[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2390 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2390

 To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 101 et seq.) to 
   establish a Geospatial Management Office within the Department of 
Homeland Security to establish and maintain geospatial preparedness for 
                      homeland security purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 6, 2004

   Mr. Akaka introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
           referred to the Committee on Governmental Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 101 et seq.) to 
   establish a Geospatial Management Office within the Department of 
Homeland Security to establish and maintain geospatial preparedness for 
                      homeland security purposes.

    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 ``Homeland Security Geospatial 
Information Act of 2004''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) geospatial technologies and geospatial data improve 
        government capabilities to detect, plan, prepare, and respond 
        to disasters in order to save lives and protect property;
            (2) spatial data improves the ability of information 
        technology applications and systems to enhance public security 
        in a cost-effective manner; and
            (3) geospatial preparedness in the United States is 
        insufficient because of--
                    (A) inadequate geospatial data compatibility;
                    (B) insufficient geospatial data sharing;
                    (C) technology interoperability barriers;
                    (D) institutional and organizational resistance to 
                new ways of doing business; and
                    (E) insufficient geospatial data collection and 
                sharing.

SEC. 3. HOMELAND SECURITY GEOSPATIAL INFORMATION.

    Section 703 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 342) is 
amended--
            (1) by inserting ``(a) In General.--'' before ``The Chief 
        Information''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(b) Geospatial Information Functions.--
            ``(1) Definition.--In this subsection, 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 related information, 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.
            ``(2) Office of geospatial management.--
                    ``(A) Establishment.--The Office of Geospatial 
                Management is established within the Office of the 
                Chief Information Officer.
                    ``(B) Geospatial information officer.--
                            ``(i) Appointment.--The Office of 
                        Geospatial Management shall be administered by 
                        the Geospatial Information Officer, who shall 
                        be appointed by the Secretary and serve under 
                        the direction of the Chief Information Officer.
                            ``(ii) Responsibilities.--The Geospatial 
                        Information Officer shall--
                                    ``(I) manage the geospatial 
                                information needs and activities of the 
                                Department;
                                    ``(II) design and implement 
                                comprehensive geospatial initiatives 
                                for homeland security purposes, 
                                including the provision of grants to 
                                fund the creation of data and the 
                                execution of information sharing 
                                agreements with State and local 
                                governments; and
                                    ``(III) in cooperation with the 
                                Federal Geographic Data Committee, 
                                coordinate and use geospatial 
                                information for the use and enhancement 
                                of the national spatial data 
                                infrastructure for homeland security 
                                purposes.
            ``(3) Authorization of appropriations.--There are 
        authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to 
        carry out this subsection for each fiscal year.''.

SEC. 4. INTERGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION OF GEOSPATIAL INFORMATION.

     The Intergovernmental Board of Directors of the Geospatial One 
Stop Project shall include the Department of Homeland Security as a 
member. The Geospatial Information Officer shall be the representative 
of the Department of Homeland Security.
                                 <all>