‘‘(E) provide for a coordinated approach 
across all executive agencies to support threat 
agent characterization research, funding, and 
assay development. 
‘‘(3) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary, 
in consultation with the Attorney General, the Sec-
retary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary 
of Agriculture, the Secretary of Defense, and the 
head of any other appropriate executive agency, as 
determined by the Secretary, shall submit to the ap-
propriate committees of Congress the national 
bioforensics strategy. 
‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out this section.’’. 
(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 320, as added 
by section 205 of this Act, the following: 
‘‘Sec. 321. Bioforensics capabilities and strategy.’’. 
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Subtitle C—Communications 
Planning 
SEC. 221. COMMUNICATIONS PLANNING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title V of the Homeland Security 
Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 311 et seq.) is amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 525. COMMUNICATIONS PLANNING. 
‘‘(a) 
INCORPORATION
OF
COMMUNICATIONS 
PLANS.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting 
through the Administrator of the Federal Emer-
gency Management Agency, shall incorporate into 
each operational plan developed under sections 
653(a)(4) and 653(b) of the Post-Katrina Emer-
gency Management Reform Act of 2006 (6 U.S.C. 
701 note) a communications plan for providing in-
formation to the public related to preventing, pre-
paring for, protecting against, and responding to im-
minent natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and 
other man-made disasters, including incidents involv-
ing the use of weapons of mass destruction and 
other potentially catastrophic events. 
‘‘(2) CONSULTATION.—In developing commu-
nications plans under paragraph (1), the Adminis-
trator shall consult with State, local, and tribal gov-
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ernments and coordinate, as the Administrator con-
siders appropriate, with other Federal departments 
and agencies that have responsibilities under the Na-
tional Response Framework and other relevant Fed-
eral departments and agencies. 
‘‘(b) PRESCRIPTED MESSAGES AND MESSAGE TEM-
PLATES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—As part of the communica-
tion 
plans, 
the 
Administrator 
shall 
develop 
prescripted messages or message templates, as ap-
propriate, to be included in the plans to be provided 
to State, local, and tribal officials so that those offi-
cials can quickly and rapidly disseminate critical in-
formation to the public in anticipation or in the im-
mediate aftermath of a disaster or incident. 
‘‘(2) 
DEVELOPMENT
AND
DESIGN.—The 
prescripted messages or message templates shall— 
‘‘(A) be developed, as the Administrator 
determines appropriate, in consultation with 
State, local, and tribal governments and in co-
ordination with other Federal departments and 
agencies that have responsibilities under the 
National Response Framework and other rel-
evant Federal departments and agencies; 
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‘‘(B) be designed to provide accurate, es-
sential, and appropriate information and in-
structions to the population directly affected by 
a disaster or incident, including information re-
lated to evacuation, sheltering in place, and 
issues of immediate health and safety; and 
‘‘(C) be designed to provide accurate, es-
sential, and appropriate technical information 
and instructions to emergency response pro-
viders and medical personnel responding to a 
disaster or incident. 
‘‘(c) COMMUNICATIONS FORMATS.—In developing the 
prescripted messages or message templates required under 
subsection (b), the Administrator shall develop each such 
prescripted message or message template in multiple for-
mats to ensure delivery— 
‘‘(1) in cases where the usual communications 
infrastructure is unusable as a result of the nature 
of a disaster or incident; and 
‘‘(2) to individuals with disabilities or other spe-
cial needs and individuals with limited English pro-
ficiency in accordance with section 616 of the Post- 
Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 
2006 (6 U.S.C. 701 note). 
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