S. 2292 - National Bombing Prevention Act of 2007

S 2292

110th CONGRESS
1st Session

S. 2292

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002, to establish the Office for Bombing Prevention, to address terrorist explosive threats, and for other purposes.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

November 1, 2007

Ms. COLLINS (for herself and Mr. LIEBERMAN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

A BILL

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002, to establish the Office for Bombing Prevention, to address terrorist explosive threats, and for other purposes.

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 Bombing Prevention Act of 2007'.

SEC. 2. BOMBING PREVENTION.

(a) In General- Subtitle A of title II of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 121 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

`SEC. 210F. OFFICE FOR BOMBING PREVENTION.

`(a) In General- There is in the Department an Office for Bombing Prevention (in this section referred to as `the Office') within the Protective Security Coordination Division of the Office of Infrastructure Protection.

`(b) Responsibilities- The Office shall have the primary responsibility within the Department for enhancing the ability, and coordinating the efforts, of the Nation to deter, detect, prevent, protect against, and respond to terrorist explosive attacks, including by--

`(1) serving as the lead agency of the Department for ensuring that programs designed to counter terrorist explosive attacks nationwide, function together efficiently to meet the evolving threat from explosives and improvised explosive devices;

`(2) coordinating national and intergovernmental bombing prevention activities to ensure those activities work toward achieving common national goals;

`(3) conducting analysis of the capabilities and requirements necessary for Federal, State, and local governments to deter, prevent, detect, protect against, and assist in any response to terrorist explosive attacks by--

`(A) maintaining a national analysis database on the capabilities of bomb squads, explosive detection canine teams, tactics teams, and public safety dive teams; and

`(B) applying the analysis derived from the database described in subparagraph (A) in--

`(i) evaluating progress toward closing identified gaps relating to national strategic goals and standards; and

`(ii) informing decisions relating to homeland security policy, assistance, training, research, development efforts, and testing and evaluation, and related requirements;

`(4) promoting secure information sharing of sensitive material and promoting security awareness, including by--

`(A) operating and maintaining a secure information sharing system that allows the sharing of critical information relating to terrorist explosive attack tactics, techniques, and procedures;

`(B) educating the public and private sectors about explosive precursor chemicals;

`(C) working with international partners, in coordination with the Office for International Affairs of the Department, to develop and share effective practices to deter, prevent, detect, protect, and respond to terrorist explosive attacks; and

`(D) executing national public awareness and vigilance campaigns relating to terrorist explosive threats, preventing explosive attacks, and activities and measures underway to safeguard the Nation;

`(5) assisting State and local governments in developing multi-jurisdictional improvised explosive devices security plans for high-risk jurisdictions;

`(6) helping to ensure, in coordination with the Under Secretary for Science and Technology and the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the identification and availability of effective technology applications through field pilot testing and acquisition of such technology applications by Federal, State, and local governments to deter, prevent, detect, protect, and respond to terrorist explosive attacks;

`(7) coordinating the efforts of the Department relating to, and assisting departments and agencies of the Federal, State, local government, and private sector business in, developing and implementing national explosives detection canine training, certification, and performance standards;

`(8) ensuring the implementation of any recommendations contained in the national strategy described in section 210G, including developing, maintaining, and tracking progress toward achieving objectives to reduce the Nation's vulnerability to terrorist attacks using explosives or improvised explosive devices; and

`(9) developing, in coordination with the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, programmatic guidance and permitted uses for bombing prevention activities funded by homeland security assistance administered by the Department.

`(c) Authorization of Appropriations-

`(1) IN GENERAL- There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section--

`(A) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;

`(B) $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 through 2010; and

`(C) such sums as are necessary for each fiscal year thereafter.

`(2) AVAILABILITY- Amounts made available pursuant to this subsection shall remain available until expended.

`SEC. 210G. NATIONAL STRATEGY.

`(a) In General- The President shall develop and periodically update a national strategy to prevent and prepare for terrorist attacks in the United States using explosives or improvised explosive devices.

`(b) Development- Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this section, the President shall develop the national strategy described in subsection (a).

`(c) Reporting- Not later than 6 months after the date of submission of the report regarding each quadrennial homeland security review conducted under section 707(c), the President shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives a report regarding the national strategy described in subsection (a), which shall include recommendations, if any, for deterring, preventing, detecting, protecting against, and responding to terrorist attacks in the United States using explosives or improvised explosive devices, including any such recommendations relating to coordinating the efforts of Federal, State, local, and tribal governments, emergency response providers, and the private sector.'.

(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 inserting after the item relating to section 210E the following:

`Sec. 210F. Office for Bombing Prevention.

`Sec. 210G. National strategy.'.

SEC. 3. EXPLOSIVES TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSFER.

(a) In General- Title III of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 181 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

`SEC. 318. EXPLOSIVES RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.

`(a) In General- The Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, and in coordination with the Under Secretary for National Protection and Programs, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Defense, and the head of any other relevant Federal department or agency, shall coordinate nonmilitary research, development, testing, and evaluation activities of the Federal Government relating to the detection and prevention of, protection against, and response to explosive attacks within the United States, and the development of bomb squad tools and technologies necessary to neutralize and disable explosive devices.

`(b) Military Research- The Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, and in coordination with the Under Secretary for National Protection and Programs, shall coordinate with the Secretary of Defense and the head of any other relevant Federal department or agency to ensure that, to the maximum extent possible, military information and research, development, testing, and evaluation activities relating to the detection and prevention of, protection against, and response to explosive attacks, and the development of tools and technologies necessary to neutralize and disable explosive devices, are applied to nonmilitary uses.

`SEC. 319. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER.

`(a) In General- The Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, and in coordination with the Under Secretary for National Protection and Programs, shall establish a technology transfer program to facilitate the identification, modification, and commercialization of technology and equipment for use by Federal, State, and local governmental agencies, emergency response providers, and the private sector to deter, prevent, detect, protect, and respond to explosive attacks within the United States.

`(b) Program- The activities under the program established under subsection (a) shall include--

`(1) applying the analysis conducted under section 210F(b)(3) of the capabilities and requirements of bomb squad, explosive detection canine teams, tactical teams, and public safety dive teams of Federal, State, and local governments, to determine the training and technology requirements for Federal, State, and local governments, emergency response providers, and the private sector;

`(2) identifying available technologies designed to deter, prevent, detect, protect, or respond to explosive attacks that have been, or are in the process of being, developed, tested, evaluated, or demonstrated by the Department, other Federal agencies, the private sector, foreign governments, or international organizations;

`(3) reviewing whether a technology described in paragraph (2) may be useful in assisting Federal, State, or local governments, emergency response providers, or the private sector in detecting, deterring, preventing, or responding to explosive attacks;

`(4) communicating to Federal, State, and local governments, emergency response providers, and the private sector the availability of any technology described in paragraph (2), including providing the specifications of such technology, indicating whether such technology satisfies appropriate standards, and identifying grants, if any, available from the Department to purchase such technology; and

`(5) developing and deploying an electronic countermeasures capability to--

`(A) protect high-risk targets and neutralize radio controlled improvised explosive devices; and

`(B) serve as a pilot initiative of the technology transfer program described in paragraphs (1) through (4).

`(c) Working Group- To facilitate the transfer of military technologies, the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, and in a manner consistent with protection of sensitive sources and methods, shall establish a working group to advise and assist in the identification of military technologies designed to deter, prevent, detect, protect, or respond to explosive attacks that are in the process of being developed, or are developed, by the Department of Defense or the private sector.'.

`Sec. 318. Explosives research and development.

`Sec. 319. Technology transfer.'.

END