[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 132 (Thursday, August 3, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S4885]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 757. Mr. VAN HOLLEN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill H.R. 2810, to authorize appropriations for fiscal 
year 2018 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for 
military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of 
Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, 
and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as 
follows:

       At the end of subtitle C of title VII, add the following:

     SEC. 737. TRANSFER TO DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE OF AUTHORITY TO 
                   OPERATE NATIONAL BIODEFENSE ANALYSIS AND 
                   COUNTERMEASURES CENTER.

       (a) In General.--There is transferred from the Department 
     of Homeland Security to the Department of Defense the 
     authority to operate the National Biodefense Analysis and 
     Countermeasures Center (in this section referred to as the 
     ``Center'').
       (b) Transfer of Amounts.--The Secretary of Homeland 
     Security shall transfer to the Secretary of Defense such 
     amounts as may be necessary to operate the Center for a two-
     year period.
       (c) Timing of Transfer.--The Secretary of Homeland Security 
     shall conduct an expedient transfer of authority under 
     subsection (a) and amounts under subsection (b) within one 
     year after the date of the enactment of this Act.
       (d) Role of Department of Defense After Transfer.--After 
     the transfer of authority under subsection (a), the Secretary 
     of Defense shall--
       (1) serve as the executive agent and custodian for 
     operations of the Center;
       (2) support the activities of the Center, particularly 
     those activities that support Federal government customers;
       (3) ensure that the needs of all customers of the Center 
     are met; and
       (4) enter into memoranda of understanding with 
     beneficiaries of the Center to ensure equitable cost sharing 
     in the activities of the Center.
       (e) Ongoing Operations.--The Secretary of Homeland Security 
     and the Secretary of Defense shall ensure that the transfer 
     of authority under subsection (a) does not diminish or 
     curtail the ongoing operations of the Center.
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