[116th Congress Public Law 116]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[[Page 109]]
DHS FIELD ENGAGEMENT
ACCOUNTABILITY ACT
[[Page 134 STAT. 110]]
Public Law 116-116
116th Congress
An Act
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Department of
Homeland Security to develop an engagement strategy with fusion centers,
and for other purposes. <<NOTE: Mar. 2, 2020 - [H.R. 504]>>
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: DHS Field
Engagement Accountability Act. 6 USC 101 note.>>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``DHS Field Engagement Accountability
Act''.
SEC. 2. ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY WITH FUSION CENTERS.
Section 210A of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 124h) is
amended by--
(1) redesignating subsections (j) and (k) as subsections (k)
and (l), respectively; and
(2) inserting after subsection (i) the following:
``(j) <<NOTE: Deadlines.>> Fusion Center Information Sharing
Strategy.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of the
DHS Field Engagement Accountability Act, and not less frequently than
once every 5 years thereafter, the Secretary shall develop or update a
strategy for Department engagement with fusion
centers. <<NOTE: Consultation.>> Such strategy shall be developed and
updated in consultation with the heads of intelligence components of the
Department, the Chief Privacy Officer, the Officer for Civil Rights and
Civil Liberties, officials of fusion centers, officers designated as
Homeland Security Advisors, and the heads of other relevant agencies, as
appropriate. Such strategy shall include the following:
``(1) Specific goals and objectives for sharing information
and engaging with fusion centers--
``(A) through the direct deployment of personnel
from intelligence components of the Department;
``(B) through the use of Department unclassified and
classified information sharing systems, including the
Homeland Security Information Network and the Homeland
Secure Data Network, or any successor systems; and
``(C) through any additional means.
``(2) The performance metrics to be used to measure success
in achieving the goals and objectives referred to in paragraph
(1).
``(3) <<NOTE: Plan.>> A 5-year plan for continued
engagement with fusion centers.''.
[[Page 134 STAT. 111]]
SEC. 3. <<NOTE: 6 USC 124h note.>> OFFICE OF INTELLIGENCE AND
ANALYSIS FIELD PERSONNEL SUPPORT TO FUSION
CENTERS.
(a) <<NOTE: Deadline.>> Performance Metrics.--Not later than 180
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary
for Intelligence and Analysis shall--
(1) consider the effectiveness of existing processes to
identify and prepare field personnel for deployment to support
fusion centers and internal mechanisms to ensure oversight and
accountability of such field personnel, including field
personnel assigned to one center and field personnel assigned to
multiple centers; and
(2) <<NOTE: Publication.>> publish and disseminate
performance metrics, taking into account, as appropriate,
regional and threat diversity, for--
(A) field personnel from the Office of Intelligence
and Analysis assigned to an individual fusion center;
(B) field personnel from the Office of Intelligence
and Analysis assigned to multiple fusion centers; and
(C) Regional Directors of the Office of Intelligence
and Analysis to ensure accountability for monitoring all
field personnel under the supervision of such Regional
Directors.
(b) <<NOTE: Consultation.>> Training.--In consultation with the
Chief Information Officer, the Under Secretary for Intelligence and
Analysis shall develop and implement a formalized training module for
fusion center personnel regarding the classified Homeland Secure Data
Network, or any successor system.
(c) Fusion Center Defined.--In this section, the term ``fusion
center'' has the meaning given such term in section 210A(k) of the
Homeland Security Act of 2002, as so redesignated by section 2.
SEC. 4. <<NOTE: Consultations. 6 USC 121 note.>> DHS COMPONENT
USAGE OF THE HOMELAND SECURITY INFORMATION
NETWORK.
(a) <<NOTE: Deadline.>> In General.--Not later than 180 days after
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Chief Information Officer, in
consultation with the Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis, and
in accordance with the functions and responsibilities assigned to the
Under Secretary under title II of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6
U.S.C. 121 et seq.), shall--
(1) develop policies and metrics to ensure effective use by
components of the Department of the unclassified Homeland
Security Information Network (referred to in this section as
``HSIN''), or any successor system; and
(2) develop policies for posting unclassified products on
HSIN, or any successor system.
(b) Technical Enhancements.--The Chief Information Officer, in
consultation with the Chief Intelligence Officer, shall assess and
implement, as appropriate, technical enhancements to HSIN to improve
usability, including search functionality, data analysis, and
collaboration capabilities.
SEC. 5. REPORT.
Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this
Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit a report to the
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate,
the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate, the Committee on
Homeland Security of the House of
[[Page 134 STAT. 112]]
Representatives, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of
the House of Representatives that describes the implementation of--
(1) the fusion center information sharing strategy required
under section 210A(j) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as
added by section 2, based on performance metrics developed
pursuant to such strategy;
(2) the deployment of field personnel to fusion centers (as
such term is defined in section 210A of the Homeland Security
Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 124h)), in accordance with section 3,
based on performance metrics developed pursuant to such section;
and
(3) policies that seek to ensure the effective use of the
Homeland Security Information Network, in accordance with
section 4, based on the metrics developed pursuant to such
section.
Approved March 2, 2020.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 504:
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SENATE REPORTS: No. 116-16 (Comm. on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:
Vol. 165 (2019):
Jan. 29, considered and passed
House.
July 25, considered and passed
Senate, amended.
Vol. 166 (2020):
Feb. 10, House concurred in Senate
amendment.
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