Homeland Security Geographic Information Act of 2004

Bill: 108-s-1230
Sponsor: Sen. Allard, Wayne [R-CO]
Introduced: 2003-06-11 in the Senate
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Crime and Law Enforcement
Data banks
Department of Homeland Security
EBB Terrorism
Economics and Public Finance
Electronic government information
Executive reorganization
Federal-Indian relations
Federal-local relations
Federal-state relations
Geodesy
Geographic information systems
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government procurement
Grants-in-aid
Infrastructure
Infrastructure (Economics)
Law
Maps
Minorities
Photography
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Remote sensing
Science, Technology, Communications
Space activities
Standards
Surveying
Terrorism

Summary:
action_date: 2003-06-11
text: 
Directs the Chief Information Officer of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish and carry out a program to provide for the efficient use of geospatial information, which shall include: (1) providing such geospatial information as may be necessary to implement the critical infrastructure protection programs; (2) providing leadership in meeting the requirements of, and populating the databases used by, those responsible for planning, prevention, mitigation, assessment and response to emergencies, critical infrastructure and other DHS functions; and (3) assuring interoperability and preventing unnecessary duplication of geospatial information among all users.
 Includes among the Chief Information Officer's responsibilities: (1) managing DHS geospatial information needs and activities; (2) establishing standards to assure the interoperability of geospatial information pertaining to homeland security among all users of such information within DHS, other agencies, State and local government, and the private sector; (3) coordinating with and providing liaison to the Federal Geographic Data Committee and carrying out DHS's responsibilities pursuant to Office of Management and Budget Circular A-16 and Executive Order 12906; (4) providing grants to fund data creation and to execute information sharing agreements with State, local, and tribal governments; and (5) ensuring that DHS utilizes available commercial geospatial data and services by awarding contracts to entities in the private sector.
action_date: 2004-09-20
text: 
Homeland Security Geographic Information Act of 2004 - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish within the Office of the Chief Information Officer of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) an Office of Geospatial Management to be administered by a Geospatial Information Officer, who shall be appointed by the Secretary of DHS and serve under the direction of the Chief Information Officer. Directs the Geospatial Information Officer to assist the Chief Information Officer in carrying out all functions under this Act and in coordinating the department's geographic information needs.
 
Directs the Chief Information Officer to establish and carry out a program to provide for the efficient use of geographic information, which shall include: (1) providing such geographic information as may be necessary to implement the critical infrastructure protection programs; (2) providing leadership and coordination in meeting the requirements of those responsible for planning, prevention, mitigation, assessment and response to emergencies, critical infrastructure protection, and other DHS functions; and (3) coordinating with users of geographic information within DHS to assure interoperability and prevent unnecessary duplication.
 
Includes among the Chief Information Officer's responsibilities: (1) coordinating DHS's geographic information needs and activities; (2) implementing standards, as adopted by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the processes established under provisions of the E-Government Act of 2002 relating to common protocols for geographic information systems, to facilitate the interoperability of geographic information pertaining to homeland security among all users of such information within DHS, State and local government, and the private sector; (3) coordinating with the Federal Geographic Data Committee and carrying out DHS's responsibilities pursuant to OMB Circular A-16 and Executive Order 12906; and (4) making recommendations to the Secretary and the Executive Director of the Office for State and Local Government Coordination and Preparedness on grants to fund the creation of geographic data and execute information sharing agreements regarding such data with State, local, and tribal governments.
 
Authorizes appropriations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-09-20
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 702.
action_date: 2004-09-20
text: Committee on Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Collins with an amendment in the nature of a substitute and an amendment to the title. With written report No. 108-348.
action_date: 2004-09-20
text: Committee on Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Collins with an amendment in the nature of a substitute and an amendment to the title. With written report No. 108-348.
action_date: 2004-07-21
text: Committee on Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2003-06-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2003-06-11
text: Introduced in Senate