health authorities, and professional responders, 
thereby integrating these volunteers’ collective 
experiential knowledge into disaster plans which 
will ultimately protect many more citizens than 
would otherwise be possible; and 
(C) to develop standards to measure the 
success of a community’s level of direct, 
participatory disaster planning efforts in— 
(i) 
building 
partnerships 
between 
State and local government officials, emer-
gency managers, health authorities, profes-
sional responders, and community-based 
leaders of: industry and business, civil soci-
ety organizations, schools, infrastructure 
(such as utilities, transit systems, rail-
roads, ports, and airports) and health care 
organizations; 
(ii) identifying the full range of risks 
citizens would actually face as a result of 
a conventional or unconventional terrorist 
attack, as well as the most likely other dis-
asters for their particular community; 
(iii) developing community-based dis-
aster preparedness, response, recovery, and 
mitigation plans, and modifying pre-exist-
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ing plans, which take into account the full 
range of risks identified pursuant to clause 
(ii); and 
(iv) developing communication links 
for government authorities to disseminate, 
in a timely manner, vital health and safety 
information to community-based leaders, 
allowing the information to be forwarded 
to the greater general public by individuals 
who speak the same languages and are 
part of their community’s particular cul-
ture and day-to-day life; 
(2) consult with the Department of Justice, the 
Department of Defense, the Department of Edu-
cation, the Department of Commerce, the Depart-
ment of Labor, the American Red Cross, and other 
agencies and organizations deemed appropriate by 
the working group to identify and develop strategies 
for— 
(A) promoting greater public participation 
in homeland security by facilitating community- 
based disaster preparedness, response, recovery, 
and mitigation planning efforts; and 
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(B) helping State and local officials to in-
corporate public volunteers into community- 
based disaster planning efforts; 
(3) consult with and provide guidance to State 
and local governments for the purpose of helping 
them to provide the necessary means and infrastruc-
ture for the American public to have a direct and in-
fluential role in developing and reviewing community 
disaster preparedness, response, recovery, and miti-
gation plans, and to modify pre-existing disaster 
plans, in collaboration with State and local govern-
ment officials, emergency managers, health authori-
ties, and professional responders, thereby integrating 
these volunteers’ collective experiential knowledge 
into disaster plans which will ultimately protect 
many more citizens than would otherwise be pos-
sible; and 
(4) not later than the working group’s termi-
nation date described in subsection (g), prepare and 
present to the Secretary of Homeland Security and 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services specific 
recommendations on how the Department of Home-
land Security and the Department of Health and 
Human Services may— 
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(A) promote the development of disaster 
plans that will protect the maximum number of 
citizens; to foster public trust, confidence, and 
cooperation with these plans; and to encourage 
greater public participation in homeland secu-
rity by providing the American people with the 
necessary means to volunteer to develop and 
modify community disaster preparedness, re-
sponse, recovery, and mitigation plans in col-
laboration with government officials, emergency 
managers, health authorities, and professional 
responders; and 
(B) help State and local officials provide 
the necessary means and infrastructure for the 
American public to volunteer to assume a direct 
and influential role in community-based disaster 
preparedness, response, recovery, and mitiga-
tion planning efforts, and to modify pre-existing 
disaster plans, in collaboration with State and 
local government officials, emergency managers, 
health authorities, and professional responders, 
thereby integrating these volunteers’ collective 
experiential knowledge into disaster plans which 
will ultimately protect many more citizens than 
would otherwise be possible. 
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(c) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) COMPOSITION.—The working group shall be 
composed of 21 members, as follows: 
(A) Three representatives of the Depart-
ment of Homeland Security, as follows: 
(i) The Secretary of Homeland Secu-
rity (or the Secretary’s designee). 
(ii) The Under Secretary for Federal 
Emergency Management (or the Under 
Secretary’s designee). 
(iii) The Under Secretary for Pre-
paredness (or the Under Secretary’s des-
ignee). 
(B) Three representatives of the Depart-
ment of Health and Human Services, as fol-
lows: 
(i) The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services (or the Secretary’s des-
ignee). 
(ii) The Director of the Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention (or the Di-
rector’s designee). 
(iii) The Assistant Secretary for Pre-
paredness and Response (or the Assistant 
Secretary’s designee). 
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(C) Fifteen members appointed by the 
Comptroller General of the United States in ac-
cordance with paragraph (2). 
(2) APPOINTED MEMBERS.— 
(A) QUALIFICATIONS.—The Comptroller 
General of the United States may appoint an 
individual under paragraph (1)(C) only if the 
individual— 
(i) is a current member of a State, 
county, local, or tribal Citizen Corps Coun-
cil; 
(ii) is not a Federal, State, or local 
government employee or elected official; 
and 
(iii) is not an employee, volunteer, or 
representative of a business, association, or 
advocacy organization involved in home-
land security services other than volunteer 
services to Citizen Corps. 
(B) DIVERSITY.—The Comptroller General 
of the United States shall ensure that the mem-
bers appointed under paragraph (1)(C)— 
(i) reflect a broad geographic and cul-
tural representation; 
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(ii) include at least 3 representatives 
from urban areas, 3 representatives from 
suburban areas, and 3 representatives 
from rural areas; and 
(iii) include 5 representatives who 
serve on a State Citizen Corps Council and 
10 representatives who serve on either a 
county, local, or tribal Citizen Corps Coun-
cil. 
(C) TERMS.—Each member appointed 
under paragraph (1)(C) shall be appointed for 
the life of the working group. 
(D) CHAIRPERSON.—Not later than 14 
days after the date on which the Comptroller 
General of the United States completes the ap-
pointment of the 15 members required to be ap-
pointed under paragraph (1)(C), the Comp-
troller General shall designate the chairperson 
of the working group from among such mem-
bers. 
(E) VACANCIES.—A vacancy in the work-
ing group shall not affect the powers or the du-
ties of the working group and shall be filled in 
the same manner in which the original appoint-
ment was made. 
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(d) SUBCOMMITTEES.—The working group may es-
tablish subcommittees for the purpose of increasing the 
efficiency of the working group. 
(e) MEETINGS.—The working group shall meet not 
less than 4 times each year. 
(f) STAFF.—The Secretary of Homeland Security 
and the Secretary of Health and Human Services may de-
tail, on a reimbursable basis, personnel of the Department 
of Homeland Security or the Department of Health and 
Human Services, respectively, to the working group to as-
sist the working group in carrying out the duties described 
in subsection (b). 
(g) TERMINATION.—The working group shall termi-
nate not later than 3 years after the date on which the 
working group adjourns its first meeting. 
(h) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘disaster’’ includes terrorist at-
tacks and any other emergency event designated by 
the working group involved. 
(2) The term ‘‘working group’’ means the work-
ing group established under this section. 
SEC. 5. STATE COOPERATION WITH WORKING GROUP. 
Clause (ii) of section 319C–1(b)(1)(A) of the Public 
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d–3a(b)(1)(A)) is 
amended— 
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(1) in subclause (IV), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; 
(2) in subclause (V), by striking ‘‘or’’ at the 
end and inserting ‘‘and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(VI) will take specific steps to 
comply with the recommendations of 
the working group established pursu-
ant to section 4 of the Ready, Willing, 
and Able Act to provide the means 
and infrastructure necessary for the 
public to volunteer to assume a direct 
and influential role in community- 
based disaster preparedness, response, 
recovery, and mitigation planning ef-
forts, and to modify pre-existing dis-
aster plans, in collaboration with gov-
ernment officials, emergency man-
agers, health authorities, and profes-
sional responders, thereby integrating 
these volunteers’ collective experiential 
knowledge into disaster plans which 
will ultimately protect many more citi-
zens than would otherwise be possible; 
or’’. 
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SEC. 6. REPORT TO CONGRESS. 
Not later than 1 year after receiving the rec-
ommendations of the working group established pursuant 
to section 4, the Secretary of Homeland Security and the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting jointly, 
shall submit a report to the Congress that includes each 
of the following: 
(1) The recommendations of the working group 
relevant to the Department of Homeland Security or 
the Department of Health and Human Services. 
(2) A description of the steps that have or have 
not been taken by each Federal department to im-
plement the recommendations of the working group. 
(3) Thorough explanations for rejection of any 
recommendations by the working group. 
(4) Other steps taken to meet the goals of this 
Act. 
Æ 
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