[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3367 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3367

 To provide for additional responsibilities for the Chief Information 
 Officer of the Department of Homeland Security relating to geospatial 
                              information.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 21, 2003

 Mr. Sessions introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
  Committee on Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on 
Science, 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 provide for additional responsibilities for the Chief Information 
 Officer of the Department of Homeland Security relating to geospatial 
                              information.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. GEOSPATIAL INFORMATION.

    (a) Defined Term.--In this Act, the term ``geospatial information'' 
means collecting, storing, retrieving, or disseminating graphical or 
digital data depicting natural or manmade physical features, phenomena 
or boundaries of the earth and any information related thereto, 
including surveys, maps, charts, remote sensing data and images and 
aerial photographic services, with services performed by professionals 
such as surveyors, photogrammetrists, hydrographers, geodesists, 
cartographers, and other such services of an architectural or 
engineering nature.
    (b) Coordination of Geospatial Information.--The Chief Information 
Officer of the Department of Homeland Security shall establish and 
carry out a program to provide for the efficient use of geospatial 
information, which shall include--
            (1) providing such geospatial information as may be 
        necessary to implement the critical infrastructure protection 
        programs designated pursuant to section 213 of the Homeland 
        Security Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-296); and
            (2) providing leadership in meeting the requirements of, 
        and populate the databases used by, those responsible for 
        planning, prevention, mitigation, assessment and response to 
        emergencies, critical infrastructure and other functions of the 
        Department of Homeland Security, and to assure the 
        interoperability of, and prevent unnecessary duplication of, 
        geospatial information among all users.
    (c) Responsibilities.--In carrying out subsection (b), the 
responsibilities of the Chief Information Officer shall include--
            (1) managing the geospatial information needs and 
        activities of the Department of Homeland Security;
            (2) establishing such standards as are necessary to assure 
        the interoperability of geospatial information pertaining to 
        homeland security among all users of such information within--
                    (A) the Department of Homeland Security;
                    (B) other agencies;
                    (C) State and local government; and
                    (D) the private sector;
            (3) coordinating with and providing liaison to the Federal 
        Geographic Data Committee and carrying out the responsibilities 
        of the Department of Homeland Security pursuant to Office of 
        Management and Budget Circular A-16 and Executive Order 12906;
            (4) providing grants--
                    (A) to fund the creation of data; and
                    (B) to execute information sharing agreements with 
                State, local, and tribal governments; and
            (5) to the maximum extent possible, ensuring that the 
        Department of Homeland Security utilizes commercial geospatial 
        data and services available by awarding contracts to entities 
        in the private sector.
                                 <all>