To establish a technology, equipment, and information transfer program within the Department of Homeland Security.

November 21, 2003

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania (for himself and Mr. ANDREWS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Energy and Commerce, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Select Homeland Security, 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 establish a technology, equipment, and information transfer program within the Department of Homeland Security.

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 `Homeland Security Technology Improvement Act of 2003'.

SEC. 2. HOMELAND SECURITY TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PROGRAM.

(a) IN GENERAL- Section 313 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 193) is amended--

(1) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the following:

`(6) The establishment of a multi-agency homeland security technology, equipment, and information transfer program to allow for the transfer of technology, equipment, and information to State, regional, and local fire, emergency medical service, and law enforcement agencies.';

(2) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d); and

(3) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:

`(c) TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PROGRAM- In developing the program described under subsection (b)(6), the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Science and Technology shall--

`(1) in close cooperation with the Office of Domestic Preparedness, conduct, on an ongoing basis--

`(A) research and development of new technologies;

`(B) surveys and reviews of available appropriate technologies; and

`(C) tests, evaluations, and demonstrations of new and available technologies that significantly improve the capability of fire, emergency medical service, and law enforcement agencies in countering terrorist threats and traditional threats not related to terrorism;

`(2) in support of the activities described in paragraph (1)--

`(A) consult with State, regional, and local fire, emergency medical service, and law enforcement agencies and others determined by the Secretary, including the advisory committee established under section 430(d);

`(B) work with the National Institute of Standards and Technology and any other office or agency determined by the Secretary;

`(C) at the discretion of the Secretary, enter into agreements and coordinate with other Federal agencies to maximize the effectiveness of the technologies, equipment, and information; and

`(D) utilize existing technology transfer centers and Federal and State training centers that test, evaluate, and transfer military and other technologies for use by the first responder community;

`(3) provide a comprehensive list of available technologies, equipment, and information to the Office for Domestic Preparedness which shall administer a technology transfer program described under section 430(d); and

`(4) work with the Secretary of Defense to identify, evaluate, deploy, and transfer to Federal, State, regional, and local fire, emergency medical service, and law enforcement personnel, Department of Defense technologies and equipment for homeland security purposes, pursuant to section 1401 of the Bob Stump National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003.'.

(b) OFFICE FOR DOMESTIC PREPAREDNESS- Section 430 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 238) is amended--

(1) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e); and

(2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following:

`(d) TECHNOLOGY, EQUIPMENT, AND INFORMATION TRANSFER PROGRAM-

`(1) ADMINISTRATION- The Director of the Office for Domestic Preparedness, in coordination with the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, shall establish and administer a technology transfer program through which the Director shall--

`(A) make the counterterrorism and nonterrorism response technology, equipment, and information available to State, regional, and local fire, emergency medical service, and law enforcement agencies each year based on--

`(i) the comprehensive list of available technologies, equipment, and information described under section 313(c); and

`(ii) the needs identified by the advisory committee established under this subsection;

`(B) consult with State, regional, and local fire, emergency medical service, and law enforcement agencies and others, as determined by the Secretary;

`(C) accept applications from the head of State, regional, and local fire, emergency medical service, and law enforcement agencies that wish to acquire such technologies, equipment, and information to improve the homeland security capabilities of those agencies, and review these applications with the advisory committee established under this subsection; and

`(D) transfer the approved technology, equipment, and information and provide the appropriate training to the State, regional, or local fire, emergency medical service, and law enforcement agencies to implement such technology, equipment, and information.

`(2) TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER ADVISORY COMMITTEE- Under the authority of section 871, the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Office for Domestic Preparedness, shall establish an advisory committee, or designate an existing advisory committee comprised of retired and active duty State, regional, and local fire, emergency medical service, and law enforcement officers, to advise the Director of the Office for Domestic Preparedness and the Under Secretary for Science and Technology regarding the homeland security technology transfer program established under this subsection.

`(3) LIMITATION ON ADMINISTRATION EXPENDITURE- Not more than 10 percent of the budget of the technology, equipment, and information transfer program established under this subsection may be used for administrative expenses.

`(4) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There are authorized to be appropriated $50,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2005 through 2014 to carry out this subsection.'.

END