Joint Counterterrorism Awareness Workshop Series Act of 2017

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish a Joint Counterterrorism Awareness Workshop Series, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Joint Counterterrorism Awareness Workshop Series Act of 2017 2. Joint Counterterrorism Awareness Workshop Series (a) In general Title V of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 ( 6 U.S.C. 311 529. 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 (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 one year after the date of the enactment of this section and annually thereafter for the next seven 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 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. . September 1, 2017 Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed

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.