[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5178 Introduced in House (IH)]







109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5178

  To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct a study to 
identify best practices for the communication of information concerning 
              a terrorist threat, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 25, 2006

 Mr. Fossella (for himself and Mr. Hoekstra) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in 
 addition to the Select Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select), 
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 Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct a study to 
identify best practices for the communication of information concerning 
              a terrorist threat, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. STUDY.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Homeland Security and the 
Director of National Intelligence shall conduct jointly, or contract 
with an entity to conduct, a study of the operations of Federal, State, 
and local government entities to identify best practices for the 
communication of information concerning a terrorist threat.
    (b) Contents.--
            (1) Identification of best practices.--The study conducted 
        under this section shall be focused on an analysis and 
        identification of the best practices of the information sharing 
        processes of the following government entities:
                    (A) Joint Terrorism Task Forces, which are operated 
                by the Federal Bureau of Investigations with the 
                participation of local law enforcement agencies.
                    (B) State Homeland Security Fusion Centers, which 
                are established by a State and share information with 
                Federal departments.
                    (C) The Homeland Security Operations Center, which 
                is operated by the Department of Homeland Security for 
                the purposes of coordinating information.
                    (D) State and local law enforcement agencies that 
                collect, utilize, and disseminate information on 
                potential terrorist attacks.
                    (E) The appropriate elements of the intelligence 
                community, as defined in section 3 of the National 
                Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 401a), involved in the 
                sharing of counter-terrorism information.
            (2) Coordination of government entities.--The study 
        conducted under this section shall include an examination of 
        methods for coordinating the activities of Federal, State, and 
        local entities in responding to a terrorist threat, and 
        specifically the communication to the general public of 
        information concerning the threat. The study shall not include 
        an examination of the sources and methods used in the 
        collection of the information.
    (c) Obtaining Official Data.--In conducting the study, the 
Secretary, in conjunction with the Director, with due regard for the 
protection of classified information, may secure directly from any 
department or agency of the United States information necessary to 
enable the Secretary to carry out this section. Classified information 
shall be handled through established methods for controlling such 
information.
    (d) Temporary Duty of Federal Personnel.--The Secretary, in 
conjunction with the Director, may request the head of any department 
or agency of the United States to detail to temporary duty personnel 
within the administrative jurisdiction of the head of the department or 
agency that the Secretary may need to carry out this section, each 
detail to be without loss of seniority, pay, or other employee status.
    (e) Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 6 months after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in conjunction with the 
        Director, shall submit to Congress a report that contains--
                    (A) a detailed statement of the findings and 
                conclusions of the study, including identification of 
                the best practices for the processing, analysis, and 
                dissemination of information between the government 
                entities referred to in subsection (b)(1); and
                    (B) recommendations for a formalized process of 
                consultation, communication, and confidentiality 
                between Federal, State, and local governments, 
                incorporating the best practices of the various 
                entities studied, to facilitate communication and help 
                prevent the unauthorized dissemination of information 
                and criticism of decisions concerning terrorist 
                threats.
            (2) Classified information.--To the extent determined 
        appropriate by the Secretary, in conjunction with the Director, 
        the Secretary may submit a portion of the report in classified 
        form.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2007.

SEC. 2. CENTERS OF BEST PRACTICES.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Homeland Security, in 
consultation with the Director of National Intelligence, shall make 
grants for the establishment and operation of 3 centers to implement 
the best practices, identified by the study conducted under section 1, 
for the processing, analysis, and dissemination of information 
concerning a terrorist threat (in this Act, each referred to as a 
``Center'').
    (b) Location of Centers.--In carrying out subsection (a), the 
Secretary, in consultation with the Director, shall make grants to--
            (1) the State of New York for the establishment of a Center 
        to be located in New York City;
            (2) the State of Michigan for the establishment of a Center 
        to be located in Detroit; and
            (3) the State of California for the establishment of a 
        Center to be located in Los Angeles.
    (c) Purpose of Centers.--Each Center shall--
            (1) implement the best practices, identified by the study 
        conducted under section 1, for information sharing concerning a 
        terrorist threat;
            (2) coordinate the communication of these best practices 
        with other metropolitan areas;
            (3) coordinate with the Secretary and the Director to 
        develop a training curriculum to implement these best 
        practices;
            (4) provide funding and technical assistance to other 
        metropolitan areas to assist the metropolitan areas in the 
        implementation of the curriculum developed under paragraph (3); 
        and
            (5) coordinate with the Secretary and the Director to 
        establish a method to advertise and disseminate these best 
        practices.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated for making grants under this section--
            (1) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2007 for the establishment 
        of the Centers; and
            (2) $3,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012 
        for the operation of the Centers.
    (e) Report to Congress.--Not later than March 31, 2010, the 
Secretary, in consultation with the Director, shall submit to Congress 
a report evaluating the operations of the Centers and making 
recommendations for future funding.
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