[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 128 (Wednesday, September 22, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7364-S7365]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




REDUNDANCY ELIMINATION AND ENHANCED PERFORMANCE FOR PREPAREDNESS GRANTS 
                                  ACT

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 566, H.R. 3980.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 3980) to provide for identifying and 
     eliminating redundant reporting requirements and developing 
     meaningful performance metrics for homeland security 
     preparedness grants, and for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill, 
which had been reported from the Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs, with an amendment to strike all after the 
enacting clause and insert in lieu thereof the following:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Redundancy Elimination and 
     Enhanced Performance for Preparedness Grants Act''.

     SEC. 2. IDENTIFICATION OF REPORTING REDUNDANCIES AND 
                   DEVELOPMENT OF PERFORMANCE METRICS FOR HOMELAND 
                   SECURITY PREPAREDNESS GRANT PROGRAMS.

       (a) In General.--Title XX of the Homeland Security Act of 
     2002 (6 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
     the following:

     ``SEC. 2023. IDENTIFICATION OF REPORTING REDUNDANCIES AND 
                   DEVELOPMENT OF PERFORMANCE METRICS.

       ``(a) Definition.--In this section, the term `covered 
     grants' means grants awarded under section 2003, grants 
     awarded under section 2004, and any other grants specified by 
     the Administrator.
       ``(b) Initial Report.--Not later than 90 days after the 
     date of enactment of the Redundancy Elimination and Enhanced 
     Performance for Preparedness Grants Act, the Administrator 
     shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a 
     report that includes--
       ``(1) an assessment of redundant reporting requirements 
     imposed by the Administrator on

[[Page S7365]]

     State, local, and tribal governments in connection with the 
     awarding of grants, including--
       ``(A) a list of each discrete item of data requested by the 
     Administrator from grant recipients as part of the process of 
     administering covered grants;
       ``(B) identification of the items of data from the list 
     described in subparagraph (A) that are required to be 
     submitted by grant recipients on multiple occasions or to 
     multiple systems; and
       ``(C) identification of the items of data from the list 
     described in subparagraph (A) that are not necessary to be 
     collected in order for the Administrator to effectively and 
     efficiently administer the programs under which covered 
     grants are awarded;
       ``(2) a plan, including a specific timetable, for 
     eliminating any redundant and unnecessary reporting 
     requirements identified under paragraph (1); and
       ``(3) a plan, including a specific timetable, for promptly 
     developing a set of quantifiable performance measures and 
     metrics to assess the effectiveness of the programs under 
     which covered grants are awarded.
       ``(c) Biennial Reports.--Not later than 1 year after the 
     date on which the initial report is required to be submitted 
     under subsection (b), and once every 2 years thereafter, the 
     Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of 
     Congress a grants management report that includes--
       ``(1) the status of efforts to eliminate redundant and 
     unnecessary reporting requirements imposed on grant 
     recipients, including--
       ``(A) progress made in implementing the plan required under 
     subsection (b)(2);
       ``(B) a reassessment of the reporting requirements to 
     identify and eliminate redundant and unnecessary 
     requirements;
       ``(2) the status of efforts to develop quantifiable 
     performance measures and metrics to assess the effectiveness 
     of the programs under which the covered grants are awarded, 
     including--
       ``(A) progress made in implementing the plan required under 
     subsection (b)(3);
       ``(B) progress made in developing and implementing 
     additional performance metrics and measures for grants, 
     including as part of the comprehensive assessment system 
     required under section 649 of the Post-Katrina Emergency 
     Management Reform Act of 2006 (6 U.S.C. 749); and
       ``(3) a performance assessment of each program under which 
     the covered grants are awarded, including--
       ``(A) a description of the objectives and goals of the 
     program;
       ``(B) an assessment of the extent to which the objectives 
     and goals described in subparagraph (A) have been met, based 
     on the quantifiable performance measures and metrics required 
     under this section, section 2022(a)(4), and section 649 of 
     the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 (6 
     U.S.C. 749);
       ``(C) recommendations for any program modifications to 
     improve the effectiveness of the program, to address changed 
     or emerging conditions; and
       ``(D) an assessment of the experience of recipients of 
     covered grants, including the availability of clear and 
     accurate information, the timeliness of reviews and awards, 
     and the provision of technical assistance, and 
     recommendations for improving that experience.
       ``(d) Grants Program Measurement Study.--
       ``(1) In general.--Not later than 30 days after the 
     enactment of Redundancy Elimination and Enhanced Performance 
     for Preparedness Grants Act, the Administrator shall enter 
     into a contract with the National Academy of Public 
     Administration under which the National Academy of Public 
     Administration shall assist the Administrator in studying, 
     developing, and implementing--
       ``(A) quantifiable performance measures and metrics to 
     assess the effectiveness of grants administered by the 
     Department, as required under this section and section 649 of 
     the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 (6 
     U.S.C. 749); and
       ``(B) the plan required under subsection (b)(3).
       ``(2) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date on 
     which the contract described in paragraph (1) is awarded, the 
     Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of 
     Congress a report that describes the findings and 
     recommendations of the study conducted under paragraph (1).
       ``(3) Authorization of appropriations.--There are 
     authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator such sums 
     as may be necessary to carry out this subsection.''.
       (b) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--The table of 
     contents in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 
     (6 U.S.C. 101 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:

``Sec. 2023. Identification of reporting redundancies and development 
              of performance metrics.''.

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee-
reported substitute amendment be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be 
read a third time and passed, the motions to reconsider be laid upon 
the table, with no intervening action or debate, and that any 
statements relating to the bill be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The committee amendment in the nature of a substitute was agreed to.
  The amendment was ordered to be engrossed and the bill to be read a 
third time.
  The bill (H.R. 3980), as amended, was read the third time and passed.

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