[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2863 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2863

 To provide that an outbreak of infectious disease or act of terrorism 
 may be a major disaster under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
 and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122 et seq.), and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           December 10, 2009

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To provide that an outbreak of infectious disease or act of terrorism 
 may be a major disaster under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
 and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122 et seq.), 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. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Emergency Response Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. MAJOR DISASTER DECLARATIONS.

    Section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122) is amended by striking paragraph (2) 
and inserting the following:
            ``(2) Major disaster.--`Major disaster' means any natural 
        disaster (including pandemics), act of terrorism, or other 
        manmade disaster, in any part of the United States, which in 
        the determination of the President causes damage of sufficient 
        severity and magnitude to warrant major disaster assistance 
        under this Act to supplement the efforts and available 
        resources of States, local governments, and disaster relief 
        organizations in alleviating the damage, loss, hardship, or 
        suffering caused thereby.''.

SEC. 3. HOMELAND SECURITY INFORMATION SHARING.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall designate a 
representative to lead a working group with national organizations that 
represent State, local, and tribal government interests to prepare best 
practice recommendations for facilitating the flow of public health 
information to State fusion centers and the greater homeland security 
community.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 6 months after the working group 
described under subsection (a) is established, the Secretary of 
Homeland Security shall submit a report with the recommendations of the 
working group to the appropriate committees of the Senate and House of 
Representatives.
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