I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 3161
To direct the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to
provide grants to local governments and emergency response units to
develop plans for a clearly defined and coordinated response to emer-
gencies, and to provide grants to police and fire departments for
counterterrorism training.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
OCTOBER 23, 2001
Mr. LARSON of Connecticut (for himself, Mr. BALDACCI, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr.
DOYLE, Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania, Mrs. JONES of Ohio, Mr. FRANK,
Mrs. THURMAN, Mr. WU, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mr. TAYLOR of
Mississippi, Mrs. MCCARTHY of New York, Mr. WEINER, Mr. LANGEVIN,
Mr. WEXLER, Mr. DELAHUNT, Mr. OLVER, Mr. HOLDEN, Mr. CRAMER,
Mr. HOEFFEL, Mr. HOLT, Mr. KANJORSKI, Mr. CROWLEY, Mr. STUPAK,
Mr. HILL, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. ROSS, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. HIN-
CHEY, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, Mr. HONDA, Mr. REYES, Mr. CLY-
BURN, Mr. GONZALEZ, Mr. FATTAH, Mr. BORSKI, Mr. ALLEN, Mr. CLAY,
Mr. UDALL of Colorado, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. EDWARDS, Mr. SAWYER,
Mr. BACA, Mr. SHOWS, Mr. BISHOP, Mr. MASCARA, Mr. MEEKS of New
York, Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island, Mr. UNDERWOOD, Ms. MCCARTHY
of Missouri, Mr. MOORE, Mr. WYNN, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California,
Mr. FILNER, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. JOHN, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr.
TIERNEY, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Mr. KIND, Ms. PELOSI,
Mr. LAMPSON, Mr. FARR of California, Ms. ESHOO, Mrs. CAPPS, Ms.
MILLENDER-MCDONALD, Mr. ISRAEL, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. TURNER, and
Ms. LEE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Com-
mittees on Science, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently de-
termined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To direct the Director of the Federal Emergency Manage-
ment Agency to provide grants to local governments and
emergency response units to develop plans for a clearly
defined and coordinated response to emergencies, and
to provide grants to police and fire departments for
counterterrorism training.
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 ‘‘Municipal Preparation
and Strategic Response Act’’.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act, the following definitions apply:
(1) EMERGENCY RESPONSE UNIT.—The term
‘‘emergency response unit’’ means a State or local
emergency response unit, including any fire depart-
ment, police department, sheriff’s office, paramedic
unit, local public health unit, or hospital, or any
other entity determined by a State or unit of local
government to be essential to emergency response
and preparedness.
(2) UNIT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT.—The term
‘‘unit of local government’’ includes any city, county,
town, borough, tribe, or other municipality or con-
sortia of local governments.
SEC. 3. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that—
(1) in the event of a catastrophe or an attack
on the Nation, emergency response units are the
first to respond to the scene and thereby take the
greatest risks, underscoring the need for a coordi-
nated response to an emergency;
(2) potential contamination of reservoirs, water
supplies, sewers, and food supplies, as well as the
potential release of biochemical agents and contami-
nants are a threat to front line rescuers and appro-
priate protocols and procedures must be established;
(3) the potential threats of a disruption of com-
munications and other high technology systems
through the use of electronic warfare techniques
must be identified and appropriate protocol and pro-
cedures must be established; and
(4) there is a clear and present need to coordi-
nate a response to terrorism-related emergencies
among emergency response units and between local,
State, and Federal agencies.
SEC. 4. GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the Federal
Emergency Management Agency shall make grants on a
competitive basis to units of local government and emer-
gency response units.
(2) prepare and issue reports to units of local
government, State legislatures, and Congress that
include recommendations for specific legislative ac-
tion; and
(3) conduct public forums or other appropriate
activities to educate the public about—
(A) potential threats and steps the public
can take to prepare for them;
(B) the contents of the strategic response
plans;
(C) how to communicate with authorities
in the event of an emergency;
(D) the location of safe public assembly
areas or other emergency shelters; and
(E) other appropriate information.
SEC. 5. STATE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATORS.
The Director of the Federal Emergency Management
Agency shall designate for each State a representative of
the Federal Emergency Management Agency to—
(1) advise and assist units of local government
with the development of strategic response plans;
(2) act as a liaison between units of local gov-
ernment and the Federal Government; and
(3) coordinate the sharing of information about
Federal Government initiatives and protocol.
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated for fiscal
year 2002 $1,000,000,000 to carry out this Act. Such
sums shall remain available until expended.
SEC. 7. FIREFIGHTER COUNTERTERRORISM GRANTS.
(a) GRANTS FOR COUNTERTERRORISM TRAINING.—
Section 33(b)(3) of the Federal Fire Prevention and Con-
trol Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2229(b)(3)) is amended—
(1) in subparagraph (M) by striking ‘‘or’’ at the
end;
(2) in subparagraph (N) by striking the period
at the end and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraph:
‘‘(O) to fund counterterrorism training and
provide related equipment.’’.
(b) SPECIAL RULE.—Section 33(b)(6) of such Act
(15 U.S.C. 2229(b)(6)) is amended by adding at the end
the following new subparagraph:
‘‘(C) EXEMPTION.—This paragraph shall
not apply to grants that are made exclusively
for the purposes described in paragraph
(3)(O).’’.
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section
33 of such Act (15 U.S.C. 2229) is amended by adding
at the end the following new subsection:
‘‘(f) AUTHORIZATION FOR COUNTERTERRORISM PRO-
GRAMS.—In addition to amounts authorized under sub-
section (e), there are authorized to be appropriated for fis-
cal year 2002 $250,000,000 for grants to be used exclu-
sively for the purposes described in subsection (b)(3)(O).
Such sums shall remain available until expended.’’.
SEC. 8. LAW ENFORCEMENT COUNTERTERRORISM GRANTS.
(a) GRANTS FOR COUNTERTERRORISM TRAINING.—
Section 1701(b)(1) of the Omnibus Crime Control and
Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3796dd(b)(1)) is
amended—
(1) in subparagraph (B) by striking ‘‘and’’ at
the end;
(2) in subparagraph (C) by striking the period
at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraph:
‘‘(D) provide counterterrorism training and
related equipment.’’.
(b) SPECIAL RULE.—Section 1701(i) of such Act (42
U.S.C. 3796dd(i)) is amended by adding at the end ‘‘This
subsection shall not apply to grants that are made exclu-
sively for the purposes described in subsection (b)(1)(D).’’.
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section
1001(a)(11) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 3793(a)(11)) is
amended—
(1) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as sub-
paragraph (C); and
(2) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the fol-
lowing new subparagraph:
‘‘(B) In addition to the amounts authorized under
subparagraph (A), there are authorized to be appropriated
for fiscal year 2002 $250,000,000 for grants to be used
exclusively for the purposes described in section
1701(b)(1)(D). Such sums shall remain available until ex-
pended. Subparagraph (C) shall not apply to such sums.’’.
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