IB 
Union Calendar No. 356 
113TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4263 
[Report No. 113–480] 
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize the Department 
of Homeland Security to establish a social media working group, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 14, 2014 
Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana (for herself, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. PALAZZO, and Mr. 
SWALWELL of California) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Homeland Security 
JUNE 19, 2014 
Additional sponsor: Mr. MCCAUL 
JUNE 19, 2014 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on March 14, 2014] 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
23:13 Jun 19, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6652
E:\BILLS\H4263.RH
H4263
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
A BILL 
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize 
the Department of Homeland Security to establish a 
social media working group, and for other purposes. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
23:13 Jun 19, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6652
E:\BILLS\H4263.RH
H4263
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
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 ‘‘Social Media Working 
Group Act of 2014’’. 
SEC. 2. SOCIAL MEDIA WORKING GROUP. 
(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 new section: 
‘‘SEC. 318. SOCIAL MEDIA WORKING GROUP. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish 
within the Department a social media working group (in 
this section referred to as the ‘Group’). 
‘‘(b) PURPOSE.—In order to enhance information 
sharing between the Department and appropriate stake-
holders, the Group shall provide guidance and best practices 
to the emergency preparedness and response community on 
the use of social media technologies before, during, and after 
a terrorist attack or other emergency. 
‘‘(c) MEMBERSHIP.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Under Secretary for 
Science and Technology shall serve as the permanent 
chairperson of the Group, and shall designate, on a 
rotating basis, a representative from a State or local 
government who is a member of the Group to serve as 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
23:13 Jun 19, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H4263.RH
H4263
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
co-chairperson. The Under Secretary shall establish 
term limits for individuals appointed to the Group 
pursuant to paragraph (2). Membership of the Group 
shall be composed of a cross section of subject matter 
experts from Federal, State, local, tribal, and non-
governmental organization practitioners, including 
representatives from the following entities: 
‘‘(A) The Office of Public Affairs of the De-
partment. 
‘‘(B) The Office of the Chief Information Of-
ficer of the Department. 
‘‘(C) The Privacy Office of the Department. 
‘‘(D) The Federal Emergency Management 
Agency. 
‘‘(E) The Office of Disability Integration 
and Coordination of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency. 
‘‘(F) The American Red Cross. 
‘‘(G) The Forest Service. 
‘‘(H) The Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention. 
‘‘(I) The United States Geological Survey. 
‘‘(J) The National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
23:13 Jun 19, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H4263.RH
H4263
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
‘‘(2) ADDITIONAL
MEMBERS.—The Under Sec-
retary for Science and Technology shall appoint, on 
a rotating basis, qualified individuals to the Group. 
The total number of such additional members shall— 
‘‘(A) be equal to or greater than the total 
number of regular members under paragraph 
(1); and 
‘‘(B) include— 
‘‘(i) not fewer than three representa-
tives from the private sector; and 
‘‘(ii) representatives from— 
‘‘(I) State, local, and tribal enti-
ties, including from— 
‘‘(aa) law enforcement; 
‘‘(bb) fire services; 
‘‘(cc) emergency management 
services; and 
‘‘(dd) public health entities; 
‘‘(II) universities and academia; 
and 
‘‘(III) non-profit disaster relief or-
ganizations. 
‘‘(d) CONSULTATION WITH NON-MEMBERS.—To the ex-
tent practicable, the Group shall work with existing bodies 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
23:13 Jun 19, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H4263.RH
H4263
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
in the public and private sectors to carry out subsection 
(b). 
‘‘(e) MEETINGS.— 
‘‘(1) INITIAL MEETING.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date of the enactment of this section, the 
Group shall hold its initial meeting. Such initial 
meeting may be held virtually. 
‘‘(2) SUBSEQUENT MEETINGS.—After the initial 
meeting under paragraph (1), the Group shall meet at 
least twice each year, or at the call of the Chair-
person. Such subsequent meetings may be held vir-
tually. 
‘‘(f) NONAPPLICABILITY OF FACA.—The Federal Advi-
sory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the 
Group. 
‘‘(g) REPORTS.—Not later than March 30 of each year, 
the Group shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
committees a report that includes the following: 
‘‘(1) A review of current and emerging social 
media technologies being used to support preparedness 
and response activities related to terrorist attacks and 
other emergencies. 
‘‘(2) A review of best practices and lessons 
learned on the use of social media during the response 
to terrorist attacks and other emergencies that oc-
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
23:13 Jun 19, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H4263.RH
H4263
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
curred during the period covered by the report at 
issue. 
‘‘(3) Recommendations to improve the Depart-
ment’s use of social media for emergency management 
purposes. 
‘‘(4) Recommendations to improve public aware-
ness of the type of information disseminated through 
social media, and how to access such information, 
during a terrorist attack or other emergency. 
‘‘(5) Recommendations to improve information 
sharing among the Department and its components. 
‘‘(6) Recommendations to improve information 
sharing among State and local governments. 
‘‘(7) A review of available training for Federal, 
State, local, and tribal officials on the use of social 
media in response to a terrorist attack or other emer-
gency. 
‘‘(8) A summary of coordination efforts with the 
private sector to discuss and resolve legal, operational, 
technical, privacy, and security concerns.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents in 
section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is 
amended by inserting after the item relating to section 317 
the following new item: 
‘‘Sec. 318. Social media working group.’’. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
23:13 Jun 19, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6213
E:\BILLS\H4263.RH
H4263
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
Union Calendar No. 356 
113TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4263 
[Report No. 113–480] 
A BILL 
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to 
authorize the Department of Homeland Security 
to establish a social media working group, and 
for other purposes. 
JUNE 19, 2014 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 
and ordered to be printed 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
23:13 Jun 19, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6651
Sfmt 6651
E:\BILLS\H4263.RH
H4263
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with BILLS