastrophe;
(B) coordinate the activities and procedures of
various emergency response units;
(C) define the relationship, roles,
responsibilities, jurisdictions, command structures,
and communication protocols of emergency response
units;
(D) coordinate response procedures with similar
emergency response units in neighboring units of local
government as well as with State and Federal agencies;
(E) identify potential local targets of terrorism
and include specific response procedures for each
potential target;
(F) assess and address threats and outline
coordinated response procedures; and
(G) identify areas where additional training,
equipment, or other assistance is needed to implement
such procedures;
(2) prepare and issue reports to units of local government,
State legislatures, and Congress that include recommendations
for specific legislative action; and
(3) conduct public forums or other appropriate activities
to educate the public about--
(A) potential threats and steps the public can take
to prepare for them;
(B) the contents of the strategic response plans;
(C) how to communicate with authorities in the
event of an emergency;
(D) the location of safe public assembly areas or
other emergency shelters; and
(E) other appropriate information.
SEC. 5. STATE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATORS.
The Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall
designate for each State a representative of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency to--
(1) advise and assist units of local government with the
development of strategic response plans;
(2) act as a liaison between units of local government and
the Federal Government; and
(3) coordinate the sharing of information about Federal
Government initiatives and protocol.
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2002
$1,000,000,000 to carry out this Act. Such sums shall remain available
until expended.
SEC. 7. FIREFIGHTER COUNTERTERRORISM GRANTS.
(a) Grants for Counterterrorism Training.--Section 33(b)(3) of the
Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2229(b)(3))
is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (M) by striking ``or'' at the end;
(2) in subparagraph (N) by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``; or''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
``(O) to fund counterterrorism training and provide
related equipment.''.
(b) Special Rule.--Section 33(b)(6) of such Act (15 U.S.C.
2229(b)(6)) is amended by adding at the end the following new
subparagraph:
``(C) Exemption.--This paragraph shall not apply to
grants that are made exclusively for the purposes
described in paragraph (3)(O).''.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 33 of such Act (15
U.S.C. 2229) is amended by adding at the end the following new
subsection:
``(f) Authorization for Counterterrorism Programs.--In addition to
amounts authorized under subsection (e), there are authorized to be
appropriated for fiscal year 2002 $250,000,000 for grants to be used
exclusively for the purposes described in subsection (b)(3)(O). Such
sums shall remain available until expended.''.
SEC. 8. LAW ENFORCEMENT COUNTERTERRORISM GRANTS.
(a) Grants for Counterterrorism Training.--Section 1701(b)(1) of
the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C.
3796dd(b)(1)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (B) by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in subparagraph (C) by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
``(D) provide counterterrorism training and related
equipment.''.
(b) Special Rule.--Section 1701(i) of such Act (42 U.S.C.
3796dd(i)) is amended by adding at the end ``This subsection shall not
apply to grants that are made exclusively for the purposes described in
subsection (b)(1)(D).''.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 1001(a)(11) of such
Act (42 U.S.C. 3793(a)(11)) is amended--
(1) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C);
and
(2) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following new
subparagraph:
``(B) In addition to the amounts authorized under subparagraph (A),
there are authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2002
$250,000,000 for grants to be used exclusively for the purposes
described in section 1701(b)(1)(D). Such sums shall remain available
until expended. Subparagraph (C) shall not apply to such sums.''.
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