I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 549 
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish the Office for 
Bombing Prevention, to address terrorist explosive threats, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 15, 2009 
Mr. KING of New York (for himself and Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi) 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 establish 
the Office for Bombing Prevention, to address terrorist 
explosive threats, 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 ‘‘National Bombing Pre-
vention Act of 2009’’. 
SEC. 2. BOMBING PREVENTION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle A of title II of the Home-
land Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 121 et seq.) is amend-
ed by adding at the end the following new section: 
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‘‘SEC. 210F. OFFICE FOR BOMBING PREVENTION. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish 
within the Protective Security Coordination Division of the 
Office of Infrastructure Protection of the Department an 
Office for Bombing Prevention (in this section referred to 
as ‘the Office’). 
‘‘(b) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Office shall have the 
primary responsibility for enhancing the ability, and co-
ordinating the efforts, of the United States to deter, de-
tect, prevent, protect against, and respond to terrorist ex-
plosive attacks in the United States, including by— 
‘‘(1) serving as the lead agency of the Depart-
ment for ensuring that programs designed to 
counter terrorist explosive attacks in the United 
States function together efficiently to meet the evolv-
ing threat from explosives and improvised explosive 
devices; 
‘‘(2) coordinating national and intergovern-
mental bombing prevention activities to ensure those 
activities work toward achieving common national 
goals; 
‘‘(3) conducting analysis of the capabilities and 
requirements necessary for Federal, State, local, and 
tribal governments to deter, prevent, detect, protect 
against, and assist in any response to terrorist ex-
plosive attacks in the United States by— 
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‘‘(A) maintaining a national analysis data-
base on the capabilities of bomb squads, explo-
sive detection canine teams, tactics teams, and 
public safety dive teams; and 
‘‘(B) applying the analysis derived from 
the database described in subparagraph (A) 
in— 
‘‘(i) evaluating progress toward clos-
ing identified gaps relating to national 
strategic goals and standards; and 
‘‘(ii) informing decisions relating to 
homeland security policy, assistance, train-
ing, research, development efforts, testing 
and evaluation, and related requirements; 
‘‘(4) promoting secure information sharing of 
sensitive material and promoting security awareness, 
including by— 
‘‘(A) operating and maintaining a secure 
information sharing system that allows the 
sharing of critical information relating to ter-
rorist explosive attack tactics, techniques, and 
procedures; 
‘‘(B) educating the public and private sec-
tors about explosive precursor chemicals; 
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‘‘(C) working with international partners, 
in coordination with the Office for International 
Affairs of the Department, to develop and share 
effective practices to deter, prevent, detect, pro-
tect, and respond to terrorist explosive attacks 
in the United States; and 
‘‘(D) executing national public awareness 
and vigilance campaigns relating to terrorist ex-
plosive threats, preventing explosive attacks, 
and activities and measures underway to safe-
guard the United States; 
‘‘(5) assisting State, local, and tribal govern-
ments in developing multi-jurisdictional improvised 
explosive devices security plans for high-risk jurisdic-
tions; 
‘‘(6) helping to ensure, in coordination with the 
Under Secretary for Science and Technology and the 
Administrator of the Federal Emergency Manage-
ment Agency, the identification and availability of 
effective technology applications through field pilot 
testing and acquisition of such technology applica-
tions by Federal, State, local, and tribal govern-
ments to deter, prevent, detect, protect, and respond 
to terrorist explosive attacks in the United States; 
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‘‘(7) coordinating the efforts of the Department 
relating to, and assisting departments and agencies 
of Federal, State, local, and tribal governments, and 
private sector business in, developing and imple-
menting national explosives detection training, cer-
tification, and performance standards; 
‘‘(8) ensuring the implementation of any rec-
ommendations in the national strategy required 
under section 210G, including developing, maintain-
ing, and tracking progress toward achieving objec-
tives to reduce the vulnerability of the United States 
to terrorist explosive attacks; 
‘‘(9) developing, in coordination with the Ad-
ministrator of the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency, programmatic guidance and permitted uses 
for bombing prevention activities funded by home-
land security assistance administered by the Depart-
ment; and 
‘‘(10) establishing and executing a public 
awareness campaign to inform the general public 
and private sector businesses on ways they can 
deter, detect, prevent, protect against, and respond 
to terrorist explosive attacks in the United States, 
that— 
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‘‘(A) utilizes a broad spectrum of both 
mainstream and specialty print, radio, television 
outlets, and the Internet; 
‘‘(B) utilizes small and disadvantaged busi-
nesses, as defined under the Small Business Act 
(15 U.S.C. 631 et seq.); and 
‘‘(C) ensures that the public awareness 
messages under the campaign reach and are 
understandable to underserved populations, in-
cluding— 
‘‘(i) persons with physical and mental 
disabilities, health problems, visual impair-
ments, 
hearing 
impairments, 
limited 
English proficiency, and literacy barriers; 
‘‘(ii) socially and economically dis-
advantaged households and communities; 
‘‘(iii) the elderly; and 
‘‘(iv) children. 
‘‘(c) LIMITATION ON STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION.— 
Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect the 
authority of the Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency, or the Attorney General of the 
United States. 
‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
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‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section— 
‘‘(A) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; 
‘‘(B) $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2011 through 2013; and 
‘‘(C) such sums as may be necessary for 
each subsequent fiscal year. 
‘‘(2) AVAILABILITY.—Amounts made available 
pursuant to paragraph (1) are authorized to remain 
available until expended. 
‘‘(e) ENHANCEMENT
OF EXPLOSIVES DETECTION 
CANINE RESOURCES AND CAPABILITIES.—To enhance the 
Nation’s explosives detection canine resources and capa-
bilities the Secretary of Homeland Security shall, by 
partnering with other Federal, State, local, and tribal 
agencies, nonprofit organizations, universities including 
historically black colleges and universities and minority 
serving institutions, and the private sector— 
‘‘(1) within 270 days after the date of the en-
actment of this subsection— 
‘‘(A) develop a pilot program that includes 
a domestic breeding program for purpose-bred 
explosives detection canines; and 
‘‘(B) increase the current number of capa-
bility assessments of explosives detection canine 
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units to identify common challenges and gaps in 
canine explosives detection, to provide for effec-
tive domestic preparedness and collective re-
sponse to terrorism, and to inform grant guid-
ance and priorities, consistent with national ca-
pabilities database efforts; 
‘‘(2) continue development of a scientifically 
based training curriculum to enhance consensus- 
based national training and certification standards 
to provide for effective domestic preparedness and 
collective response to terrorism through the effective 
use of explosives detection canines for explosives de-
tection canines; and 
‘‘(3) continue engagement in explosives detec-
tion canine research and development activities 
through partnerships with the Science and Tech-
nology Directorate and the Technical Support Work-
ing Group. 
‘‘SEC. 210G. NATIONAL STRATEGY. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall develop and 
periodically update a national strategy to prevent and pre-
pare for terrorist explosive attacks in the United States. 
‘‘(b) DEVELOPMENT.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary 
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shall develop the national strategy required under sub-
section (a). 
‘‘(c) REPORTING.—Not later than six months after 
the date of the submission of the report regarding each 
quadrennial homeland security review conducted under 
section 707, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee 
on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Homeland Security and Govern-
mental Affairs of the Senate a report regarding the na-
tional strategy required under subsection (a), which shall 
include recommendations, if any, for deterring, pre-
venting, detecting, protecting against, and responding to 
terrorist attacks in the United States using explosives or 
improvised explosive devices, including any such rec-
ommendations relating to coordinating the efforts of Fed-
eral, State, local, and tribal governments, emergency re-
sponse providers, and the private sector.’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENT.— 
The table of contents in section 1(b) of the Homeland Se-
curity Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 101 et seq.) is amended by 
inserting after the item relating to section 210E the fol-
lowing new items: 
‘‘Sec. 210F. Office for Bombing Prevention. 
‘‘Sec. 210G. National strategy.’’. 
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SEC. 3. EXPLOSIVES TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT AND 
TRANSFER. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title III of the Homeland Secu-
rity Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 181 et seq.) is amended by 
adding at the end the following new sections: 
‘‘SEC. 318. EXPLOSIVES RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through 
the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, and in 
coordination with the Under Secretary for National Pro-
tection and Programs, the Attorney General, the Secretary 
of Defense, and the head of any other relevant Federal 
department or agency, shall ensure coordination and infor-
mation sharing regarding nonmilitary research, develop-
ment, testing, and evaluation activities of the Federal Gov-
ernment relating to the detection and prevention of, pro-
tection against, and response to terrorist attacks in the 
United States using explosives or improvised explosive de-
vices, and the development of tools and technologies nec-
essary to neutralize and disable explosive devices. 
‘‘(b) LEVERAGING MILITARY RESEARCH.—The Sec-
retary, acting through the Under Secretary for Science 
and Technology, and in coordination with the Under Sec-
retary for National Protection and Programs, shall coordi-
nate with the Secretary of Defense and the head of any 
other relevant Federal department or agency to ensure 
that, to the maximum extent possible, military policies and 
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procedures, and research, development, testing, and eval-
uation activities relating to the detection and prevention 
of, protection against, and response to terrorist attacks 
using explosives or improvised explosive devices, and the 
development of tools and technologies necessary to neu-
tralize and disable explosive devices, are adapted to non-
military uses. 
‘‘SEC. 319. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through 
the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, and in 
coordination with the Under Secretary for National Pro-
tection and Programs, shall establish a technology trans-
fer program to facilitate the identification, modification, 
and commercialization of technology and equipment for 
use by Federal, State, and local governmental agencies, 
emergency response providers, and the private sector to 
deter, prevent, detect, protect, and respond to terrorist at-
tacks in the United States using explosives or improvised 
explosive devices. 
‘‘(b) PROGRAM.—The activities under the program 
established under subsection (a) shall include— 
‘‘(1) applying the analysis conducted under sec-
tion 210F(b)(3) of the capabilities and requirements 
of bomb squad, explosive detection canine teams, 
tactical teams, and public safety dive teams of Fed-
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eral, State, and local governments, to determine the 
training and technology requirements for Federal, 
State, and local governments, emergency response 
providers, and the private sector; 
‘‘(2) identifying available technologies designed 
to deter, prevent, detect, protect, or respond to ter-
rorist attacks using explosives or improvised explo-
sive devices that have been, or are in the process of 
being, developed, tested, evaluated, or demonstrated 
by the Department, other Federal agencies, the pri-
vate sector, foreign governments, or international or-
ganizations; 
‘‘(3) reviewing whether a technology described 
in paragraph (2) may be useful in assisting Federal, 
State, or local governments, emergency response 
providers, or the private sector in detecting, deter-
ring, preventing, or responding to terrorist attacks 
using explosives or improvised explosive devices; and 
‘‘(4) communicating to Federal, State, and local 
governments, emergency response providers, and the 
private sector the availability of any technology de-
scribed in paragraph (2), including providing the 
specifications of any such technology, indicating 
whether any such technology satisfies appropriate 
standards, and identifying grants, if any, available 
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from the Department to purchase any such tech-
nology. 
‘‘(c) WORKING GROUP.—To facilitate the transfer of 
military technologies, the Secretary, acting through the 
Under Secretary for Science and Technology, in coordina-
tion with the Secretary of Defense, and in a manner con-
sistent with protection of sensitive sources and methods, 
shall establish a working group to advise and assist in the 
identification of military technologies designed to deter, 
prevent, detect, protect, or respond to terrorist explosive 
attacks that are in the process of being developed, or are 
developed, by the Department of Defense or the private 
sector.’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENT.— 
The table of contents in section 1(b) of the Homeland Se-
curity Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 101 et seq.) is amended by 
inserting after the item relating to section 317 the fol-
lowing new items: 
‘‘Sec. 318. Explosives research and development. 
‘‘Sec. 319. Technology transfer.’’. 
SEC. 4. GAO STUDY OF EXPLOSIVES DETECTION CANINE 
TEAMS. 
Section 1307(f) of the Implementing Recommenda-
tions of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (Public Law 
110–53; 121 Stat. 395) is amended by striking ‘‘utiliza-
tion’’ and all that follows through the end of the sentence 
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and inserting ‘‘utilization of explosives detection canine 
teams, by the Transportation Security Administration and 
all other agencies of the Department of Homeland Secu-
rity that utilize explosives detection canines, to strengthen 
security and the capacity of explosive detection canine de-
tection teams of the Department.’’. 
SEC. 5. REPORT ON CANINE PROCUREMENT ACTIVITIES. 
The Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit a 
report to the Committee on Homeland Security of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Home-
land Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate by 
not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act examining the administration of canine pro-
curement activities by the Department of Homeland Secu-
rity to deter, prevent, detect, and protect against terrorist 
explosive attacks in the United States, that includes con-
sideration of the feasibility of reducing the price paid for 
the procurement of untrained canines, including by uti-
lizing an expanded pool of breeds, procuring canines from 
domestic breeders, and acquiring canines from animal 
shelters, rescue societies, and other not-for-profit entities. 
Æ 
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