I 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5389 

To encourage engagement between the Department of Homeland Security 

and technology innovators, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 7, 2016 

Mr. RATCLIFFE (for himself, Mr. MCCAUL, and Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security 

A BILL 

To encourage engagement between the Department of Homeland Security and technology innovators, 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 ‘‘Leveraging Emerging 

5 Technologies Act of 2016’’. 

6 SEC. 2. INNOVATION ENGAGEMENT. 

7 (a) INNOVATION ENGAGEMENT.— 

8 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Homeland 

9 Security— 


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1 (A) shall engage with innovative and 

2 emerging technology developers and firms, in3 cluding technology-based small businesses and 

4 startup ventures, to address homeland security 

5 needs; and 

6 (B) may identify geographic areas in the 

7 United States with high concentrations of such 

8 innovative and emerging technology developers 

9 and firms, and may establish personnel and of10 fice space in such areas, as appropriate. 

11 (2) ENGAGEMENT.—Engagement under para12 graph (1) may include innovative and emerging tech13 nology developers or firms with proven technologies, 

14 supported with outside investment, with potential 

15 applications for the Department of Homeland Secu16 rity. 

17 (3) CO-LOCATION.—If the Secretary of Home18 land Security determines that it is appropriate to es19 tablish personnel and office space in a specific geo20 graphic area in the United States pursuant to para21 graph (1)(B), the Secretary shall co-locate such per22 sonnel and office space with other existing assets 

23 of— 

24 (A) the Department of Homeland Security, 

25 where possible; or 


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1 (B) Federal facilities, where appropriate. 

2 (4) OVERSIGHT.—Not later than 30 days after 

3 establishing personnel and office space in a specific 

4 geographic area in the United States pursuant to 

5 paragraph (1)(B), the Secretary of Homeland Secu6 rity shall inform Congress about the rationale for 

7 such establishment, the anticipated costs associated 

8 with such establishment, and the specific goals for 

9 such establishment. 

10 (b) STRATEGIC PLAN.—Not later than six months 

11 after the date of the enactment of this section, the Sec12 retary of Homeland Security shall develop, implement, and 

13 submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the 

14 House of Representatives and the Committee on Home15 land Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a 

16 Department of Homeland Security-wide strategy to 

17 proactively engage with innovative and emerging tech18 nology developers and firms, including technology-based 

19 small businesses and startup ventures, in accordance with 

20 subsection (a). Such strategy shall— 

21 (1) focus on sustainable methods and guidance 

22 to build relationships, including with such innovative 

23 and emerging technology developers and firms in ge24 ographic areas in the United States with high con25 centrations of such innovative and emerging techVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:57 Jun 08, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5389.IH H5389

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1 nology developers and firms, and in geographic areas 

2 outside such areas, to establish, develop, and en3 hance departmental capabilities to address homeland 

4 security needs; 

5 (2) include efforts to— 

6 (A) ensure proven innovative and emerging 

7 technologies can be included in existing and fu8 ture acquisition contracts; 

9 (B) coordinate with organizations that pro10 vide venture capital to businesses, particularly 

11 small businesses and startup ventures, as ap12 propriate, to assist the commercialization of in13 novative and emerging technologies that are ex14 pected to be ready for commercialization in the 

15 near term and within 36 months; and 

16 (C) address barriers to the utilization of 

17 innovative and emerging technologies and the 

18 engagement of small businesses and startup 

19 ventures in the acquisition process; 

20 (3) include a description of how the Depart21 ment plans to leverage proven innovative and emerg22 ing technologies to address homeland security needs; 

23 and 


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1 (4) include the criteria the Secretary plans to 

2 use to determine an innovative or technology is prov3 en. 

4 (c) PROHIBITION ON ADDITIONAL FUNDING.—No 

5 additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to 

6 carry out this Act. 

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