IB 
Union Calendar No. 349 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 3583 
[Report No. 114–455, Part I] 
To reform and improve the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the 
Office of Emergency Communications, and the Office of Health Affairs 
of the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 22, 2015 
Ms. MCSALLY (for herself, Mr. MCCAUL, Mr. DONOVAN, and Mr. PAYNE) in-
troduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation 
and Infrastructure and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
MARCH 16, 2016 
Reported from the Committee on Homeland Security with an amendment 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
MARCH 16, 2016 
The Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure and Energy and Com-
merce discharged; committed to the Committee of the Whole House on 
the State of the Union and ordered to be printed 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on September 22, 2015] 
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A BILL 
To reform and improve the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency, the Office of Emergency Communications, and 
the Office of Health Affairs of the Department of Home-
land Security, and for other purposes. 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Pro-
moting Resilience and Efficiency in Preparing for Attacks 
and Responding to Emergencies Act’’ or the ‘‘PREPARE 
Act’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
TITLE I—GRANTS, TRAINING, EXERCISES, AND COORDINATION 
Sec. 101. Memoranda of understanding. 
Sec. 102. Period of performance. 
Sec. 103. Operation Stonegarden. 
Sec. 104. Grants metrics. 
Sec. 105. Grant management best practices. 
Sec. 106. Administration and coordination of grants. 
Sec. 107. Funding prohibition. 
Sec. 108. Law enforcement terrorism prevention. 
Sec. 109. Allowable uses. 
Sec. 110. Maintenance of grant investments. 
Sec. 111. National Domestic Preparedness Consortium. 
Sec. 112. Rural Domestic Preparedness Consortium. 
Sec. 113. Emergency support functions. 
Sec. 114. Review of National Incident Management System. 
Sec. 115. Approval of certain equipment. 
Sec. 116. Remedial action management program. 
TITLE II—COMMUNICATIONS 
Sec. 201. Office of Emergency Communications. 
Sec. 202. Responsibilities of Office of Emergency Communications Director. 
Sec. 203. Annual reporting on activities of the Office of Emergency Communica-
tions. 
Sec. 204. National Emergency Communications Plan. 
Sec. 205. Technical edits. 
Sec. 206. Public Safety Broadband Network. 
Sec. 207. Department of Homeland Security social media improvement. 
Sec. 208. Statewide interoperability coordinators. 
Sec. 209. Communications training. 
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TITLE III—MEDICAL PREPAREDNESS 
Sec. 301. Pre-event anthrax vaccination program for emergency response pro-
viders. 
Sec. 302. Chief Medical Officer. 
Sec. 303. Medical Countermeasures Program. 
TITLE IV—MANAGEMENT 
Sec. 401. Mission support. 
Sec. 402. Systems modernization. 
Sec. 403. Strategic human capital plan. 
Sec. 404. Activities related to children. 
TITLE I—GRANTS, TRAINING, 
EXERCISES, AND COORDINATION 
SEC. 101. MEMORANDA OF UNDERSTANDING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle B of title XX of the Home-
land Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 611 et seq.) is amended 
by adding at the end the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 2024. MEMORANDA OF UNDERSTANDING WITH DE-
PARTMENTAL COMPONENTS AND OFFICES. 
‘‘The Administrator shall enter into memoranda of un-
derstanding with the heads of the following departmental 
components and offices delineating the roles and respon-
sibilities of such components and offices regarding the pol-
icy and guidance for grants under section 1406 of the Im-
plementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act 
of 2007 (6 U.S.C. 1135), sections 2003 and 2004 of this 
Act, and section 70107 of title 46, United States Code, as 
appropriate: 
‘‘(1) The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and 
Border Protection. 
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‘‘(2) The Administrator of the Transportation 
Security Administration. 
‘‘(3) The Commandant of the Coast Guard. 
‘‘(4) The Under Secretary for Intelligence and 
Analysis. 
‘‘(5) The Director of the Office of Emergency 
Communications. 
‘‘(6) The Assistant Secretary for State and Local 
Law Enforcement. 
‘‘(7) The Countering Violent Extremism Coordi-
nator. 
‘‘(8) The Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Lib-
erties. 
‘‘(9) The heads of other components or offices of 
the Department, as determined by the Secretary.’’. 
(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 2023 
the following new item: 
‘‘Sec. 2024. Memoranda of understanding with departmental components and of-
fices.’’. 
SEC. 102. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE. 
(a) URBAN AREA SECURITY INITIATIVE.—Section 
2003 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 604) 
is amended by— 
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(1) redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f); 
and 
(2) inserting after subsection (d) the following 
new subsection: 
‘‘(e) PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE.—The Administrator 
shall make funds provided under this section available for 
use by a recipient of a grant for a period of not less than 
36 months.’’. 
(b) STATE HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM.— 
Section 2004 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 
U.S.C. 605) is amended by— 
(1) redesignating subsection (f) as subsection (g); 
and 
(2) inserting after subsection (e) the following the 
new subsection: 
‘‘(f) PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE.—The Administrator 
shall make funds provided under this section available for 
use by a recipient of a grant for a period of not less than 
36 months.’’. 
(c) PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ASSISTANCE 
GRANT PROGRAM.—Section 1406 of the Implementing Rec-
ommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act (6 U.S.C. 1135; 
Public Law 110–53) is amended by— 
(1) redesignating subsection (m) as subsection 
(n); and 
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(2) inserting after subsection (l) the following 
new subsection: 
‘‘(m) PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE.—The Secretary shall 
make funds provided under this section available for use 
by a recipient of a grant for a period of not less than 36 
months.’’. 
(d) PORT
SECURITY
GRANT
PROGRAM.—Section 
70107 of title 46, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(n) PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE.—The Secretary shall 
make funds provided under this section available for use 
by a recipient of a grant for a period of not less than 36 
months.’’. 
(e) TRIBAL SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM.—Section 
2005 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 606) 
is amended by— 
(1) redesignating subsections (h) through (k) sub-
sections (i) through (l), respectively; and 
(2) inserting after subsection (g) the following 
new subsection: 
‘‘(h) PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE.—The Secretary shall 
make funds provided under this section available for use 
by a recipient of a grant for a period of not less than 36 
months.’’. 
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SEC. 103. OPERATION STONEGARDEN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle A of title XX of the Home-
land Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) is amended 
by adding at the end the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 2009. OPERATION STONEGARDEN. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in the De-
partment a program to be known as ‘Operation 
Stonegarden’. Under such program, the Secretary, acting 
through the Administrator, shall make grants to eligible law 
enforcement agencies, through the State Administrative 
Agency, to enhance border security in accordance with this 
section. 
‘‘(b) ELIGIBLE RECIPIENTS.—To be eligible to receive 
a grant under this section, a law enforcement agency 
shall— 
‘‘(1) be located in— 
‘‘(A) a State bordering either Canada or 
Mexico; or 
‘‘(B) a State or territory with a maritime 
border; and 
‘‘(2) be involved in an active, ongoing U.S. Cus-
toms and Border Protection operation coordinated 
through a sector office. 
‘‘(c) PERMITTED USES.—The recipient of a grant 
under this section may use such grant for any of the fol-
lowing: 
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‘‘(1) Equipment, including maintenance and 
sustainment costs. 
‘‘(2) Personnel, including overtime and backfill, 
in support of enhanced border law enforcement activi-
ties. 
‘‘(3) Any activity permitted for Operation 
Stonegarden under the Department of Homeland Se-
curity’s Fiscal Year 2015 Homeland Security Grant 
Program Notice of Funding Opportunity. 
‘‘(4) Any other appropriate activity, as deter-
mined by the Administrator, in consultation with the 
Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protec-
tion. 
‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated $110,000,000 for each of fis-
cal years 2016 through 2020 for grants under this section. 
‘‘(e) REPORT.—The Administrator shall annually sub-
mit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House 
of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Secu-
rity and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report con-
taining information on the expenditure of grants made 
under this section by each grant recipient.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Subsection (a) of sec-
tion 2002 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 
603) is amended to read as follows: 
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‘‘(a) GRANTS AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary, through 
the Administrator, may award grants under sections 2003, 
2004, and 2009 to State, local, and tribal governments, as 
appropriate.’’. 
(c) 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 2008 
the following new item: 
‘‘Sec. 2009. Operation Stonegarden.’’. 
SEC. 104. GRANTS METRICS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—To determine the extent to which 
grants under sections 2003 and 2004 of the Homeland Secu-
rity Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 603 and 604) have closed capa-
bility gaps identified in State Preparedness Reports re-
quired under subsection (c) of section 652 of the Post- 
Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 (6 
U.S.C. 752; title VI of the Department of Homeland Secu-
rity Appropriations Act, 2007; Public Law 109–295) and 
Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessments 
from each State and high-risk urban area, the Adminis-
trator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall 
conduct and submit to the Committee on Homeland Secu-
rity of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate 
an assessment of information provided in such Reports and 
Assessments. 
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(b) ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS.—The assessment re-
quired under subsection (a) shall include a comparison of 
successive State Preparedness Reports and Threat and Haz-
ard Identification and Risk Assessments from each State 
and high-risk urban area. 
SEC. 105. GRANT MANAGEMENT BEST PRACTICES. 
The Administrator of the Federal Emergency Manage-
ment Agency shall include in the annual Notice of Funding 
Opportunity relating to grants under sections 2003 and 
2004 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 604 
and 605) an appendix that includes a summary of findings 
identified by the Office of the Inspector General of the De-
partment of Homeland Security in audits of such grants 
and methods to address areas identified for improvement 
and innovative practices instituted by grant recipients. 
SEC. 
106. 
ADMINISTRATION 
AND 
COORDINATION 
OF 
GRANTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Paragraphs (1) and (2) of sub-
section (b) of section 2021 of the Homeland Security Act 
of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 611) are amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Any State or high-risk 
urban area receiving a grant under section 2003 or 
2004 shall establish a State planning committee or 
urban area working group to assist in preparation 
and revision of the State, regional, or local homeland 
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security plan or the threat and hazard identification 
and risk assessment, as the case may be, and to assist 
in determining effective funding priorities for grants 
under such sections 2003 and 2004. 
‘‘(2) COMPOSITION.—The State planning com-
mittees and urban area working groups referred to in 
paragraph (1) shall include at least one representa-
tive from each of the following significant stake-
holders: 
‘‘(A) Local or tribal government officials. 
‘‘(B) Emergency response providers, includ-
ing representatives of the fire service, law en-
forcement, emergency medical services, and emer-
gency managers. 
‘‘(C) Public health officials and other ap-
propriate medical practitioners. 
‘‘(D) Individuals representing educational 
institutions, including elementary schools, com-
munity colleges, and other institutions of higher 
education. 
‘‘(E) State and regional interoperable com-
munications coordinators, as appropriate. 
‘‘(F) State and major urban area fusion 
centers, as appropriate.’’. 
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(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Paragraph (3) of sec-
tion 2021(b) (6 U.S.C. 611) is amended by inserting ‘‘or 
urban area working group, as the case may be,’’ after ‘‘cre-
ate a planning committee’’. 
SEC. 107. FUNDING PROHIBITION. 
The Secretary of Homeland Security may not imple-
ment the National Preparedness Grant Program or any 
successor grant program unless the Secretary receives prior 
authorization from Congress permitting such implementa-
tion. 
SEC. 108. LAW ENFORCEMENT TERRORISM PREVENTION. 
(a) LAW ENFORCEMENT TERRORISM PREVENTION 
PROGRAM.—Subsection (a) of section 2006 of the Homeland 
Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 607) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘States and high-risk 
urban areas use’’ after ‘‘that’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘is used’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (2), by amending subpara-
graph (I) to read as follows: 
‘‘(I) activities as determined appropriate by 
the Administrator, in coordination with the As-
sistant Secretary for State and Local Law En-
forcement within the Office of Policy of the De-
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partment, through outreach to relevant stake-
holder organizations.’’. 
(b) OFFICE FOR STATE AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCE-
MENT.—Subsection (b)(4) of section 2006 of the Homeland 
Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 607) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ‘‘, includ-
ing through consultation with such agencies regarding 
Department programs that may impact such agen-
cies’’ before the semicolon; and 
(2) in subparagraph (D), by striking ‘‘ensure’’ 
and inserting ‘‘certify’’. 
SEC. 109. ALLOWABLE USES. 
Subsection (a) of section 2008 of the Homeland Secu-
rity Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 609) is amended— 
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
inserting ‘‘including by working in conjunction with 
a National Laboratory (as defined in section 2(3) of 
the 
Energy 
Policy 
Act 
of 
2005 
(42 
U.S.C. 
15801(3))),’’ after ‘‘plans,’’; 
(2) by redesignating paragraphs (6) through (13) 
as paragraphs (7) through (14), respectively; 
(3) by inserting after paragraph (5) the fol-
lowing new paragraph: 
‘‘(6) enhancing medical preparedness, medical 
surge capacity, and mass prophylaxis capabilities, in-
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cluding the development and maintenance of an ini-
tial pharmaceutical stockpile, including medical kits 
and diagnostics sufficient to protect first responders, 
their families, immediate victims, and vulnerable 
populations from a chemical or biological event;’’; and 
(4) in subsection (b)(3)(B), by striking ‘‘(a)(10)’’ 
and inserting ‘‘(a)(11)’’. 
SEC. 110. MAINTENANCE OF GRANT INVESTMENTS. 
Section 2008 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 
(6 U.S.C. 609) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
‘‘(g) MAINTENANCE OF EQUIPMENT.—Any applicant 
for a grant under section 2003 or 2004 seeking to use funds 
to purchase equipment, including pursuant to paragraphs 
(3), (4), (5), or (9) of subsection (a) of this section, shall 
by the time of the receipt of such grant develop a plan for 
the maintenance of such equipment over its life-cycle that 
includes information identifying which entity is responsible 
for such maintenance.’’. 
SEC. 111. NATIONAL DOMESTIC PREPAREDNESS CONSOR-
TIUM. 
Section 1204 of the Implementing Recommendations 
of the 9/11 Commission Act (6 U.S.C. 1102) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (d), by amending paragraphs 
(1) and (2) to read as follows: 
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‘‘(1) for the Center for Domestic Preparedness, 
$65,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2016 and 2017; 
and 
‘‘(2) for the remaining Members of the National 
Domestic Preparedness Consortium, $98,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2016 and 2017.’’; and 
(2) in subsection (e), in the matter preceding 
paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘2007’’ and inserting 
‘‘2015’’. 
SEC. 112. RURAL DOMESTIC PREPAREDNESS CONSORTIUM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Homeland Secu-
rity is authorized to establish a Rural Domestic Prepared-
ness Consortium within the Department of Homeland Secu-
rity consisting of universities and nonprofit organizations 
qualified to provide training to emergency response pro-
viders from rural communities. 
(b) DUTIES.—The Rural Domestic Preparedness Con-
sortium authorized under subsection (a) shall identify, de-
velop, test, and deliver training to State, local, and tribal 
emergency response providers from rural communities, pro-
vide on-site and mobile training, and facilitate the delivery 
of training by the training partners of the Department of 
Homeland Security. 
(c) 
AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—Of 
amounts appropriated for Continuing Training Grants of 
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the Department of Homeland Security, $5,000,000 is au-
thorized to be used for the Rural Domestic Preparedness 
Consortium authorized under subsection (a). 
SEC. 113. EMERGENCY SUPPORT FUNCTIONS. 
(a) UPDATE.—Paragraph (13) of section 504(a) of the 
Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 314(a)) is 
amended by inserting ‘‘, periodically updating (but not less 
often than once every five years),’’ after ‘‘administering’’. 
(b) EMERGENCY SUPPORT FUNCTIONS.—Section 653 
of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 
2006 (6 U.S.C. 753; title VI of the Department of Homeland 
Security Appropriations Act, 2007; Public Law 109–295) 
is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as 
subsections (e) and (f), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following 
new subsection: 
‘‘(d) COORDINATION.—The President, acting through 
the Administrator, shall develop and provide to Federal de-
partments and agencies with coordinating, primary, or 
supporting responsibilities under the National Response 
Framework performance metrics to ensure readiness to exe-
cute responsibilities under the emergency support functions 
of such Framework.’’. 
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SEC. 114. REVIEW OF NATIONAL INCIDENT MANAGEMENT 
SYSTEM. 
Paragraph (2) of section 509(b) of the Homeland Secu-
rity Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 319(b)) is amended, in the mat-
ter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting ‘‘, but not less 
often than once every five years,’’ after ‘‘periodically’’. 
SEC. 115. APPROVAL OF CERTAIN EQUIPMENT. 
Section 2008 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 
(6 U.S.C. 609), as amended by section 110, is further 
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(h) REVIEW PROCESS.—The Administrator shall de-
velop and implement a uniform process for reviewing appli-
cations to use grants provided under section 2003 or 2004 
to purchase equipment or systems not included on the Au-
thorized Equipment List maintained by the Adminis-
trator.’’. 
SEC. 116. REMEDIAL ACTION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM. 
Section 650 of the Post-Katrina Emergency Manage-
ment Reform Act of 2006 (6 U.S.C. 750; title VI of the De-
partment of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2007; 
Public Law 109–295) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 650. REMEDIAL ACTION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator, in coordina-
tion with the National Council on Disability and the Na-
tional Advisory Council, shall establish a remedial action 
management program to— 
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‘‘(1) analyze training, exercises, and real world 
events to identify lessons learned, corrective actions, 
and best practices; 
‘‘(2) generate and disseminate, as appropriate, 
the lessons learned, corrective actions, and best prac-
tices referred to in paragraph (1); and 
‘‘(3) conduct remedial action tracking and long 
term trend analysis. 
‘‘(b) FEDERAL CORRECTIVE ACTIONS.—The Adminis-
trator, in coordination with the heads of appropriate Fed-
eral departments and agencies, shall utilize the program es-
tablished in subsection (a) to collect information on correc-
tive actions identified by such Federal departments and 
agencies during exercises and the response to natural disas-
ters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters, and 
shall, not later than one year after the date of the enactment 
of this section and annually thereafter for each of the next 
four years, submit to Congress a report on the status of such 
corrective actions. 
‘‘(c) DISSEMINATION OF AFTER ACTION REPORTS.— 
The Administrator shall provide electronically, to the max-
imum extent practicable, to Congress and Federal, State, 
local, tribal, and private sector officials after-action reports 
and information on lessons learned and best practices from 
responses to acts of terrorism, natural disasters, capstone 
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exercises conducted under the national exercise program 
under section 648(b), and other emergencies or exercises.’’. 
TITLE II—COMMUNICATIONS 
SEC. 201. OFFICE OF EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS. 
The Secretary of Homeland Security may not change 
the location or reporting structure of the Office of Emer-
gency Communications of the Department of Homeland Se-
curity unless the Secretary receives prior authorization 
from the Committee on Homeland Security of the House 
of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Secu-
rity and Governmental Affairs of the Senate permitting 
such change. 
SEC. 202. RESPONSIBILITIES OF OFFICE OF EMERGENCY 
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR. 
Subsection (c) of section 1801 of the Homeland Secu-
rity Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 571) is amended— 
(1) by striking paragraph (3); 
(2) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through (15) 
as paragraphs (3) through (14), respectively; 
(3) in paragraph (8), as so redesignated, by 
striking ‘‘, in cooperation with the National Commu-
nications System,’’; 
(4) in paragraph (9), as so redesignated, by 
striking ‘‘the Homeland Security Council,’’; 
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(5) in paragraph (11), as so redesignated, by 
striking ‘‘Assistant Secretary for Grants and Train-
ing’’ and inserting ‘‘Assistant Administrator of the 
Grant Programs Directorate of the Federal Emer-
gency Management Agency’’; 
(6) in paragraph (13), as so redesignated, by 
striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(7) in paragraph (14), as so redesignated, by 
striking the period at the end and inserting a semi-
colon; and 
(8) by adding after paragraph (14), as so redes-
ignated, the following new paragraphs: 
‘‘(15) administer the Government Emergency 
Telecommunications Service (GETS) and Wireless 
Priority Service (WPS) programs, or successor pro-
grams; and 
‘‘(16) assess the impact of emerging technologies 
on interoperable emergency communications.’’. 
SEC. 203. ANNUAL REPORTING ON ACTIVITIES OF THE OF-
FICE OF EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS. 
Subsection (f) of section 1801 of the Homeland Secu-
rity Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 571) is amended to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(f) ANNUAL REPORTING OF OFFICE ACTIVITIES.— 
The Director of the Office of Emergency Communications 
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shall, not later than one year after the date of the enactment 
of this subsection and annually thereafter for each of the 
next four years, report to the Committee on Homeland Se-
curity of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the 
Senate on the activities and programs of the Office, includ-
ing specific information on efforts to carry out paragraphs 
(4), (5), and (6) of subsection (c).’’. 
SEC. 204. NATIONAL EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS PLAN. 
Section 1802 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 
(6 U.S.C. 572) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), in the matter preceding 
paragraph (1)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘, and in cooperation with 
the Department of National Communications 
System (as appropriate),’’; and 
(B) by inserting ‘‘, but not less than once 
every five years,’’ after ‘‘periodically’’; and 
(2) in subsection (c)— 
(A) 
by 
redesignating 
paragraphs 
(3) 
through (10) as paragraphs (4) through (11), re-
spectively; and 
(B) by inserting after paragraph (2) the fol-
lowing new paragraph: 
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‘‘(3) consider the impact of emerging technologies 
on the attainment of interoperable emergency commu-
nications;’’. 
SEC. 205. TECHNICAL EDITS. 
Title XVIII of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (d) of section 1801 (6 U.S.C. 
571) by— 
(A) striking paragraph (2); and 
(B) redesignating paragraph (3) as para-
graph (2); and 
(2) in paragraph (1) of section 1804(b) (6 
U.S.C. 574(b)), in the matter preceding subparagraph 
(A), by striking ‘‘Assistant Secretary for Grants and 
Planning’’ and inserting ‘‘Assistant Administrator of 
the Grant Programs Directorate of the Federal Emer-
gency Management Agency’’. 
SEC. 206. PUBLIC SAFETY BROADBAND NETWORK. 
The Undersecretary of the National Protection and 
Programs Directorate of the Department of Homeland Se-
curity 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 
information on the Department of Homeland Security’s re-
sponsibilities related to the development of the nationwide 
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Public Safety Broadband Network authorized in section 
6202 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act 
of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1422; Public Law 112–96), including 
information on efforts by the Department to work with the 
First Responder Network Authority of the Department of 
Commerce to identify and address cyber risks that could 
impact the near term or long term availability and oper-
ations of such network and recommendations to mitigate 
such risks. 
SEC. 207. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SOCIAL 
MEDIA IMPROVEMENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title III of the Homeland Security 
Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 181 et seq.) is amended by adding 
at the end the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 318. SOCIAL MEDIA WORKING GROUP. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish 
within the Department a social media working group (in 
this section referred to as the ‘Group’). 
‘‘(b) PURPOSE.—In order to enhance the dissemination 
of information through social media technologies between 
the Department and appropriate stakeholders and to im-
prove use of social media technologies in support of pre-
paredness, response, and recovery, the Group shall identify, 
and provide guidance and best practices to the emergency 
preparedness and response community on the use of social 
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media technologies before, during, and after acts of ter-
rorism, natural disasters, and other emergencies. 
‘‘(c) MEMBERSHIP.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Membership of the Group 
shall be composed of a cross section of subject matter 
experts from Federal, State, local, tribal, territorial, 
and nongovernmental organization practitioners, in-
cluding representatives from the following entities: 
‘‘(A) The Office of Public Affairs of the De-
partment. 
‘‘(B) The Office of the Chief Information Of-
ficer of the Department. 
‘‘(C) The Privacy Office of the Department. 
‘‘(D) The Federal Emergency Management 
Agency. 
‘‘(E) The Office of Disability Integration 
and Coordination of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency. 
‘‘(F) The American Red Cross. 
‘‘(G) The United States Forest Service. 
‘‘(H) The Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention. 
‘‘(I) The United States Geological Survey. 
‘‘(J) The National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration. 
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‘‘(2) CHAIRPERSON, CO-CHAIRPERSON.— 
‘‘(A) CHAIRPERSON.—The Secretary shall 
serve as the chairperson of the Group. 
‘‘(B) CO-CHAIRPERSON.—The chairperson 
shall designate, on a rotating basis, a representa-
tive from a State or local government who is a 
member of the Group to serve as the co-chair-
person of the Group. 
‘‘(3) ADDITIONAL
MEMBERS.—The chairperson 
shall appoint, on a rotating basis, qualified individ-
uals to the Group. The total number of such addi-
tional members shall— 
‘‘(A) be equal to or greater than the total 
number of regular members under paragraph 
(1); and 
‘‘(B) include— 
‘‘(i) not fewer than three representa-
tives from the private sector; and 
‘‘(ii) representatives from— 
‘‘(I) State, local, tribal, and terri-
torial entities, including from— 
‘‘(aa) law enforcement; 
‘‘(bb) fire services; 
‘‘(cc) 
emergency 
medical 
services; 
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