HR 1684 RFS
(c) REPORT.—Not later than December 31, 2007, the 
Secretaries shall submit to Congress a report setting forth 
the results of the study conducted under this section. 
SEC. 604. NATIONAL BIOSURVEILLANCE INTEGRATION 
CENTER. 
(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 section: 
‘‘SEC. 316. NATIONAL BIOSURVEILLANCE INTEGRATION 
CENTER. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall estab-
lish a National Biosurveillance Integration Center (re-
ferred to in this section as the ‘NBIC’) to enhance the 
capability of the Federal Government to rapidly identify, 
characterize, and localize a biological event by integrating 
and analyzing data related to human health, animals, 
plants, food, and the environment. The NBIC shall be 
headed by a Director. 
‘‘(b) INTEGRATED BIOSURVEILLANCE NETWORK.— 
As part of the NBIC, the Director shall develop, operate, 
and maintain an integrated network to detect, as early as 
possible, a biological event that presents a risk to the 
United States or the infrastructure or key assets of the 
United States. The network shall— 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
21:56 May 11, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00082
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1684.RFS
H1684
pwalker on PROD1PC71 with BILLS
HR 1684 RFS
‘‘(1) consolidate data from all relevant surveil-
lance systems maintained by the Department and 
other governmental and private sources, both foreign 
and domestic, to the extent practicable; and 
‘‘(2) use an information technology system that 
uses the best available statistical and other analyt-
ical tools to identify and characterize biological 
events in as close to real-time as possible. 
‘‘(c) RESPONSIBILITIES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall— 
‘‘(A) monitor on an ongoing basis the 
availability and appropriateness of candidate 
data feeds and solicit new surveillance systems 
with data that would enhance biological situa-
tional awareness or overall performance of the 
NBIC; 
‘‘(B) review and seek to improve on an on-
going basis the statistical and other analytical 
methods used by the NBIC; 
‘‘(C) establish a procedure to enable Fed-
eral, State and local government, and private 
sector entities to report suspicious events that 
could warrant further assessments by the 
NBIC; 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
21:56 May 11, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00083
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1684.RFS
H1684
pwalker on PROD1PC71 with BILLS
HR 1684 RFS
‘‘(D) receive and consider all relevant 
homeland security information; and 
‘‘(E) provide technical assistance, as ap-
propriate, to all Federal, State, and local gov-
ernment entities and private sector entities that 
contribute data relevant to the operation of the 
NBIC. 
‘‘(2) ASSESSMENTS.—The Director shall— 
‘‘(A) continuously evaluate available data 
for evidence of a biological event; and 
‘‘(B) integrate homeland security informa-
tion with NBIC data to provide overall biologi-
cal situational awareness and determine wheth-
er a biological event has occurred. 
‘‘(3) INFORMATION
SHARING.—The Director 
shall— 
‘‘(A) establish a mechanism for real-time 
communication with the National Operations 
Center; 
‘‘(B) provide integrated information to the 
heads of the departments and agencies with 
which the Director has entered into an agree-
ment under subsection (d); 
‘‘(C) notify the Secretary, the head of the 
National Operations Center, and the heads of 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
21:56 May 11, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00084
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1684.RFS
H1684
pwalker on PROD1PC71 with BILLS
HR 1684 RFS
appropriate Federal, State, tribal, and local en-
tities of any significant biological event identi-
fied by the NBIC; 
‘‘(D) provide reports on NBIC assessments 
to Federal, State, and local government entities, 
including departments and agencies with which 
the Director has entered into an agreement 
under subsection (d), and any private sector en-
tities, as considered appropriate by the Direc-
tor; and 
‘‘(E) use information sharing networks 
available to the Department for distributing 
NBIC incident or situational awareness reports. 
‘‘(d) INTERAGENCY AGREEMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall, where 
feasible, enter into agreements with the heads of ap-
propriate Federal departments and agencies, includ-
ing the Department of Health and Human Services, 
Department of Defense, the Department of Agri-
culture, the Department of State, the Department of 
Interior, and the Intelligence Community. 
‘‘(2) CONTENT
OF
AGREEMENTS.—Under an 
agreement entered into under paragraph (1), the 
head of a Federal department or agency shall agree 
to— 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
21:56 May 11, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00085
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1684.RFS
H1684
pwalker on PROD1PC71 with BILLS
HR 1684 RFS
‘‘(A) use the best efforts of the department 
or agency to integrate biosurveillance informa-
tion capabilities through NBIC; 
‘‘(B) provide timely, evaluated information 
to assist the NBIC in maintaining biological sit-
uational awareness for timely and accurate de-
tection and response purposes; 
‘‘(C) provide connectivity for the bio-
surveillance data systems of the department or 
agency to the NBIC network under mutually 
agreed protocols; 
‘‘(D) detail, if practicable, to the NBIC de-
partment or agency personnel with relevant ex-
pertise in human, animal, plant, food, or envi-
ronmental disease analysis and interpretation; 
‘‘(E) retain responsibility for the surveil-
lance and intelligence systems of that depart-
ment or agency, if applicable; and 
‘‘(F) participate in forming the strategy 
and policy for the operation and information 
sharing practices of the NBIC. 
‘‘(e) NOTIFICATION OF DIRECTOR.—The Secretary 
shall ensure that the Director is notified of homeland secu-
rity information relating to any significant biological 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
21:56 May 11, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00086
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1684.RFS
H1684
pwalker on PROD1PC71 with BILLS
HR 1684 RFS
threat and receives all classified and unclassified reports 
related to such a threat in a timely manner. 
‘‘(f) ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITIES.— 
‘‘(1) PRIVACY.—The Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) designate the NBIC as a public 
health authority; 
‘‘(B) ensure that the NBIC complies with 
any applicable requirements of the Health In-
surance Portability and Accountability Act of 
1996; and 
‘‘(C) ensure that all applicable privacy reg-
ulations are strictly adhered to in the operation 
of the NBIC and the sharing of any informa-
tion related to the NBIC. 
‘‘(2) 
COLLECTION
OF
INFORMATION.—The 
NBIC, as a public health authority with a public 
health mission, is authorized to collect or receive 
health information, including such information pro-
tected under the Health Insurance Portability and 
Accountability Act of 1996, for the purpose of pre-
venting or controlling disease, injury, or disability. 
‘‘(g) NBIC INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP.—The 
Director shall— 
‘‘(1) establish an interagency working group to 
facilitate interagency cooperation to advise the Di-
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
21:56 May 11, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00087
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1684.RFS
H1684
pwalker on PROD1PC71 with BILLS
HR 1684 RFS
rector on recommendations to enhance the bio-
surveillance capabilities of the Department; and 
‘‘(2) invite officials of Federal agencies that 
conduct biosurveillance programs, including officials 
of the departments and agencies with which the Sec-
retary has entered into an agreement under sub-
section (d), to participate in the working group. 
‘‘(h) ANNUAL REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 
December 31 of each year, the Secretary shall submit to 
Congress a report that contains each of the following: 
‘‘(1) A list of departments, agencies, and pri-
vate or nonprofit entities participating in the NBIC 
and a description of the data that each entity has 
contributed to the NBIC during the preceding fiscal 
year. 
‘‘(2) The schedule for obtaining access to any 
relevant biosurveillance information not received by 
the NBIC as of the date on which the report is sub-
mitted. 
‘‘(3) A list of Federal, State, and local govern-
ment entities and private sector entities that have 
direct or indirect access to the information that is 
integrated by the NBIC. 
‘‘(4) For any year before the NBIC is fully im-
plemented or any year in which any major structural 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
21:56 May 11, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00088
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1684.RFS
H1684
pwalker on PROD1PC71 with BILLS
HR 1684 RFS
or institutional change is made to the NBIC, an im-
plementation plan for the NBIC that includes cost, 
schedule, key milestones, and the status of such 
milestones. 
‘‘(i) RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND 
AGENCIES.—The authority of the Secretary under this 
section shall not affect an authority or responsibility of 
any other Federal department or agency with respect to 
biosurveillance activities under any program administered 
by that department or agency. 
‘‘(j) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
such sums as may be necessary for each fiscal year. 
‘‘(k) BIOLOGICAL EVENT.—For purposes of this sec-
tion, the term ‘biological event’ means— 
‘‘(1) an act of terrorism involving biological 
agents or toxins of known or unknown origin; or 
‘‘(2) a naturally occurring outbreak of an infec-
tious disease that may be of potential national sig-
nificance.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
in section 1(b) of such Act is amended by inserting after 
the items relating to such title the following: 
‘‘Sec. 316. National Biosurveillance Integration Center.’’. 
(c) DEADLINE
FOR IMPLEMENTATION.—The Na-
tional Biosurveillance Integration Center required under 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
21:56 May 11, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00089
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1684.RFS
H1684
pwalker on PROD1PC71 with BILLS
HR 1684 RFS
section 316 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as 
added by subsection (a), shall be fully operational by not 
later than September 30, 2008. 
SEC. 605. RISK ANALYSIS PROCESS AND INTEGRATED CBRN 
RISK ASSESSMENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title III of the Homeland Secu-
rity Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 181 et seq.) is further amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 317. RISK ANALYSIS PROCESS AND INTEGRATED 
CBRN RISK ASSESSMENT. 
‘‘(a) RISK ANALYSIS PROCESS.—The Secretary shall 
develop a risk analysis process that utilizes a scientific, 
quantitative methodology to assess and manage risks 
posed by chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear 
(CBRN) agents. 
‘‘(b) INTEGRATED CBRN RISK ASSESSMENT.—The 
Secretary shall use the process developed under subsection 
(a) to conduct a risk assessment that shall support the 
integration of chemical, biological, radiological, and nu-
clear agents. 
‘‘(c) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the risk analysis 
process developed under subsection (a) and the integrated 
risk assessment conducted under subsection (b) shall be 
to identify high risk agents, determine how best to miti-
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
21:56 May 11, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00090
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1684.RFS
H1684
pwalker on PROD1PC71 with BILLS
HR 1684 RFS
gate those risks, and guide resource allocation. Such risk 
analysis shall— 
‘‘(1) facilitate satisfaction of the requirements 
of section 602; 
‘‘(2) guide research, development, acquisition, 
and deployment of applicable countermeasures, in-
cluding detection systems; 
‘‘(3) 
identify 
key 
knowledge 
gaps 
or 
vulnerabilities in the CBRN defense posture of the 
Department; 
‘‘(4) enable rebalancing and refining of invest-
ments within individual classes of threat agents as 
well as across such classes; and 
‘‘(5) support end-to-end assessments of the 
overall CBRN defense policy of the Department, 
taking into account the full spectrum of counter-
measures available, including prevention, prepared-
ness, planning, response and recovery activities, to 
better steer investments to strategies with the great-
est potential for mitigating identified risks. 
‘‘(d) RISK INFORMATION.— 
‘‘(1) CLASSES OF THREAT AGENTS.—In devel-
oping the risk analysis process under subsection (a) 
and conducting the risk assessment under subsection 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
21:56 May 11, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00091
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1684.RFS
H1684
pwalker on PROD1PC71 with BILLS
HR 1684 RFS
(b), the Secretary shall consider risks posed by the 
following classes of threats: 
‘‘(A) Chemical threats, including— 
‘‘(i) toxic industrial materials and 
chemicals; 
‘‘(ii) 
traditional 
chemical 
warfare 
agents; and 
‘‘(iii) non-traditional agents, which 
are defined as novel chemical threat agents 
or toxicants requiring adapted counter-
measures. 
‘‘(B) Biological threats, including— 
‘‘(i) traditional agents listed by the 
Centers of Disease Control and Prevention 
as Category A, B, and C pathogens and 
toxins; 
‘‘(ii) enhanced agents, which are de-
fined as traditional agents that have been 
modified or selected to enhance their abil-
ity to harm human populations or cir-
cumvent current countermeasures; 
‘‘(iii) emerging agents, which are de-
fined as previously unrecognized pathogens 
that may be naturally occurring and 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
21:56 May 11, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00092
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1684.RFS
H1684
pwalker on PROD1PC71 with BILLS