SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Countering Weapons 
of Mass Destruction Act of 2018’’. 
SEC. 2. COUNTERING WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION 
OFFICE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title XIX of the Homeland Secu-
rity Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 591 et seq.) is amended— 
(1) in the title heading, by striking ‘‘DOMES-
TIC NUCLEAR DETECTION OFFICE’’ and 
inserting ‘‘COUNTERING WEAPONS OF 
MASS DESTRUCTION OFFICE’’; 
(2) by striking section 1901 and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘SEC. 1900. DEFINITIONS. 
‘‘In this title: 
‘‘(1) ASSISTANT
SECRETARY.—The term ‘As-
sistant Secretary’ means the Assistant Secretary for 
the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office. 
‘‘(2) INTELLIGENCE
COMMUNITY.—The term 
‘intelligence community’ has the meaning given such 
term in section 3(4) of the National Security Act of 
1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003(4)). 
‘‘(3) OFFICE.—The term ‘Office’ means the 
Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office es-
tablished under section 1901(a).
‘‘(4) WEAPON
OF
MASS
DESTRUCTION.—The 
term ‘weapon of mass destruction’ has the meaning 
given the term in section 101 of the Foreign Intel-
ligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1801). 
‘‘Subtitle A—Countering Weapons 
of Mass Destruction Office 
‘‘SEC. 1901. COUNTERING WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUC-
TION OFFICE. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in the 
Department a Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction 
Office. 
‘‘(b) ASSISTANT SECRETARY.—The Office shall be 
headed by an Assistant Secretary for the Countering 
Weapons of Mass Destruction Office, who shall be ap-
pointed by the President. 
‘‘(c) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Assistant Secretary 
shall serve as the Secretary’s principal advisor on— 
‘‘(1) weapons of mass destruction matters and 
strategies; and 
‘‘(2) coordinating the efforts of the Department 
to counter weapons of mass destruction. 
‘‘(d) DETAILS.—The Secretary may request that the 
Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Energy, the Sec-
retary of State, the Attorney General, the Nuclear Regu-
latory Commission, and the heads of other Federal agen-
cies, including elements of the intelligence community, 
provide for the reimbursable detail of personnel with rel-
evant expertise to the Office. 
‘‘(e) TERMINATION.—The Office shall terminate on 
the date that is 5 years after the date of the enactment 
of the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Act of 
2018.’’; 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘Subtitle B—Mission of the Office 
‘‘SEC. 1921. MISSION OF THE OFFICE. 
‘‘The Office shall be responsible for coordinating with 
other Federal efforts and developing a strategy and policy 
for the Department to plan for, detect, and protect against 
the importation, possession, storage, transportation, devel-
opment, or use of unauthorized chemical, biological, radio-
logical, or nuclear materials, devices, or agents in the 
United States and to protect against an attack using such 
materials, devices, or agents against the people, territory, 
or interests of the United States. 
‘‘SEC. 1922. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER DEPARTMENT COM-
PONENTS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The authority of the Assistant 
Secretary under this title shall not affect or diminish the 
authority or the responsibility of any officer of the Depart-
ment or any officer of any other Federal agency with re-
spect to the command, control, or direction of the func-
tions, personnel, funds, assets, or liabilities of any compo-
nent of the Department or any other Federal agency. 
‘‘(b) OFFICE FOR STRATEGY, POLICY, AND PLANS.— 
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment 
of the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Act of 
2018, the Assistant Secretary shall, in coordination with 
the Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans, sub-
mit to the appropriate congressional committees a strategy 
and implementation plan to direct programs within the Of-
fice and to integrate those programs with other programs 
and activities of the Department. 
‘‘(c) FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGEN-
CY.—Nothing in this title or any other provision of law 
may be construed to affect or reduce the responsibilities 
of the Federal Emergency Management Agency or the Ad-
ministrator of the Agency, including the diversion of any 
asset, function, or mission of the Agency or the Adminis-
trator of the Agency.’’; 
(4) by striking section 1905; 
(5) by redesignating sections 1902, 1903, 1904, 
1906, and 1907 as sections 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 
and 1927, respectively, and transferring such sec-
tions to appear after section 1922, as added by 
paragraph (3);
(6) in section 1923, as redesignated— 
(A) in the section heading, by striking 
‘‘MISSION
OF
OFFICE’’ and inserting ‘‘RE-
SPONSIBILITIES’’; and 
(B) in subsection (a)(11), by striking ‘‘Do-
mestic Nuclear Detection Office’’ and inserting 
‘‘Office’’; 
(7) in section 1925, as redesignated, in sub-
section (a), in the first sentence, by striking ‘‘section 
1902’’ and inserting ‘‘section 1923’’; 
(8) in section 1926, as redesignated— 
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph 
(1)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘Director for Domestic 
Nuclear Detection’’ and inserting ‘‘Assist-
ant Secretary’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘paragraphs (6) and 
(7) of section 1902(a)’’ and inserting ‘‘sec-
tion 1923’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘para-
graphs (6) and (7) of section 1902(a)’’ and in-
serting ‘‘section 1923’’; 
(9) in section 1927, as redesignated— 
(A) in subsection (a)(1)(C), in the matter 
preceding clause (i), by striking ‘‘Director of
sessing a demonstrated ability in and knowledge of medi-
cine and public health. 
‘‘(c) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Chief Medical Officer 
shall have the responsibility within the Department for 
medical issues related to natural disasters, acts of ter-
rorism, and other man-made disasters, including— 
‘‘(1) serving as the principal advisor on medical 
and public health issues to the Secretary, the Ad-
ministrator of the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency, the Assistant Secretary, and other Depart-
ment officials; 
‘‘(2) providing operational medical support to 
all components of the Department; 
‘‘(3) as appropriate, providing medical liaisons 
to the components of the Department, on a reim-
bursable basis, to provide subject matter expertise 
on operational medical issues; 
‘‘(4) coordinating with Federal, State, local, 
and Tribal governments, the medical community, 
and others within and outside the Department, in-
cluding the Centers for Disease Control and Preven-
tion and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for 
Preparedness and Response of the Department of 
Health and Human Services, with respect to medical 
and public health matters; and
‘‘(5) performing such other duties relating to 
such responsibilities as the Secretary may require.’’. 
(3) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of con-
tents in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act 
of 2002 is amended by striking the item relating to 
section 516. 
(d) WORKFORCE
HEALTH
AND
MEDICAL
SUP-
PORT.—Title VII of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 
(6 U.S.C. 341 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘SEC. 710. WORKFORCE HEALTH AND MEDICAL SUPPORT. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Under Secretary for Man-
agement shall be responsible for workforce-focused health 
and medical activities of the Department. The Under Sec-
retary for Management may further delegate responsibility 
for those activities, as appropriate. 
‘‘(b) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Under Secretary for 
Management, in coordination with the Chief Medical Offi-
cer, shall— 
‘‘(1) provide oversight and coordinate the med-
ical and health activities of the Department for the 
human and animal personnel of the Department; 
‘‘(2) establish medical, health, veterinary, and 
occupational health exposure policy, guidance, strat-
egies, and initiatives for the human and animal per-
sonnel of the Department; 
‘‘(3) as deemed appropriate by the Under Sec-
retary, provide medical liaisons to the components of 
the Department, on a reimbursable basis, to provide 
subject matter expertise on occupational medical and 
public health issues; 
‘‘(4) serve as the primary representative for the 
Department on agreements regarding the detail of 
Commissioned Corps officers of the Public Health 
Service of the Department of Health and Human 
Services to the Department, except that components 
of the Department shall retain authority for fund-
ing, determination of specific duties, and supervision 
of such detailed Commissioned Corps officers; and 
‘‘(5) perform such other duties relating to the 
responsibilities described in this subsection as the 
Secretary may require.’’. 
(e) TRANSFERS; ABOLISHMENT.— 
(1) TRANSFERS.—The Secretary of Homeland 
Security shall transfer to— 
(A) the Countering Weapons of Mass De-
struction Office all functions, personnel, budget 
authority, and assets of—
(i) the Domestic Nuclear Detection 
Office, as in existence on the day before 
the date of the enactment of this Act; and 
(ii) the Office of Health Affairs, as in 
existence on the day before the date of the 
enactment of this Act, except for the func-
tions, personnel, budget authority, and as-
sets of such office necessary to perform the 
functions specified in section 710 of the 
Homeland Security Act of 2002 (relating 
to workforce health and medical support), 
as added by this Act; and 
(B) the Management Directorate of the 
Department of Homeland Security all functions, 
personnel, budget authority, and assets of the 
Office of Health Affairs, as in existence on the 
day before the date of the enactment of this 
Act, that are necessary to perform the functions 
of such section 710. 
(2) ABOLISHMENT.—Upon completion of all 
transfers pursuant to paragraph (1)— 
(A) the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office 
of the Department of Homeland Security and 
the Office of Health Affairs of the Department 
of Homeland Security are abolished; and
(B) the positions of Assistant Secretary for 
Health Affairs and Director for Domestic Nu-
clear Detection are abolished. 
(f) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) OTHER OFFICERS.—Paragraph (4) of sec-
tion 103(d) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 
(6 U.S.C. 113(d)) is amended by striking ‘‘A Direc-
tor for Domestic Nuclear Detection’’ and inserting 
‘‘An Assistant Secretary for the Countering Weap-
ons of Mass Destruction Office’’. 
(2) NATIONAL BIOSURVEILLANCE INTEGRATION 
CENTER.—Section 316(a) of the Homeland Security 
Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 195b(a)) is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘Secretary shall’’ and inserting ‘‘Secretary, act-
ing through the Assistant Secretary for the Coun-
tering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office, shall’’. 
(3) INTERNATIONAL
COOPERATION.—Section 
317(f) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 
U.S.C. 195c(f)) is amended by striking ‘‘the Chief 
Medical Officer,’’ and inserting ‘‘the Assistant Sec-
retary for the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruc-
tion Office,’’. 
(4) 
FUNCTIONS
TRANSFERRED.—Section 
505(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 
U.S.C. 315(b)) is amended—
(A) by striking paragraph (4); 
(B) by redesignating paragraph (5) as 
paragraph (4); and 
(C) in paragraph (4), as so redesignated, 
by striking ‘‘through (4)’’ and inserting 
‘‘through (3)’’. 
(5) COORDINATION OF DEPARTMENT OF HOME-
LAND SECURITY EFFORTS RELATED TO FOOD, AGRI-
CULTURE, 
AND
VETERINARY
DEFENSE
AGAINST 
TERRORISM.—Section 528(a) of the Homeland Secu-
rity Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 321q(a)) is amended by 
striking ‘‘Health Affairs,’’ and inserting ‘‘the Coun-
tering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office,’’. 
(g) DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY CHEM-
ICAL, BIOLOGICAL, RADIOLOGICAL, AND NUCLEAR AC-
TIVITIES.—Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Sec-
retary of Homeland Security shall provide a briefing and 
report to the appropriate congressional committees (as de-
fined in section 2 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 
(6 U.S.C. 101)) on— 
(1) the organization and management of the 
chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear activi-
ties of the Department of Homeland Security, in-
cluding research and development activities, and the
Science and Technology of the Department of 
Homeland Security on research and development ac-
tivities; and 
(6) recommendations for any necessary statu-
tory changes, or, if no statutory changes are nec-
essary, an explanation of why no statutory or orga-
nizational changes are necessary. 
(h) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.—The table of contents 
in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is 
amended— 
(1) by striking the item relating to section 516; 
(2) inserting after the item relating to section 
709 the following: 
‘‘Sec. 710. Workforce health and medical support.’’; 
and 
(3) by striking the items relating to title XIX 
(including items relating to section 1901 through 
section 1907) and inserting the following: 
‘‘TITLE XIX—COUNTERING WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION 
OFFICE 
‘‘Sec. 1900. Definitions. 
‘‘Subtitle A—Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office 
‘‘Sec. 1901. Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office. 
‘‘Subtitle B—Mission of the Office 
‘‘Sec. 1921. Mission of the Office. 
‘‘Sec. 1922. Relationship to other Department components and Federal agen-
cies. 
‘‘Sec. 1923. Responsibilities. 
‘‘Sec. 1924. Hiring authority. 
‘‘Sec. 1925. Testing authority. 
‘‘Sec. 1926. Contracting and grant making authorities.
‘‘Sec. 1927. Joint annual interagency review of global nuclear detection archi-
tecture. 
‘‘Sec. 1928. Securing the Cities program. 
‘‘Subtitle C—Chief Medical Officer 
‘‘Sec. 1931. Chief Medical Officer.’’. 
Passed the House of Representatives December 10, 
2018. 
Attest: 
Clerk.
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7213 
AN ACT 
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to 
establish the Countering Weapons of Mass De-
struction Office, and for other purposes.