To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish the National Emergency Family Locator System.

October 6, 2005

Ms. MILLENDER-MCDONALD introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish the National Emergency Family Locator System.

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 `National Emergency Family Locator Act'.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:

(1) DEPARTMENT- The term `Department' means the Department of Homeland Security.

(2) EMERGENCY- The term `emergency' has the meaning given the term in section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122).

(3) SECRETARY- The term `Secretary' means the Secretary of Homeland Security.

(4) SYSTEM- The term `System' means the National Emergency Family Locator System established under section 3(a).

SEC. 3. NATIONAL EMERGENCY FAMILY LOCATOR SYSTEM.

(a) In General- Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish within the Department the National Family Locator System.

(b) Purposes- The purposes of the System are--

(1) to enable individuals displaced by an emergency to provide to the Department the name and location of the displaced individuals and any other relevant information using the telephone, the Internet, and other means determined to be appropriate by the Secretary; and

(2) to enable the Department--

(A) to compile the information collected under paragraph (1); and

(B) to provide the information collected and compiled under the System to the family members of the displaced individuals and law enforcement officials.

(c) Considerations- In establishing the System under subsection (a), the Secretary shall take into account and, to the maximum extent practicable, incorporate into the System--

(1) intermediary-based locator systems such as the National Next of Kin Registry; and

(2) information from existing family locator databases, such as the Family News Network of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

SEC. 4. FAMILY PREPAREDNESS PLAN PUBLIC OUTREACH PROGRAM.

The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Education, shall conduct a public outreach program through public school districts to educate families on how to create a family preparedness plan for actions to take in the event of a disaster in which family members are separated.

END