Security Enhancement Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-1866
Sponsor: Sen. Lugar, Richard G. [R-IN]
Introduced: 2003-11-14 in the Senate
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Alternative energy sources
Americans in foreign countries
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Bahrain
Belarus
Biological warfare
Communicable diseases
Communication in medicine
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Developing countries
EBB Terrorism
Education
Electronic data interchange
Embassies
Emergency Management
Emergency medicine
Environmental Protection
Epidemiology
Estonia
Federal aid to education
Federal installations
Former Soviet states
Geographic information systems
Georgia (Republic)
Government Operations and Politics
Graduate education
Hazardous wastes
Health
Health education
Health information systems
Health surveys
Higher education
Information technology
International Affairs
International agencies
International control of nuclear power
Inventories
Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan
Laboratories
Latvia
Law
Lithuania
Maintenance and repair
Medical education
Medical laboratories
Medical supplies
Medical technology
Military assistance
Military operations
Moldova
Nuclear energy research
Nuclear power plants
Nuclear security measures
Nuclear terrorism
Portugal
Public health
Public health personnel
Radiation
Radiation safety
Radioactive wastes
Radioisotopes
Rescue work
Russia
Scholarships
Science, Technology, Communications
Scientific instruments and apparatus
Solar energy
State-sponsored terrorism
Storage
Surplus government property
Tajikistan
Terrorism
Turkmenistan
Ukraine
Uzbekistan
Warships
Weapons of mass destruction
World health

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-14
text: 
Security Enhancement Act of 2003 - Radiological Terrorism Threat Reduction Act of 2003 - Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) propose that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) conclude agreements with up to eight countries that would provide temporary secure storage for orphaned, unused, surplus, or other radioactive sources (other than special nuclear material, nuclear fuel, or spent nuclear fuel); and (2) make voluntary contributions to the IAEA for use by its Department of Nuclear Safety (DNS) to fund the U.S. share (which may be 100 percent) of the costs of activities associated with or under such agreements.
 
Declares that the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 shall not apply with respect to any temporary secure storage facility constructed outside the United States under such an agreement, but any applicable environmental laws of the host country shall apply.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) provide assistance, including through voluntary contributions to the IAEA, to support a program of the DNS Division of Radiation and Waste Safety to promote the discovery, inventory, and recovery of radioactive sources in IAEA member nations; and (2) assist the Government of the Russian Federation to substitute solar (or other non-nuclear) power sources for radioisotope thermal power units operated by it and by other independent states of the former Soviet Union in applications such as lighthouses in the Arctic, remote weather stations, and for providing electricity in remote locations.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to assist foreign countries, or to propose that the IAEA assist foreign countries, in the development of appropriate national radioactive material hazard response plans and the training of first responders.
 
Requires the Secretary to report to the appropriate congressional committees on: (1) the preparations made at U.S. diplomatic missions abroad to detect and mitigate a radiological attack on such missions and other U.S. facilities under the Secretary's control; (2) the Secretary's priorities for improving radiological security and consequence management at U.S. missions; and (3) the missions where such improvement is most important.
 
Global Pathogen Surveillance Act of 2003 - Declares that priority for U.S. assistance to eligible developing countries under this title shall be given to those countries that permit personnel from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) to: (1) investigate outbreaks of infectious diseases on their territories; (2) provide early notification of such outbreaks; and (2) provide pathogen surveillance data to appropriate U.S. departments and agencies in addition to international health organizations (including WHO and the Pan American Health Organization).
 
Prohibits to foreign nationals participating in programs authorized under this title any access to select agents that may be used as, or in, a biological weapon, except in a supervised and controlled setting.
 
Establishes a fellowship program under which the Secretary shall award fellowships to eligible nationals (including, on a case-by-case basis, U.S. citizens) to pursue specified public health education or training. Requires foreign recipients, upon completion of such education or training, to return to their countries of nationality or last habitual residence (if it is an eligible developing country) and complete at least four years of employment in a public health position in the government or a nongovernmental, not-for-profit entity in that country or, with the Secretary's approval, through service with an international health organization without geographic restriction.
 
Directs the Secretary to support short training courses in-country (not in the United States) for laboratory technicians and other public health personnel from eligible developing countries in laboratory techniques of: (1) identification, diagnosis, and tracking of pathogens responsible for possible infectious disease outbreaks; and (2) syndrome surveillance reporting and rapid analysis of syndrome information using Geographic Information System (GIS) and other Internet-based tools.
 
Authorizes the President to furnish assistance to eligible developing countries to purchase and maintain specified: (1) public health laboratory equipment; and (2) communications equipment and information technology necessary to collect, analyze, and transmit public health information effectively.
 
Authorizes a Federal agency head, upon specified request, to assign to a U.S. mission or organization any agency officer or employee occupying a public health position to enhance disease and pathogen surveillance efforts in developing countries.
 
Requires the CDCP and the Department of Defense each to: (1) increase the number of personnel assigned to their laboratories in eligible developing countries that conduct research and other activities with respect to infectious diseases; and (2) expand the operations of those laboratories, especially with respect to implementation of on-site training of foreign nationals and regional outreach efforts involving neighboring countries.
 
Authorizes the President to provide assistance to: (1) enhance the surveillance and reporting capabilities of WHO and existing regional health networks; and (2) develop new regional health networks.
 
Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish new country or regional Foreign Epidemiology Training Programs in eligible developing countries.
 
Authorizes the President to transfer certain naval vessels to specified foreign countries.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-11-17
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 392.
action_date: 2003-11-14
text: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2003-11-14
text: Introduced in Senate