[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 135 (Saturday, November 20, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11832-S11834]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      INTERNATIONAL GRANT PROGRAM

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to immediate consideration of Calendar No. 818, S. 2635.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The assistant bill clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 2635) to establish an intergovernmental grant 
     program to identify and develop homeland security 
     information, equipment, capabilities, technologies, and 
     services to further the homeland security needs of the United 
     States and to address the homeland security needs of Federal, 
     State, and local governments.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill 
which was reported from the Committee on Governmental Affair with an 
amendment.
  (Strike the parts shown in black brackets and insert the part printed 
in italic.)

                                S. 2635

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

     [SECTION 1. TECHNOLOGY CLEARINGHOUSE.

       [Section 430 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 
     238) is amended--
       [(1) in subsection (c)--
       [(A) by redesignating paragraphs (7) and (8) as paragraphs 
     (8) and (9), respectively; and
       [(B) by inserting after paragraph (6) the following:
       [``(7) establishing a program to identify, develop, or 
     modify existing or near term homeland security information, 
     equipment, capabilities, technologies, and services to 
     further the homeland security of the United States and to 
     address the homeland security needs of Federal, State, and 
     local governments;'';
       [(2) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e); and
       [(3) by inserting after subsection (c) the following:
       [``(d) Homeland Security Information, Equipment, 
     Capabilities, Technologies, and Services Grant Program.--
       [``(1) In general.--In developing the program established 
     under subsection (c)(7), the Secretary, acting through the 
     Director of the Office for Domestic Preparedness and in 
     consultation with the Under Secretary for Science and 
     Technology, shall--
       [``(A) conduct a needs assessment of Federal, State, and 
     local governments and first responders to identify--
       [``(i) the homeland security needs of Federal, State, and 
     local governments and first responders; and
       [``(ii) areas where specific homeland security information, 
     equipment, capabilities, technologies, and services could 
     address those needs;
       [``(B) survey near term and existing homeland security 
     information, equipment, capabilities, technologies, and 
     services developed

[[Page S11833]]

     within the United States and within other countries that--
       [``(i) are highly focused on homeland security issues; and
       [``(ii) have demonstrated the capability for fruitful 
     cooperation with the United States in the area of 
     counterterrorism; and
       [``(C) provide grants, directly or through a nonprofit, 
     nongovernmental organization, to eligible applicants to 
     develop new, or modify existing, homeland security 
     information, equipment, capabilities, technologies, and 
     services to address the needs identified in subparagraph (A).
       [``(2) Eligible applicants.--An applicant is eligible to 
     receive a grant under this subsection if the applicant--
       [``(A) addresses 1 or more needs of Federal, State, and 
     local governments and first responders, as identified through 
     the assessment conducted under paragraph (1)(A);
       [``(B) is a joint venture between--
       [``(i) a for profit business entity, academic institution, 
     or non-profit entity; and
       [``(ii) another entity that has demonstrated capability in 
     the area of counterterrorism or homeland security; and
       [``(C) meets any other qualifications that the Secretary 
     may reasonably require.
       [``(3) Priority.--The Secretary shall give priority to 
     those applicants who propose to provide the homeland security 
     information, equipment, technologies, or services developed 
     or modified with grant funds to Federal, State, and local 
     governments and first responders.
       [``(4) Matching requirement.--The Secretary may require a 
     recipient of a grant under this subsection to make available 
     non-Federal matching contributions in an amount equal to up 
     to 50 percent of the total proposed cost of the project for 
     which the grant was awarded.
       [``(5) Grant repayment.--The Secretary may require a 
     recipient of a grant under this subsection to repay to the 
     Secretary the amount of the grant, interest at an appropriate 
     rate, and such charges for administration of the grant as the 
     Secretary determines appropriate. The Secretary may not 
     require that such repayment be more than 150 percent of the 
     amount of the grant, adjusted for inflation on the basis of 
     the Consumer Price Index.
       [``(6) Authorization of appropriations.--There are 
     authorized to be appropriated $25,000,000 for fiscal year 
     2005 to carry out the grant program established under this 
     subsection.''.

     [SEC. 2. HOMELAND SECURITY INFORMATION, EQUIPMENT, 
                   CAPABILITIES, TECHNOLOGIES, AND SERVICES GRANT 
                   PROGRAM.

       [Section 313 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 
     193) is amended--
       [(1) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d); and
       [(2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
       [``(c) Homeland Security Information, Equipment, 
     Capabilities, Technologies, and Services Grant Program.--In 
     developing the program described in section 430(d), the Under 
     Secretary for Science and Technology shall assist the 
     Director of the Office for Domestic Preparedness by 
     reviewing, testing, and evaluating applications or 
     proposals.''.]

     SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) The development and implementation of technology is a 
     crucial component of combating terrorism and implementing 
     homeland security strategies.
       (2) The Government of Israel and companies in Israel have 
     extensive experience with matters pertaining to homeland 
     security generally, and antiterrorism specifically, including 
     expertise in the fields of border integrity, transportation 
     security, first responder equipment, and civil defense 
     planning.
       (3) The United States and Israel have an extensive history 
     of working cooperatively and successfully to assist with the 
     development of agricultural, defense, telecommunications, and 
     other technologies that are mutually beneficial to each 
     country, as exemplified by the success of the Binational 
     Industrial Research and Development Foundation (referred to 
     in this section as the ``BIRD Foundation'').
       (4) Initiated in 1977 as a grant program, funded equally by 
     the Governments of the United States and Israel in support of 
     joint ventures between businesses in the United States and in 
     Israel, the BIRD Foundation has invested $180,000,000 in 600 
     projects over the past 27 years and has realized 
     $7,000,000,000 in sales and the development of a number of 
     important technologies.
       (5) The establishment of a similar binational program, or 
     the expansion of the BIRD Foundation, to support the 
     development of technologies and services applicable to 
     homeland security would be beneficial to the security of the 
     United States and Israel and would strengthen the economic 
     ties between the two countries.

     SEC. 2. UNITED STATES-ISRAEL HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM.

       (a) Establishment.--There is established a program between 
     the United States and Israel to identify, develop, or modify 
     existing or near term homeland security information, 
     equipment, capabilities, technologies, and services to 
     further the homeland security of the United States and to 
     address the homeland security needs of Federal, State, and 
     local governments.
       (b) Homeland Security Needs Assessment.--In carrying out 
     the program established under subsection (a), the Secretary 
     of Homeland Security shall--
       (1) conduct a needs assessment of Federal, State, and local 
     governments and first responders to identify--
       (A) the homeland security needs of Federal, State, and 
     local governments and first responders; and
       (B) areas where specific homeland security information, 
     equipment, capabilities, technologies, and services could 
     address those needs;
       (2) survey near term and existing homeland security 
     information, equipment, capabilities, technologies, and 
     services developed within the United States and Israel; and
       (3) provide grants, directly or through a nonprofit, 
     nongovernmental organization, to eligible applicants to 
     develop, manufacture, sell, or otherwise provide homeland 
     security information, equipment, capabilities, technologies, 
     and services to address the needs identified under paragraph 
     (1).
       (c) Eligible Applicants.--An applicant is eligible to 
     receive a grant under this section if the applicant--
       (1) addresses one or more needs of Federal, State, and 
     local governments and first responders, as identified through 
     the assessment conducted under subsection (b)(1) or homeland 
     security needs otherwise identified by the Department of 
     Homeland Security;
       (2) is a joint venture between--
       (A) a for profit business entity, academic institution, or 
     non-profit entity in the United States and a for profit 
     business entity, academic institution, or non-profit entity 
     in Israel; or
       (B) the government of the United States and the government 
     of Israel; and
       (3) meets any other qualifications that the Secretary may 
     reasonably require.
       (d) Application.--Each eligible applicant seeking a grant 
     under this section shall submit to the Secretary of Homeland 
     Security, or the head of a nonprofit, nongovernmental 
     organization authorized by the Secretary to award such 
     grants, an application that contains--
       (1) the identification of the joint venture applying for 
     the grant and the identity of each entity participating in 
     the joint venture;
       (2) a description of the product or service with 
     applications related to homeland security that the applicant 
     is developing, manufacturing, or selling;
       (3) the development, manufacturing, sales, or other 
     activities related to such product or service that the 
     applicant is seeking to carry out with grant funds;
       (4) a detailed capital budget for such product or service, 
     including the manner in which the grant funds will be 
     allocated and expended; and
       (5) such other information as the Secretary of Homeland 
     Security may reasonably require.
       (e) Advisory Board.--
       (1) Establishment.--If the Secretary of Homeland Security 
     makes funds available to a nonprofit, nongovernmental 
     organization to award grants to eligible applicants, the 
     Secretary shall establish an advisory board to monitor how 
     such grants are awarded.
       (2) Membership.--The advisory board shall be comprised of--
       (A) an appropriate representative of the Government of the 
     United States, as designated by the Secretary of Homeland 
     Security; and
       (B) an official designated by the Government of Israel.
       (f) Additional Condition.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of Homeland Security may 
     impose a condition that the Government of Israel contribute 
     an amount that the Secretary determines to be appropriate 
     toward a project to be funded by a grant under this section 
     before the disbursement of proceeds of such grant.
       (2) Limitation.--The Secretary may not prescribe a 
     condition that requires a contribution toward the project 
     from the Government of Israel of an amount in excess of the 
     amount of the grant awarded under this section for such 
     project.
       (g) Priority.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
     give priority to those applicants who propose to market the 
     homeland security information, equipment, technologies, or 
     services developed or modified with grant funds to Federal, 
     State, and local governments and first responders.
       (h) Matching Requirement.--The Secretary of Homeland 
     Security may require a recipient of a grant under this 
     section to make available non-Federal matching contributions 
     in an amount equal to up to 50 percent of the total proposed 
     cost of the project for which the grant was awarded.
       (i) Grant Repayment.--The Secretary of Homeland Security 
     may, as appropriate, require a recipient of a grant under 
     this section to repay to the Secretary, or the nonprofit, 
     nongovernmental entity designated by the Secretary, the 
     amount of the grant, interest at an appropriate rate, and 
     such charges for administration of the grant as the Secretary 
     determines appropriate. The Secretary may not require that 
     such repayment be more than 150 percent of the amount of the 
     grant, adjusted for inflation on the basis of the Consumer 
     Price Index.
       (j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated to the Department of Homeland Security to 
     carry out the grant program established under this section--
       (1) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2005; and
       (2) such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006.

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the amendment 
at the desk be agreed to, the committee substitute amendment, as 
amended, be agreed to, the bill be read a third time and passed, the 
motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statements 
relating to the bill be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

[[Page S11834]]

  The amendment (No. 4077) was agreed to, as follows:

       On page 9, line 10, after ``institution,'' insert 
     ``Department of Energy national laboratory,''.

  The committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, as amended, 
was agreed to.
  The bill (S. 2635), as amended, was read a third time and passed, as 
follows:

                                S. 2635

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

     SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) The development and implementation of technology is a 
     crucial component of combating terrorism and implementing 
     homeland security strategies.
       (2) The Government of Israel and companies in Israel have 
     extensive experience with matters pertaining to homeland 
     security generally, and antiterrorism specifically, including 
     expertise in the fields of border integrity, transportation 
     security, first responder equipment, and civil defense 
     planning.
       (3) The United States and Israel have an extensive history 
     of working cooperatively and successfully to assist with the 
     development of agricultural, defense, telecommunications, and 
     other technologies that are mutually beneficial to each 
     country, as exemplified by the success of the Binational 
     Industrial Research and Development Foundation (referred to 
     in this section as the ``BIRD Foundation'').
       (4) Initiated in 1977 as a grant program, funded equally by 
     the Governments of the United States and Israel in support of 
     joint ventures between businesses in the United States and in 
     Israel, the BIRD Foundation has invested $180,000,000 in 600 
     projects over the past 27 years and has realized 
     $7,000,000,000 in sales and the development of a number of 
     important technologies.
       (5) The establishment of a similar binational program, or 
     the expansion of the BIRD Foundation, to support the 
     development of technologies and services applicable to 
     homeland security would be beneficial to the security of the 
     United States and Israel and would strengthen the economic 
     ties between the two countries.

     SEC. 2. UNITED STATES-ISRAEL HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM.

       (a) Establishment.--There is established a program between 
     the United States and Israel to identify, develop, or modify 
     existing or near term homeland security information, 
     equipment, capabilities, technologies, and services to 
     further the homeland security of the United States and to 
     address the homeland security needs of Federal, State, and 
     local governments.
       (b) Homeland Security Needs Assessment.--In carrying out 
     the program established under subsection (a), the Secretary 
     of Homeland Security shall--
       (1) conduct a needs assessment of Federal, State, and local 
     governments and first responders to identify--
       (A) the homeland security needs of Federal, State, and 
     local governments and first responders; and
       (B) areas where specific homeland security information, 
     equipment, capabilities, technologies, and services could 
     address those needs;
       (2) survey near term and existing homeland security 
     information, equipment, capabilities, technologies, and 
     services developed within the United States and Israel; and
       (3) provide grants, directly or through a nonprofit, 
     nongovernmental organization, to eligible applicants to 
     develop, manufacture, sell, or otherwise provide homeland 
     security information, equipment, capabilities, technologies, 
     and services to address the needs identified under paragraph 
     (1).
       (c) Eligible Applicants.--An applicant is eligible to 
     receive a grant under this section if the applicant--
       (1) addresses one or more needs of Federal, State, and 
     local governments and first responders, as identified through 
     the assessment conducted under subsection (b)(1) or homeland 
     security needs otherwise identified by the Department of 
     Homeland Security;
       (2) is a joint venture between--
       (A) a for profit business entity, academic institution, 
     Department of Energy national laboratory, or non-profit 
     entity in the United States and a for profit business entity, 
     academic institution, or non-profit entity in Israel; or
       (B) the government of the United States and the government 
     of Israel; and
       (3) meets any other qualifications that the Secretary may 
     reasonably require.
       (d) Application.--Each eligible applicant seeking a grant 
     under this section shall submit to the Secretary of Homeland 
     Security, or the head of a nonprofit, nongovernmental 
     organization authorized by the Secretary to award such 
     grants, an application that contains--
       (1) the identification of the joint venture applying for 
     the grant and the identity of each entity participating in 
     the joint venture;
       (2) a description of the product or service with 
     applications related to homeland security that the applicant 
     is developing, manufacturing, or selling;
       (3) the development, manufacturing, sales, or other 
     activities related to such product or service that the 
     applicant is seeking to carry out with grant funds;
       (4) a detailed capital budget for such product or service, 
     including the manner in which the grant funds will be 
     allocated and expended; and
       (5) such other information as the Secretary of Homeland 
     Security may reasonably require.
       (e) Advisory Board.--
       (1) Establishment.--If the Secretary of Homeland Security 
     makes funds available to a nonprofit, nongovernmental 
     organization to award grants to eligible applicants, the 
     Secretary shall establish an advisory board to monitor how 
     such grants are awarded.
       (2) Membership.--The advisory board shall be comprised of--
       (A) an appropriate representative of the Government of the 
     United States, as designated by the Secretary of Homeland 
     Security; and
       (B) an official designated by the Government of Israel.
       (f) Additional Condition.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of Homeland Security may 
     impose a condition that the Government of Israel contribute 
     an amount that the Secretary determines to be appropriate 
     toward a project to be funded by a grant under this section 
     before the disbursement of proceeds of such grant.
       (2) Limitation.--The Secretary may not prescribe a 
     condition that requires a contribution toward the project 
     from the Government of Israel of an amount in excess of the 
     amount of the grant awarded under this section for such 
     project.
       (g) Priority.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
     give priority to those applicants who propose to market the 
     homeland security information, equipment, technologies, or 
     services developed or modified with grant funds to Federal, 
     State, and local governments and first responders.
       (h) Matching Requirement.--The Secretary of Homeland 
     Security may require a recipient of a grant under this 
     section to make available non-Federal matching contributions 
     in an amount equal to up to 50 percent of the total proposed 
     cost of the project for which the grant was awarded.
       (i) Grant Repayment.--The Secretary of Homeland Security 
     may, as appropriate, require a recipient of a grant under 
     this section to repay to the Secretary, or the nonprofit, 
     nongovernmental entity designated by the Secretary, the 
     amount of the grant, interest at an appropriate rate, and 
     such charges for administration of the grant as the Secretary 
     determines appropriate. The Secretary may not require that 
     such repayment be more than 150 percent of the amount of the 
     grant, adjusted for inflation on the basis of the Consumer 
     Price Index.
       (j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated to the Department of Homeland Security to 
     carry out the grant program established under this section--
       (1) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2005; and
       (2) such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006.

                          ____________________