Homeland Security for Children Act
Bill: H.R.4426 | Sponsor: Rep. Payne, Donald M., Jr. (D-NJ)
Policy area: Emergency Management

Summary:
Homeland Security for Children Act
This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to ensure that the needs of children are considered in homeland security planning.
Specifically, each DHS office and component must take into account the needs of children, including children within underserved communities, in mission planning and execution. DHS must require each office and component to seek advice and feedback from organizations representing the needs of children.
The bill directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to identify and integrate the needs of children into activities to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate against the risk of natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other disasters, including by appointing a technical expert to coordinate such integration.

[117th Congress Public Law 130]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 136 STAT. 1229]]

Public Law 117-130
117th Congress

                                 An Act


 
 To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to ensure that the needs of 
  children are considered in homeland security planning, and for other 
            purposes. <<NOTE: June 6, 2022 -  [H.R. 4426]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Homeland 
Security for Children Act.>> 
SECTION 1. <<NOTE: 6 USC 101 note.>>  SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Homeland Security for Children Act''.
SEC. 2. RESPONSIBILITIES OF SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY.

    Section 102 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 112) is 
amended by adding at the end of the following new subsection:
    ``(h) Planning Requirements.--The Secretary shall ensure the head of 
each office and component of the Department takes into account the needs 
of children, including children within under-served communities, in 
mission planning and mission execution. In furtherance of this 
subsection, the Secretary shall require each such head to seek, to the 
extent practicable, advice and feedback from organizations representing 
the needs of children. The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. 
App.) shall not apply whenever such advice or feedback is sought in 
accordance with this subsection.''.
SEC. 3. TECHNICAL EXPERT AUTHORIZED.

    Paragraph (2) of section 503(b) of the Homeland Security Act (6 
U.S.C. 313(b)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (G), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in subparagraph (H), by striking the period at the end 
        and inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
                    ``(I) identify, integrate, and implement the needs 
                of children, including children within under-served 
                communities, into activities to prepare for, protect 
                against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate against 
                the risk of natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and 
                other disasters, including catastrophic incidents, 
                including by appointing a technical expert, who may 
                consult with relevant outside organizations and experts, 
                as necessary, to coordinate such integration, as 
                necessary.''.
SEC. 4. REPORT.

    Not <<NOTE: Time period. Reviews.>>  later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter for five 
years, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to the Committee 
on Homeland

[[Page 136 STAT. 1230]]

Security and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report describing the efforts the 
Department has undertaken to review and incorporate feedback from 
organizations representing the needs of children, including children 
within under-served communities, into Department policy in accordance 
with subsection (h) of section 102 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 
(as amended by section 2 of this Act), including information on the 
following:
            (1) The designation of any individual responsible for 
        carrying out such subsection (h).
            (2) Any review, formal or informal, of Department policies, 
        programs, or activities to assess the suitability of such 
        policies, programs, or activities for children and where 
        feedback from organizations representing the needs of children 
        should be reviewed and incorporated.
            (3) Any review, change, modification, or promulgation of 
        Department policies, programs, or activities to ensure that such 
        policies, programs, or activities are appropriate for children.
            (4) <<NOTE: Coordination.>>  Coordination with organizations 
        or experts outside the Department pursuant to such subsection 
        (h) conducted to inform any such review, change, modification, 
        or promulgation of such policies, programs, or activities.

    Approved June 6, 2022.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 4426:
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SENATE REPORTS: No. 117-100 (Comm. on Homeland Security and
                     Governmental Affairs).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:
                                                        Vol. 167 (2021):
                                    Sept. 29, considered and passed 
                                        House.
                                                        Vol. 168 (2022):
                                    May 16, considered and passed 
                                        Senate.