II 
Calendar No. 577 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 542 
[Report No. 116–285] 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
JUNE 11, 2019 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs 
NOVEMBER 9, 2020 
Reported by Mr. JOHNSON, with an amendment 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
AN ACT 
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish 
the National Urban Security Technology Laboratory, 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 ‘‘Supporting Research 
and Development for First Responders Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. NATIONAL URBAN SECURITY TECHNOLOGY LAB-
ORATORY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title III of the Homeland Secu-
rity Act of 2002 is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new section: 
‘‘SEC. 321. NATIONAL URBAN SECURITY TECHNOLOGY LAB-
ORATORY. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through 
the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, shall 
designate the laboratory described in subsection (b) as an 
additional laboratory pursuant to the authority under sec-
tion 308(c)(2). Such laboratory shall be used to test and 
evaluate emerging technologies and conduct research and 
development to assist emergency response providers in 
preparing for, and protecting against, threats of terrorism. 
‘‘(b) LABORATORY DESCRIBED.—The laboratory de-
scribed in this subsection is the laboratory— 
‘‘(1) known, as of the date of the enactment of 
this section, as the National Urban Security Tech-
nology Laboratory; 
‘‘(2) previously known as the Environmental 
Measurements Laboratory; and 
‘‘(3) transferred to the Department pursuant to 
section 303(1)(E). 
‘‘(c) LABORATORY ACTIVITIES.—The laboratory des-
ignated pursuant to subsection (a), shall— 
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‘‘(1) conduct tests, evaluations, and assess-
ments of current and emerging technologies, includ-
ing, as appropriate, cybersecurity of such tech-
nologies that can connect to the internet, for emer-
gency response providers; 
‘‘(2) conduct research and development on radi-
ological and nuclear response and recovery; 
‘‘(3) act as a technical advisor to emergency re-
sponse providers; and 
‘‘(4) carry out other such activities as the Sec-
retary determines appropriate.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
in section 1(b) of such Act is amended by inserting after 
the item relating to section 320 the following new item: 
‘‘321. National Urban Security Technology Laboratory.’’. 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Supporting Research 
and Development for First Responders Act’’. 
SEC. 2. NATIONAL URBAN SECURITY TECHNOLOGY LAB-
ORATORY. 
(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: 
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‘‘SEC. 321. NATIONAL URBAN SECURITY TECHNOLOGY LAB-
ORATORY. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through the 
Under Secretary for Science and Technology, shall des-
ignate the laboratory described in subsection (b) as an addi-
tional laboratory pursuant to the authority under section 
308(c)(2). Such laboratory shall be used to test and evaluate 
emerging technologies and conduct research and develop-
ment to assist emergency response providers in preparing 
for, and protecting against, threats of terrorism. 
‘‘(b) LABORATORY DESCRIBED.—The laboratory de-
scribed in this subsection is the laboratory— 
‘‘(1) known, as of the date of the enactment of 
this section, as the National Urban Security Tech-
nology Laboratory; 
‘‘(2) previously known as the Environmental 
Measurements Laboratory; and 
‘‘(3) transferred to the Department pursuant to 
section 303(1)(E). 
‘‘(c) LABORATORY ACTIVITIES.—The laboratory des-
ignated pursuant to subsection (a) shall— 
‘‘(1) conduct tests, evaluations, and assessments 
of current and emerging technologies, including, as 
appropriate, the cybersecurity of such technologies 
that can connect to the internet, for emergency re-
sponse providers; 
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‘‘(2) notwithstanding the amendments made by 
section 501(b)(2) of the SAFE Port Act (Public Law 
109–347; 120 Stat. 1935), conduct research and devel-
opment on radiological and nuclear response and re-
covery; 
‘‘(3) act as a technical advisor to emergency re-
sponse providers; and 
‘‘(4) carry out other such activities as the Sec-
retary determines appropriate.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents in 
section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (Public 
Law 107–296) is amended by inserting after the item relat-
ing to section 320 the following: 
‘‘Sec. 321. National Urban Security Technology Laboratory.’’. 
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