Short title

This Act may be cited as the

Homeland Security Science and Technology Enhancement Act of 2006

National standards for homeland security equipment and training

(a)

Amendment

Title III of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 181 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

314.

National standards for homeland security equipment and training

(a)

Equipment Standards

(1)

In general

The Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, and in consultation with other components of the Department, as appropriate, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, shall support the development, promulgation, and updating as necessary of national voluntary consensus standards for the performance, use, and validation of equipment used by Federal, State, and local government and nongovernment emergency response providers, and by the components of the Department. Such standards— (A)shall be, to the maximum extent practicable, consistent with any existing voluntary consensus standards; (B)shall take into account, as appropriate, new types of terrorism threats and responsibilities of the Department that may not have been contemplated when such existing standards were developed; (C)shall be focused on maximizing interoperability, interchangeability, durability, flexibility, efficiency, efficacy, portability, sustainability, and safety; and (D)shall cover all appropriate uses of the equipment. (2)

Required categories

In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary shall specifically consider national voluntary consensus standards for the performance, use, and validation of the following categories of equipment: (A)Thermal imaging equipment. (B)Radiation detection and analysis equipment. (C)Biological detection and analysis equipment. (D)Chemical detection and analysis equipment. (E)Decontamination and sterilization equipment. (F)Personal protective equipment, including garments, boots, gloves, and hoods and other protective clothing. (G)Respiratory protection equipment. (H)Interoperable communications, including wireless and wireline voice, video, and data networks. (I)Explosive detection and analysis equipment, and technologies and methods to mitigate the impact of explosive devices or materials. (J)Containment vessels. (K)Contaminant-resistant vehicles. (L)Aerial platforms. (M)Special rescue equipment. (N)Screening and patrolling technologies. (O)Such other equipment for which the Secretary determines that national voluntary consensus standards would be appropriate. (3)

Certification and accreditation

The Secretary, in carrying out this subsection, and in coordination with the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, may support the certification of equipment and the accreditation of laboratories to conduct testing and evaluation. (4)

Equipment standards and acquisitions

(A)

Department supported acquisitions

If an applicant for financial assistance provided by the Department proposes to use such financial assistance to upgrade or purchase new equipment or systems that do not meet or exceed any applicable national voluntary consensus standards, the applicant shall include in its application for financial assistance an explanation of why such equipment or systems will serve the needs of the applicant better than equipment or systems that meet or exceed such standards. (B)

Department acquisitions

When an operational unit of the Department proposes to upgrade or purchase new equipment or systems, the head of that unit shall consult with the Under Secretary for Science and Technology on whether such equipment or systems meet or exceed any applicable national voluntary consensus standards and whether there is need for the Department to support the development or updating of applicable national voluntary consensus standards. (b)

Training Standards

(1)

In general

The Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, and in consultation with other components of the Department, as appropriate, shall support the development, promulgation, and regular updating as necessary of national voluntary consensus standards for training for Federal, State, and local government and nongovernment emergency response providers and Department personnel, including training that will enable them to use equipment effectively and appropriately in carrying out their responsibilities. Such standards shall give priority to providing training to— (A)enable Federal, State, and local government and nongovernment emergency response providers and Department personnel to prevent, prepare for, respond to, mitigate against, and recover from terrorist threats, including threats from chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons and explosive devices capable of inflicting significant human casualties, and other emergencies; and (B)familiarize Federal, State, and local government and nongovernment emergency response providers and Department personnel with the proper use of equipment, including software, developed pursuant to the standards developed under subsection (a). (2)

Required categories

In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary specifically shall include the following categories of activities: (A)Regional planning. (B)Joint exercises. (C)Intelligence collection, analysis, and sharing. (D)Decisionmaking protocols for incident response and alarms. (E)Emergency notification of affected populations. (F)Detection of biological, nuclear, radiological, and chemical weapons of mass destruction. (G)Screening and patrolling procedures. (H)Such other activities for which the Secretary determines that national voluntary consensus training standards would be appropriate. (3)

Consistency

In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary shall ensure that— (A)training standards for Federal, State, and local government and nongovernment emergency response providers are consistent with the principles of emergency preparedness for all hazards; and (B)training standards for Department personnel are consistent with the counterterrorism and traditional responsibilities of the Department. (c)

Consultation With Standards Organizations

In supporting the development, promulgation, and updating of national voluntary consensus standards for equipment for and training under this section, the Secretary shall consult with relevant public and private sector groups, including— (1)the National Institute of Standards and Technology; (2)the National Fire Protection Association; (3)the National Association of County and City Health Officials; (4)the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials; (5)the American National Standards Institute; (6)the National Institute of Justice; (7)the Inter-Agency Board for Equipment Standardization and Interoperability; (8)the National Public Health Performance Standards Program; (9)the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; (10)ASTM International; (11)the International Safety Equipment Association; (12)the Emergency Management Accreditation Program; and (13)to the extent the Secretary considers appropriate, other national voluntary consensus standards development organizations, other interested Federal, State, and local agencies, and other interested persons. (d)

Coordination With Secretaries of HHS and Transportation

In supporting the development, promulgation, and updating of any national voluntary consensus standards under this section for equipment for or training of emergency response providers that involve or relate to health or emergency medical services professionals, including emergency medical professionals, the Secretary shall coordinate activities under this section with the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Transportation. (e)

Consistency with the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act

In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall comply with section 12(d) of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act (15 U.S.C. 272 note).

(b)

Table of contents amendment

The table of contents of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by adding after the item relating to section 313 the following new item:

Sec. 314. National standards for homeland security equipment and training.

Technology development and transfer

(a)

Establishment of Technology Clearinghouse

Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall complete the establishment of the Technology Clearinghouse under section 313 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002. (b)

Transfer Program

Section 313 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 193) is amended— (1)in subsection (b)(3), by striking subsection (c)(2) and inserting subsection (e)(2); (2)by adding at the end of subsection (b) the following new paragraph:

(6)The establishment of a homeland security technology transfer program to facilitate the identification, modification, and commercialization of technology and equipment for use by Federal, State, and local governmental agencies, emergency response providers, and the private sector to prevent, prepare for, or respond to acts of terrorism or other emergencies.

;

(3)by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (e); and (4)by inserting after subsection (b) the following new subsections:

(c)

Elements of the Technology Transfer Program

The activities of the program described in subsection (b)(6) shall include— (1)identifying available technologies that have been, or are in the process of being, developed, tested, evaluated, or demonstrated by the Department, other Federal agencies, the private sector, or foreign governments and international organizations, and reviewing whether such technologies may be useful in assisting Federal, State, and local governmental agencies, emergency response providers, or the private sector to prevent, prepare for, respond to, or recover from acts of terrorism or other emergencies; and (2)communicating to Federal, State, and local governmental agencies, emergency response providers, or the private sector the availability of such technologies, as well as the technology’s specifications, satisfaction of appropriate standards, and the appropriate grants available from the Department to purchase such technologies. (d)

Responsibilities of Under Secretary for Science and Technology

In support of the activities described in subsection (c), the Under Secretary for Science and Technology shall— (1)conduct or support, based on the Department’s current risk assessments, research, development, demonstrations, tests, and evaluations, as appropriate, of technologies identified under subsection (c)(1), including of— (A)any necessary modifications to such technologies for use by emergency response providers; and (B)incorporation of human factors in the development and suggested use of such technologies; (2)ensure that the technology transfer activities throughout the Directorate of Science and Technology are coordinated, including the technology transfer aspects of projects and grants awarded to the private sector and academia; (3)consult with the other Under Secretaries of the Department, the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the Director of the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office on an ongoing basis; (4)consult with Federal, State, and local emergency response providers; (5)consult with government agencies and standards development organizations as appropriate; (6)enter into agreements and coordinate with other Federal agencies, foreign governments, and national and international organizations as appropriate, in order to maximize the effectiveness of such technologies or to facilitate commercialization of such technologies; (7)consult with existing technology transfer programs and Federal and State training centers that research, develop, test, evaluate, and transfer military and other technologies for use by emergency response providers; and (8)establish a working group in coordination with the Secretary of Defense to advise and assist the technology clearinghouse in the identification of military technologies that are in the process of being developed, or are developed, by the Department of Defense or the private sector, which may include— (A)representatives from the Department of Defense or retired military officers; (B)nongovernmental organizations or private companies that are engaged in the research, development, testing, or evaluation of related technologies or that have demonstrated prior experience and success in searching for and identifying technologies for Federal agencies; (C)Federal, State, and local emergency response providers; and (D)as appropriate, other organizations, other interested Federal, State, and local agencies, and other interested persons.

(c)

Report

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary for Science and Technology shall transmit to the Congress a description of the progress the Department has made in implementing the provisions of section 313 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended by this Act, including a description of the process used to review unsolicited proposals received as described in subsection (b)(3) of such section. (d)

Savings Clause

Nothing in this section (including the amendments made by this section) shall be construed to alter or diminish the effect of the limitation on the authority of the Secretary of Homeland Security under section 302(4) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 182(4)) with respect to human health-related research and development activities.

Homeland Security Science and Technology Advisory Committee

Section 311(j) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 191(j)) is amended to read as follows:

(j)

Termination

The Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Advisory Committee shall terminate 10 years after its establishment.

Regional technology integration program

(a)

Amendment

Title III of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 181 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

315.

Regional technology integration program

(a)

In general

The Under Secretary for Science and Technology, in coordination with the Under Secretary for Preparedness, shall provide technical guidance, training, and other assistance, as appropriate, to support the transfer and integration of homeland security technologies and protocols in urban and other high risk jurisdictions determined by the Secretary to be at consistently high levels of risk from terrorist attack. (b)

Activities

The program supported under subsection (a) shall work to— (1)facilitate the transition of innovative technologies and operational concepts, including those described in subsection (c); (2)integrate new technologies with existing infrastructure, systems, and concepts; (3)identify capability and technology gaps for future research, development, test, and evaluation; (4)evaluate system performance, life cycle, and human factor issues; and (5)disseminate lessons learned to other communities. (c)

Innovative technologies and operational concepts

The innovative technologies and operational concepts referred to in subsection (b)(1) include— (1)detection systems for weapons of mass destruction; (2)emergency management information systems; (3)situational awareness; (4)information sharing; (5)atmospheric transport and dispersion modeling; (6)public alerts and warnings; (7)aerial platforms; and (8)emergency medical support. (d)

Coordination

In setting priorities for and carrying out the activities under this section, the Under Secretary for Science and Technology shall consult and coordinate with appropriate governors, mayors, other State and local government officials, and first responders.

(b)

Table of contents amendment

The table of contents of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by adding after the item relating to section 314 the following new item:

Sec. 315. Regional technology integration program.

Cybersecurity research and development

(a)

Amendment

Title III of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 181 et. seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

316.

Cybersecurity research and development

(a)

In General

The Under Secretary for Science and Technology shall support research and development, including fundamental, long-term research, in cybersecurity to improve the ability of the United States to prevent, protect against, detect, respond to, and recover from cyber attacks, with emphasis on research and development relevant to large-scale, high-impact attacks. (b)

Activities

The research and development supported under subsection (a) shall include work to— (1)advance the development and accelerate the deployment of more secure versions of critical information systems, including— (A)fundamental Internet protocols and architectures, including for the domain name system and routing protocols; and (B)control systems used in critical infrastructure sectors; (2)improve and create technologies for detecting attacks or intrusions, including monitoring technologies; (3)improve and create mitigation and recovery methodologies, including techniques for containment of attacks and development of resilient networks and systems that degrade gracefully; and (4)develop and support infrastructure and tools to support cybersecurity research and development efforts, including modeling, testbeds, and data sets for assessment of new cybersecurity technologies. (c)

Coordination

In carrying out this section, the Under Secretary for Science and Technology shall coordinate activities with— (1)the Assistant Secretary for Cybersecurity and Telecommunications; and (2)other Federal agencies, including the National Science Foundation, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Information Assurance Directorate of the National Security Agency, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, to identify unmet needs and cooperatively support activities, as appropriate. (d)

Nature of research

Activities under this section shall be carried out in accordance with section 306(a) of this Act. (e)

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2007.

(b)

Table of contents amendment

The table of contents of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by adding after the item relating to section 315 the following new item:

Sec. 316. Cybersecurity research and development.

Standards for critical infrastructure information systems

(a)

Amendment

Title III of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 181 et. seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

317.

Standards for critical infrastructure information systems

(a)

Standards program

The Under Secretary for Science and Technology shall establish a program to support the development and promulgation of national voluntary consensus standards for requirements, performance testing, and user training with respect to critical infrastructure information systems. (b)

Purpose

The standards developed under subsection (a) shall be designed to assist State and local jurisdictions, including those in urban and other areas at consistently high levels of risk from terrorist attack, and emergency response providers to acquire and implement critical infrastructure information systems and to store and access information regarding critical infrastructure to be used in responding to acts of terrorism or other emergencies. (c)

Requirements

The standards developed under subsection (a) shall be designed to facilitate— (1)the interoperability of systems to enable sharing of information in a variety of formats and across stakeholders at the Federal, State, and local levels; (2)the ease of deployment of the systems to the field; (3)the ability to retrieve situational awareness information in real-time; (4)the integrity, security, and accessibility of stored information; (5)the application of human factors science in the development of the system; (6)the availability and content of training programs for potential users; and (7)meeting any other requirements determined by the Under Secretary to be appropriate. (d)

Reports

The Under Secretary for Science and Technology shall submit to Congress— (1)6 months after the date of enactment of this section, a report describing the plan for carrying out the program under this section, which shall include a schedule for the development of national voluntary consensus standards for critical infrastructure information systems; and (2)12 months after the date of enactment of this section, a report which shall include a description of— (A)the steps taken under this program and the funding dedicated to this program; and (B)the steps that have been or will be taken to promote the adoption of the standards by appropriate standard-setting organizations. (e)

Definitions

In this section— (1)the term critical infrastructure information systems means software programs that store, manage, and display information about critical infrastructure to support situational awareness and real-time decisionmaking of law enforcement, fire services, emergency medical services, emergency management agencies, other emergency response providers, and critical infrastructure facility stakeholders. Critical infrastructure information may include maps and other geospatial information, emergency plans, interior and exterior imagery, entry and exit points, and any other information about infrastructure or facilities that may be beneficial to users of critical infrastructure information systems; and (2)the term critical infrastructure has the meaning given that term in section 1016(e) of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT ACT) Act of 2001 (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)).

(b)

Table of contents amendment

The table of contents of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by adding after the item relating to section 316 the following new item:

Sec. 317. Standards for critical infrastructure information systems.

Scholarship and fellowship programs at the Department of Homeland Security

(a)

In general

Title III of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 181 et. seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

318.

Scholarship and fellowship programs

(a)

In general

The Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, shall encourage the development of an adequate supply of people trained in and performing research in science, technology, engineering, and mathematical fields relevant to homeland security. (b)

Responsibilities

In carrying out this section, the Secretary may support— (1)programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral levels, including at Historically Black Colleges and Universities that are Part B institutions as defined in section 322(2) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061(2)) and minority institutions (as defined in section 365(3) of that Act (20 U.S.C. 1067k(3))); and (2)internship programs that take advantage of the homeland security research infrastructure available to the Department, including laboratories owned or operated by the Department, the Department of Energy National Laboratories, and University Centers of Excellence.

(b)

Table of contents amendment

The table of contents of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by adding after the item relating to section 317 the following new item:

Sec. 318. Scholarship and fellowship programs.

Reports and demonstration project on surveillance camera programs

(a)

Inventory of surveillance systems

Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, in consultation with the Chief Privacy Officer and the Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, shall transmit a report to Congress on existing visual surveillance systems supported or utilized by the Department of Homeland Security. The report shall, for each system— (1)describe the goals of the system, such as terrorism prevention, emergency response, and law enforcement; (2)describe any potential uses of the system beyond its stated goals and if the system has been used in any of those ways; (3)describe the rules governing how visual information generated by the system is collected, stored, analyzed, and disseminated; and (4)describe the role of Federal, State, and local governments and private entities in the operation of the system and use of the data generated by the system. (b)

Systems covered

The visual surveillance systems covered in the report required under subsection (a) shall include all systems for which— (1)the Department provided funds for development, procurement, or implementation of the system; or (2)the Department has access to the data gathered through the system. (c)

Evaluation of surveillance systems

Not later than 1 year after the transmittal of the report under subsection (a), the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, in consultation with the Chief Privacy Officer and the Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, shall transmit a report to Congress evaluating the use and effectiveness of existing visual surveillance systems supported or utilized by the Department of Homeland Security. The report shall, for at least 6 systems that are representative of the systems listed in the report under subsection (a)— (1)evaluate the effectiveness of the system in meeting its stated goals; (2)review the privacy policies and implications of the system; (3)review the civil rights and civil liberties policies and implications of the system; (4)describe any lessons learned from the implementation of the system; and (5)describe any remaining questions about the effectiveness and the privacy and civil liberties implications of such systems that cannot be addressed by this evaluation of surveillance systems and that may require demonstration programs to study. (d)

Demonstration project

(1)

In general

Not sooner than 120 days after the transmittal of the report required under subsection (c), and based on the results of that evaluation, the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, in consultation with the Chief Privacy Officer and the Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties of the Department of Homeland Security, may establish a demonstration project to assess the effectiveness and the privacy and civil liberties implications of utilizing visual surveillance systems to enhance homeland security. (2)

Best practices

The demonstration project established under paragraph (1) shall thoroughly consider and incorporate best practices from within the United States and abroad, including from the United Kingdom, Israel, Canada, and Australia. (3)

Mass transit security

If visual surveillance of a mass transit facility is included in the demonstration project under paragraph (1), the Under Secretary for Science and Technology shall consult with the Assistant Secretary for the Transportation Security Administration and shall ensure that the goals of the demonstration project are consistent with the research and development requirements of the National Strategy for Transportation Security. (e)

Definition

In this section, the term visual surveillance means the use of recording devices with the capability to obtain, store, or analyze video or static images, with the exception of data gathered via satellite systems.

10.

Privacy and civil rights and civil liberties issues in technology development

(a)

In general

Title III of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 181 et. seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

319.

Privacy and civil rights and civil liberties issues in technology development

Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, the Chief Privacy Officer, and the Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties shall transmit to Congress a joint plan for how privacy and civil rights and civil liberties issues will be considered in technology research and development programs at the Department, including how such issues will be taken into account in defining requirements for technology performance and use of technologies in pilot programs.

(b)

Table of contents amendment

The table of contents of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by adding after the item relating to section 318 the following new item:

Sec. 319. Privacy and civil rights and civil liberties issues in technology development.

11.

Science and technology strategic plan

(a)

Strategic plan

Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary for Science and Technology shall transmit to Congress a strategic plan for the science and technology activities of the Department of Homeland Security. The plan shall include— (1)statement of the overall mission of the Science and Technology Directorate; (2)a prioritized list of objectives and the specific capabilities, including technologies and associated protocols, expertise, and facilities, needed to meet these objectives; (3)a description of the processes and risk-based methodologies used to prioritize these objectives; (4)a list of activities, including any long-term basic research programs, that the Under Secretary for Science and Technology will carry out to meet these objectives and develop the specific capabilities described under paragraph (2); (5)a description of the metrics to be used for annual review of the activities; (6)a description of all related programs and activities, within the Department or at other Federal agencies, with which the activities will be coordinated; and (7)a description of the processes used to ensure that factors associated with manpower and infrastructure are considered during technology development. (b)

Regular updating

At the end of the fiscal year that occurs 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act, and every 5 years thereafter, the Under Secretary for Science and Technology shall transmit to Congress an update of this strategic plan.

12.

Reports to Congress on social and behavioral research for Homeland Security

(a)

Report on the use of social and behavioral research

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall transmit to Congress a report on the Department’s use of social and behavioral research, including— (1)a compilation of the instances in which the Department has made use of— (A)social and behavioral research in Department programs in preparedness and response, including risk communication activities, response plans, and training and guidance for decisionmakers; (B)social and behavioral research, including human factors research, in Department technology development and acquisition programs; (C)social and behavioral research in development of Department programs for informing the general public on how to prepare for, protect against, respond to, and mitigate the effects, both physical and psychological, of acts of terrorism, natural disasters, or other emergencies; and (D)social and behavioral research regarding emergency preparedness and response, search and rescue, evacuation, and sheltering-in-place procedures for populations with special needs, including persons with disabilities, health problems, language barriers, and income barriers, the elderly, and children in relevant Department programs; (2)specific citations or references to the social and behavioral research on which the Department has relied; and (3)a plan for how the Department will ensure greater incorporation of social and behavioral research in program and communication activities in the near and long term. (b)

Report on gaps in needed social and behavioral research

Not later than 180 days after the transmittal of the report under subsection (a), the Under Secretary for Science and Technology shall transmit to Congress a report identifying any gaps in the social and behavioral research needed to support the Department’s mission, and providing a plan to address such gaps. (c)

Consultation

In preparing the reports under subsections (a) and (b), the Secretary and the Under Secretary for Science and Technology shall consult with other government agencies supporting social and behavioral research and nongovernmental experts in these fields.

13.

Guide for researchers on the homeland security implications of research

(a)

In general

The Under Secretary for Science and Technology shall enter into an arrangement with the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences to prepare a guide for researchers to raise awareness in the scientific community about potential homeland security implications of their work and how laws and regulations apply to such research. (b)

Topics

The topics covered in the guide prepared under subsection (a) shall include— (1)international conventions; (2)United States statutes, regulations, and guidelines, including those covering biological materials; (3)the potential for legitimate research to be misused; (4)responsibilities of the scientific community to reduce opportunities for misuse; (5)case studies and examples; and (6)any other topics determined by the Under Secretary for Science and Technology to be appropriate. (c)

Dissemination

The Under Secretary for Science and Technology shall transmit the guide prepared by the National Research Council under this section to Congress within 1 year of the date of enactment of this Act, and shall encourage the distribution of the guide throughout the homeland security and life sciences research communities, especially to students.

14.

Project 25 standards compliance

The Under Secretary for Science and Technology, working with the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology and other appropriate Federal agencies, shall support assessment of compliance of first responder communications equipment with the Project 25 standards established by the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials International. The results of such assessments shall be made publicly available, in a manner to best assist first responder agencies in selecting such equipment.

15.

Rail security research and development

(a)

Establishment of research and development program

The Secretary of Homeland Security, through the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, in coordination with the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security (Transportation Security Administration) and the Departmental Privacy Officer, and in consultation with the Secretary of Transportation, shall carry out a research and development program for the purpose of improving rail and mass transit security that may include research and development projects to— (1)reduce the vulnerability of passenger trains, stations, and equipment to explosives and hazardous chemical, biological, and radioactive substances; (2)test new emergency response and recovery techniques and technologies; (3)develop improved freight technologies, including— (A)technologies for sealing rail cars; (B)automatic inspection of rail cars; (C)communication-based train controls; (D)signal system integrity at switches; (E)emergency response training including training in a tunnel environment; (F)security and redundancy for critical communications, electrical power, computer, and train control systems; and (G)technologies for securing bridges and tunnels; (4)test wayside detectors that can detect tampering with railroad equipment; (5)support enhanced security for the transportation of hazardous materials by rail; (6)mitigate damages in the event of a cyber attack; and (7)address other vulnerabilities and risks identified by the Secretary. (b)

Coordination with other research initiatives

The Secretary of Homeland Security shall ensure that the research and development program authorized by this section is consistent with the National Strategy for Transportation Security and the Transportation Sector Specific Plan, and shall to the greatest extent possible leverage other ongoing research and development security related initiatives at the National Academy of Sciences; the Department of Homeland Security; the Department of Transportation, including University Transportation Centers and other institutes, centers, and simulators funded by the Department of Transportation; the Technical Support Working Group; other Federal agencies; and other Federal and private research laboratories and research entities with the capability to conduct both practical and theoretical research and technical systems analysis. (c)

Privacy and civil rights and civil liberties issues

In carrying out research and development projects under this section, the Under Secretary for Science and Technology shall consult with the Chief Privacy Officer and the Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties as appropriate and in accordance with the plan required by section 319 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002. Pursuant to sections 222 and 705 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, the Chief Privacy Officer shall conduct privacy impact assessments and the Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties shall conduct reviews, as appropriate, for research and development initiatives developed pursuant to this section. (d)

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Homeland Security to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2007 through 2009. Amounts made available pursuant to this subsection shall remain available until expended.