II 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 4153 

To require the Federal Emergency Management Agency to evaluate the National Response Framework based on lessons learned from the COVID– 

19 pandemic, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 2, 2020 

Mr. JOHNSON introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 

A BILL 

To require the Federal Emergency Management Agency to 

evaluate the National Response Framework based on 

lessons learned from the COVID–19 pandemic, and for 

other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Response 

5 Framework Improvement Act of 2020’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. EVALUATION OF NATIONAL RESPONSE FRAME2 WORK. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 

4 date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the 

5 Federal Emergency Management Agency (referred to in 

6 this Act as the ‘‘Administrator’’), acting through the Na7 tional Integration Center, shall conduct an initial evalua8 tion of the National Response Framework of the Depart9 ment of Homeland Security to determine whether there 

10 are any gaps or inefficiencies in the Framework based on 

11 the response to the COVID–19 pandemic. 

12 (b) REQUIREMENTS.—After conducting the evalua13 tion required under subsection (a), the Administrator 

14 shall— 

15 (1) in accordance with section 509(b)(2) of the 

16 Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 

17 319(b)(2)), update the National Response Frame18 work, in coordination with the heads of the primary 

19 and support agencies of the emergency support func20 tions, based on the gaps or inefficiencies identified 

21 through the evaluation; 

22 (2) provide recommendations on actions rel23 evant agencies can take to address gaps identified 

24 through the evaluation; and 


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1 (3) conduct an additional evaluation as part of 

2 the after-action review process of the Federal Emer3 gency Management Agency. 

4 SEC. 3. INTERAGENCY INFORMATION SHARING. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall— 

6 (1) evaluate the processes for collecting and 

7 sharing information across the primary and support 

8 agencies of the emergency support functions during 

9 an incident for which the emergency support func10 tions are activated under the National Response 

11 Framework; 

12 (2) provide recommendations to the heads of 

13 the primary and support agencies of emergency sup14 port functions for how to improve processes under 

15 paragraph (1); and 

16 (3) update the National Response Framework 

17 to account for new information collection and shar18 ing processes that result from the evaluation and 

19 recommendations under paragraphs (1) and (2). 

20 (b) COORDINATION.—In evaluating the processes re21 quired under subsection (a)(1), the Administrator shall co22 ordinate with the head of each emergency support function 

23 coordinator and the heads of primary and support agen24 cies of the emergency support functions. 


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1 (c) MODIFICATIONS.—The Administrator may make 

2 modifications to the processes incorporated into the Na3 tional Response Framework under subsection (a)(3) dur4 ing an incident in which the emergency support functions 

5 are activated under the National Response Framework if 

6 the Administrator determines such modifications are nec7 essary to ensure efficient communication and information 

8 sharing. 

9 SEC. 4. TRAINING. 

10 (a) EVALUATION OF TRAINING PROGRAM.—Not later 

11 than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the 

12 Administrator shall— 

13 (1) conduct an assessment of the training pro14 grams for primary and support agencies of the 

15 emergency support functions under the National Re16 sponse Network that are in effect on the date of en17 actment of this Act; and 

18 (2) provide recommendations to the heads of 

19 the primary and support agencies of emergency sup20 port functions for how to improve the training pro21 grams described in paragraph (1). 

22 (b) ANNUAL TRAINING.—The Administrator shall, on 

23 an annual basis and in coordination with the heads of pri24 mary and support agencies of the emergency support func25 tions under the National Response Framework, provide 


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1 training on enhancements or updates made to the Na2 tional Response Framework. 

3 SEC. 5. REQUIRED BRIEFING. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 

5 date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall 

6 brief the Committee on Homeland Security and Govern7 mental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Home8 land Security of the House of Representatives on— 

9 (1) the evaluation conducted under section 2, 

10 including the updates made to the National Re11 sponse Framework and the recommendations re12 quired under section 2(b); 

13 (2) the evaluation and recommendations devel14 oped under paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 3(a); 

15 and 

16 (3) the training program required to be estab17 lished under section 4, including information relat18 ing to how frequently training is offered and the at19 tendance of the training by employees of relevant 

20 agencies. 

21 (b) NOTIFICATION.—The Administrator shall provide 

22 notice to Congress on any technology system updates that 

23 develop after the briefing required under subsection (a) 


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1 that may impact information sharing efforts across the 

2 emergency support functions. 

Æ 


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