FRIENDS Act
Bill: H.R.141 | Sponsor: Rep. Jackson Lee, Sheila (D-TX)
Policy area: Emergency Management

Summary:
First Responder Identification of Emergency Needs in Disaster Situations or the FRIENDS Act
This bill directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to submit a report that describes select state and local programs and policies related to the preparedness and protection of first responders, which may include information on
The GAO may provide information (1) in a format that delineates high risk urban areas from rural communities; and (2) on the degree to which the selected state and local programs and policies were developed or are being executed with funding from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including grants from the State Homeland Security Grant Program or the Urban Area Security Initiative.
DHS shall consider the report's findings and assess its applicability for federal first responders.

To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to submit a study on the 
 circumstances which may impact the effectiveness and availability of 
first responders before, during, or after a terrorist threat or event, 
                        and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``First Responder Identification of 
Emergency Needs in Disaster Situations'' or the ``FRIENDS Act''.

SEC. 2. CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH MAY IMPACT FIRST RESPONDERS DURING A 
              TERRORIST EVENT.

    (a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 
shall submit to the Committees on Homeland Security and Transportation 
and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report that 
describes select State and local programs and policies, as appropriate, 
related to the preparedness and protection of first responders. The 
report may include information on--
            (1) the degree to which such programs and policies include 
        consideration of the presence of a first responder's family in 
        an area impacted by a terrorist attack;
            (2) the availability of personal protective equipment for 
        first responders;
            (3) the availability of home Medkits for first responders 
        and their families for biological incident response; and
            (4) other related factors.
    (b) Context.--In preparing the report required under subsection 
(a), the Comptroller General of the United States may, as appropriate, 
provide information--
            (1) in a format that delineates high risk urban areas from 
        rural communities; and
            (2) on the degree to which the selected State and local 
        programs and policies included in such report were developed or 
        are being executed with funding from the Department of Homeland 
        Security, including grant funding from the State Homeland 
        Security Grant Program or the Urban Area Security Initiative 
        under sections 2002 and 2003, respectively, of the Homeland 
        Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 603 and 604).
    (c) Homeland Security Consideration.--After issuance of the report 
required under subsection (a), the Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
consider such report's findings and assess its applicability for 
Federal first responders.
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