IIB 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2390 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 24, 2015 

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and 

Governmental Affairs 

AN ACT 

To require a review of university-based centers for homeland 

security, 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, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Homeland Security 

3 University-Based Centers Review Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. REVIEW OF UNIVERSITY-BASED CENTERS. 

5 (a) GAO STUDY OF UNIVERSITY-BASED CENTERS.— 

6 Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of 

7 this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 

8 shall initiate a study to assess the university-based centers 

9 for homeland security program authorized by section 

10 308(b)(2) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 

11 U.S.C. 188(b)(2)), and provide recommendations to the 

12 Committee on Homeland Security and the Committee on 

13 Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Rep14 resentatives and the Committee on Homeland Security 

15 and Governmental Affairs of the Senate for appropriate 

16 improvements. 

17 (b) SUBJECT MATTERS.—The study under sub18 section (a) shall include the following: 

19 (1) A review of the Department of Homeland 

20 Security’s efforts to identify key areas of study need21 ed to support the homeland security mission, and 

22 criteria that the Department utilized to determine 

23 those key areas for which the Department should 

24 maintain, establish, or eliminate university-based 

25 centers. 


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1 (2) A review of the method by which university2 based centers, federally funded research and develop3 ment centers, and Department of Energy national 

4 laboratories receive tasking from the Department of 

5 Homeland Security, including a review of how uni6 versity-based research is identified, prioritized, and 

7 funded. 

8 (3) A review of selection criteria for designating 

9 university-based centers and a weighting of such cri10 teria. 

11 (4) An examination of best practices from other 

12 agencies’ efforts to organize and use university13 based research to support their missions. 

14 (5) A review of the Department of Homeland 

15 Security’s criteria and metrics to measure demon16 strable progress achieved by university-based centers 

17 in fulfilling Department taskings, and mechanisms 

18 for delivering and disseminating the research results 

19 of designated university-based centers within the De20 partment and to other Federal, State, and local 

21 agencies. 

22 (6) An examination of the means by which aca23 demic institutions that are not designated or associ24 ated with the designated university-based centers 

25 can optimally contribute to the research mission of 


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1 the Directorate of Science and Technology of the 

2 Department of Homeland Security. 

3 (7) An assessment of the interrelationship be4 tween the different university-based centers and the 

5 degree to which outreach and collaboration among a 

6 diverse array of academic institutions is encouraged 

7 by the Department of Homeland Security, particu8 larly with historically Black colleges and universities 

9 and minority-serving institutions. 

10 (8) A review of any other essential elements of 

11 the programs determined in the conduct of the 

12 study. 

13 (c) INFORMATION RELATING TO UNIVERSITY-BASED

14 CENTERS.—Subparagraph (D) of section 308(b)(2) of the 

15 Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 188(b)(2)) is 

16 amended to read as follows: 

17 ‘‘(D) ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS.— 

18 Not later than 1 year after the date of the en19 actment of this subparagraph and annually 

20 thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Con21 gress a report on the implementation of this 

22 section. Each such report shall— 

23 ‘‘(i) indicate which center or centers 

24 have been designated pursuant to this sec25 tion; 


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1 ‘‘(ii) describe how such designation or 

2 designations enhance homeland security; 

3 ‘‘(iii) provide information on any deci4 sions to revoke or modify such designation 

5 or designations; 

6 ‘‘(iv) describe research that has been 

7 tasked and completed by each center that 

8 has been designated during the preceding 

9 year; 

10 ‘‘(v) describe funding provided by the 

11 Secretary for each center under clause (iv) 

12 for that year; and 

13 ‘‘(vi) describe plans for utilization of 

14 each center or centers in the forthcoming 

15 year.’’. 

Passed the House of Representatives June 23, 2015. 

Attest: KAREN L. HAAS, 

Clerk. 


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