[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1178 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1178

  To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a 
study on the use of Civil Air Patrol personnel and resources to support 
          homeland security missions, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 25, 2009

    Mr. Dent (for himself, Mr. Bartlett, Mr. Rogers of Alabama, Mr. 
  Gerlach, Mr. Cuellar, Mr. Holden, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Duncan, Mrs. 
Emerson, and Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania) introduced the following bill; 
       which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security, 
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 Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a 
study on the use of Civil Air Patrol personnel and resources to support 
          homeland security missions, 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. CIVIL AIR PATROL STUDY.

    (a) Study.--The Comptroller General of the United States shall 
conduct a study of the functions and capabilities of the Civil Air 
Patrol to support the homeland security missions of State, local, and 
tribal governments and the Department of Homeland Security. In 
conducting the study, the Comptroller General shall review the process 
by which the Civil Air Patrol may provide assistance to the Secretary 
of Homeland Security, other Federal agencies, and States to support 
homeland security missions by--
            (1) providing aerial reconnaissance or communications 
        capabilities for border security;
            (2) providing capabilities for collective response to an 
        act of terrorism, natural disaster, or other man-made event, by 
        assisting in damage assessment and situational awareness, 
        conducting search and rescue operations, assisting in 
        evacuations, transporting time-sensitive medical or other 
        materials;
            (3) providing assistance in the exercise and training of 
        departmental resources responsible for the intercept of 
        aviation threats to designated restricted areas; or
            (4) such other activities as may be determined appropriate 
        by the Comptroller General in the conduct of this review.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to the Committees on 
Homeland Security and Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs of the Senate a report containing the findings of the review 
conducted under subsection (a). The report shall include--
            (1) an assessment of the feasibility and cost-effectiveness 
        of using Civil Air Patrol assets for the purposes described in 
        subsection (a); and
            (2) an assessment as to whether the current mechanisms for 
        Federal agencies and States to request support from the Civil 
        Air Patrol are sufficient or whether new agreements between 
        relevant Federal agencies and the Civil Air Patrol are 
        necessary.
    (c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 90 days after completing 
the study under this section, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
review and analyze the study and submit to the Committees on Homeland 
Security and Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs of the Senate a report on such review and analysis, which shall 
include any recommendations of the Secretary for further action that 
could affect the organization and administration of the Department of 
Homeland Security.
                                 <all>