Joint Counterterrorism Awareness Workshop Series Act of 2017

Summary: Joint Counterterrorism Awareness Workshop Series Act of 2017 (Sec. 2) This bill amends the Homeland Security Act to direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to establish a Joint Counterterrorism Awareness Workshop Series to address emerging terrorist threats and to enhance the ability of state and local jurisdictions to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks. The workshop series shall include:  reviewing terrorism preparedness, response, and interdiction plans, policies, and procedures of the participating jurisdictions and identifying gaps in such plans, operational capabilities, response resources, and authorities;  identifying federal, state, and local resources available to address such gaps;  providing assistance to build or sustain the capabilities to close such gaps;  examining the roles and responsibilities of participating agencies and respective communities in the event of a terrorist attack;  improving situational awareness and information sharing among all participating agencies in the event of such an attack; and  identifying and sharing best practices and lessons learned from each workshop series.  FEMA shall select jurisdictions to host a workshop series from cities that have received or are receiving funding under the Urban Area Security Initiative and have requested to be considered. Individuals from state and local jurisdictions and emergency response providers in cities selected shall be eligible to participate in the series. FEMA must report, each year for the next six years, to all participating agencies and to Congress regarding key findings or themes, lessons learned, and best practices identified.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Joint Counterterrorism Awareness 
Workshop Series Act of 2017''.

SEC. 2. JOINT COUNTERTERRORISM AWARENESS WORKSHOP SERIES.

    (a) In General.--Title V of the Homeland Security Act (6 U.S.C. 311 
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

``SEC. 529. JOINT COUNTERTERRORISM AWARENESS WORKSHOP SERIES.

    ``(a) In General.--The Administrator, in consultation with the 
Director of the National Counterterrorism Center and the Director of 
the Federal Bureau of Investigation, shall establish a Joint 
Counterterrorism Awareness Workshop Series (in this section referred to 
as the `Workshop Series') to address emerging terrorist threats and to 
enhance the ability of State and local jurisdictions to prevent, 
protect against, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks.
    ``(b) Purpose.--The Workshop Series established under subsection 
(a) shall include the following components:
            ``(1) Reviewing existing preparedness, response, and 
        interdiction plans, policies, and procedures related to 
        terrorist attacks of the participating jurisdictions and 
        identifying gaps in such plans, operational capabilities, 
        response resources, and authorities.
            ``(2) Identifying Federal, State, and local resources 
        available to address the gaps identified in accordance with 
        paragraph (1).
            ``(3) Providing assistance, through training, exercises, 
        and other means, to build or sustain, as appropriate, the 
        capabilities to close such identified gaps.
            ``(4) Examining the roles and responsibilities of 
        participating agencies and respective communities in the event 
        of a terrorist attack.
            ``(5) Improving situational awareness and information 
        sharing among all participating agencies in the event of a 
        terrorist attack.
            ``(6) Identifying and sharing best practices and lessons 
        learned from each Workshop Series established under subsection 
        (a).
    ``(c) Designation of Participating Cities.--The Administrator shall 
select jurisdictions to host a Workshop Series from those cities that--
            ``(1) are currently receiving, or that previously received, 
        funding under section 2003; and
            ``(2) have requested to be considered.
    ``(d) Workshop Series Participants.--Individuals from State and 
local jurisdictions and emergency response providers in cities 
designated under subsection (c) shall be eligible to participate in the 
Workshop Series, including the following:
            ``(1) Senior elected and appointed officials.
            ``(2) Law enforcement.
            ``(3) Fire and Rescue.
            ``(4) Emergency management.
            ``(5) Emergency Medical Services.
            ``(6) Public health officials.
            ``(7) Private sector representatives.
            ``(8) Other participants as deemed appropriate by the 
        Administrator.
    ``(e) Reports.--
            ``(1) Workshop series report.--The Administrator, in 
        consultation with the Director of the National Counterterrorism 
        Center, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 
        and officials from the city in which a Workshop Series is held, 
        shall develop and submit to all of the agencies participating 
        in such Workshop Series a report after the conclusion of each 
        such Workshop Series that addresses the following:
                    ``(A) Key findings about lessons learned and best 
                practices from each such Workshop Series.
                    ``(B) Potential mitigation strategies and resources 
                to address gaps identified during each such Workshop 
                Series.
            ``(2) Annual reports.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
        of the enactment of this section and annually thereafter for 
        the next 5 years, the Administrator, in consultation with the 
        Director of the National Counterterrorism Center and the 
        Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, shall submit 
        to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 
        Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and 
        Governmental Affairs of the Senate a comprehensive summary 
        report of the key themes, lessons learned, and best practices 
        identified during the Workshop Series held during the previous 
        year.
    ``(f) Authorization.--There is authorized to be appropriated 
$1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 through 2022 to carry out this 
section.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section 1(b) of 
the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by inserting after the 
item relating to section 528 the following new item:

``Sec. 529. Joint Counterterrorism Awareness Workshop Series.''.

            Passed the House of Representatives September 14, 2017.

            Attest:

                                                 KAREN L. HAAS,

                                                                 Clerk.