I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 642 
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to enhance the partnership 
between the Department of Homeland Security and the National Network 
of Fusion Centers, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 24, 2017 
Mr. BARLETTA (for himself, Mr. KING of New York, and Mr. MCCAUL) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Home-
land Security 
A BILL 
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to enhance 
the partnership between the Department of Homeland 
Security and the National Network of Fusion Centers, 
and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Fusion Center En-
hancement Act of 2017’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:14 Jan 26, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H642.IH
H642
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY FUSION 
CENTER PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 210A of the Homeland 
Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 124h) is amended— 
(1) by amending the section heading to read as 
follows: 
‘‘SEC. 210A. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY FU-
SION CENTER PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE.’’; 
(2) in subsection (a), by adding at the end the 
following new sentence: ‘‘Beginning on the date of 
the enactment of the Fusion Center Enhancement 
Act of 2017, such Initiative shall be known as the 
‘Department of Homeland Security Fusion Center 
Partnership Initiative’.’’; 
(3) by amending subsection (b) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(b) INTERAGENCY SUPPORT AND COORDINATION.— 
Through the Department of Homeland Security Fusion 
Center Partnership Initiative, in coordination with prin-
cipal officials of fusion centers in the National Network 
of Fusion Centers and the officers designated as the 
Homeland Security Advisors of the States, the Secretary 
shall— 
‘‘(1) coordinate with the heads of other Federal 
departments and agencies to provide operational and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:14 Jan 26, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H642.IH
H642
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS
intelligence advice and assistance to the National 
Network of Fusion Centers; 
‘‘(2) support the integration of fusion centers 
into the information sharing environment; 
‘‘(3) support the maturation and sustainment 
of the National Network of Fusion Centers; 
‘‘(4) reduce inefficiencies and maximize the ef-
fectiveness of Federal resource support to the Na-
tional Network of Fusion Centers; 
‘‘(5) provide analytic and reporting advice and 
assistance to the National Network of Fusion Cen-
ters; 
‘‘(6) review information within the scope of the 
information sharing environment, including home-
land security information, terrorism information, 
and weapons of mass destruction information, that 
is gathered by the National Network of Fusion Cen-
ters and incorporate such information, as appro-
priate, into the Department’s own such information; 
‘‘(7) provide for the effective dissemination of 
information within the scope of the information 
sharing environment to the National Network of Fu-
sion Centers; 
‘‘(8) facilitate close communication and coordi-
nation between the National Network of Fusion 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:14 Jan 26, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H642.IH
H642
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS
Centers and the Department and other Federal de-
partments and agencies; 
‘‘(9) provide the National Network of Fusion 
Centers with expertise on Department resources and 
operations; 
‘‘(10) coordinate the provision of training and 
technical assistance to the National Network of Fu-
sion Centers and encourage participating fusion cen-
ters to take part in terrorism threat-related exercises 
conducted by the Department; 
‘‘(11) ensure, to the greatest extent practicable, 
that support for the National Network of Fusion 
Centers is included as a national priority in applica-
ble homeland security grant guidance; 
‘‘(12) ensure that each fusion center in the Na-
tional Network of Fusion Centers has a privacy pol-
icy approved by the Chief Privacy Officer of the De-
partment and a civil rights and civil liberties policy 
approved by the Officer for Civil Rights and Civil 
Liberties of the Department; 
‘‘(13) coordinate the nationwide suspicious ac-
tivity report initiative to ensure information gath-
ered by the National Network of Fusion Centers is 
incorporated as appropriate; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:14 Jan 26, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H642.IH
H642
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS
‘‘(14) lead Department efforts to ensure fusion 
centers in the National Network of Fusion Centers 
are the primary focal points for the sharing of home-
land security information, terrorism information, 
and weapons of mass destruction information with 
State, local, tribal, and territorial entities to the 
greatest extent practicable; 
‘‘(15) develop and disseminate best practices on 
the appropriate levels for staffing at fusion centers 
in the National Network of Fusion Centers of quali-
fied representatives from State, local, tribal, and ter-
ritorial law enforcement, fire, emergency medical, 
and emergency management services, and public 
health disciplines, as well as the private sector; and 
‘‘(16) carry out such other duties as the Sec-
retary determines appropriate.’’; 
(4) in subsection (c)— 
(A) by striking so much as precedes para-
graph (3)(B) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(c) RESOURCE ALLOCATION.— 
‘‘(1) INFORMATION SHARING AND PERSONNEL 
ASSIGNMENT.— 
‘‘(A) INFORMATION SHARING.—The Under 
Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis shall en-
sure that, as appropriate— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:14 Jan 26, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H642.IH
H642
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS
‘‘(i) fusion centers in the National 
Network of Fusion Centers have access to 
homeland security information sharing sys-
tems; and 
‘‘(ii) Department personnel are de-
ployed to support fusion centers in the Na-
tional Network of Fusion Centers in a 
manner consistent with the Department’s 
mission and existing statutory limits. 
‘‘(B) PERSONNEL
ASSIGNMENT.—Depart-
ment personnel referred to in subparagraph 
(A)(ii) may include the following: 
‘‘(i) Intelligence officers. 
‘‘(ii) Intelligence analysts. 
‘‘(iii) Other liaisons from components 
and offices of the Department, as appro-
priate. 
‘‘(C) MEMORANDA OF UNDERSTANDING.— 
The Under Secretary for Intelligence and Anal-
ysis shall negotiate memoranda of under-
standing between the Department and a State 
or local government, in coordination with the 
appropriate representatives from fusion centers 
in the National Network of Fusion Centers, re-
garding the exchange of information between 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:14 Jan 26, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H642.IH
H642
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS
the Department and such fusion centers. Such 
memoranda shall include the following: 
‘‘(i) The categories of information to 
be provided by each entity to the other en-
tity that are parties to any such memo-
randa. 
‘‘(ii) The contemplated uses of the ex-
changed information that is the subject of 
any such memoranda. 
‘‘(iii) The procedures for developing 
joint products. 
‘‘(iv) The information sharing dispute 
resolution processes. 
‘‘(v) Any protections necessary to en-
sure the exchange of information accords 
with applicable law and policies. 
‘‘(2) SOURCES OF SUPPORT.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Information shared 
and personnel assigned pursuant to paragraph 
(1) may be shared or provided, as the case may 
be, by the following Department components 
and offices, in coordination with the respective 
component or office head and in consultation 
with the principal officials of fusion centers in 
the National Network of Fusion Centers: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:14 Jan 26, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H642.IH
H642
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with BILLS