High Risk Nonprofit Security Enhancement Act of 2004

Bill: 108-s-2275
Sponsor: Sen. Mikulski, Barbara A. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2004-04-01 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Administrative remedies
Americans in foreign countries
Bank loans
Churches
Computer security measures
Computer software
Crime and Law Enforcement
Criminal justice information
Department of Homeland Security
Directories
EBB Terrorism
Economics and Public Finance
Employee selection
Employee training
Executive reorganization
Federal aid to law enforcement
Federally-guaranteed loans
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government contractors
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Grants-in-aid
Identification of criminals
Interest rates
Labor and Employment
Law
Licenses
Nonprofit organizations
Religion
Risk
Science, Technology, Communications
Security measures
Social Welfare
Terrorism

Summary:
action_date: 2004-04-01
text: 
High Risk Nonprofit Security Enhancement Act of 2004 - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security to: (1) enter into contracts for security enhancements and technical assistance for nonprofit organizations; and (2) issue Federal loan guarantees in connection with loans made by financial institutions to nonprofit organizations for security enhancements and technical assistance. Permits the Secretary to guarantee only such loans that have favorable repayment terms.
 
Directs the Secretary to designate high-risk nonprofit organizations eligible for contracts or loans based on the vulnerability of the specific site of the nonprofit to international terrorist attacks. Sets forth criteria for vulnerability determinations. 
 
Authorizes: (1) the use of federally guaranteed funds borrowed from lending institutions for technical assistance and security enhancements; (2) the Secretary to select applications for execution of security enhancement and technical assistance contracts, or issuance of loan guarantees, giving preference to the nonprofit organizations determined to be at greatest risk of international terrorist attack; (3) each State to establish a State Homeland Security Authority; and (4) the Secretary to provide grants to local governments to offset incremental costs associated with law enforcement in areas with a high concentration of nonprofit organizations.
 
Establishes within the Department of Homeland Security the Office of Community Relations and Civic Affairs to administer grant programs for nonprofit organizations and local law enforcement assistance.

action_date: 2004-11-10
text: 
High Risk Nonprofit Security Enhancement Act of 2004 - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security to: (1) enter into contracts for security enhancements and technical assistance for nonprofit organizations; and (2) issue Federal loan guarantees in connection with loans made by financial institutions to nonprofit organizations for such assistance. 
 
Directs the Secretary to designate high-risk nonprofit organizations eligible for contracts or loans based on the vulnerability of the specific site of the nonprofit to international terrorist attacks. Sets forth criteria for vulnerability determinations. 
 
Authorizes the use of federally guaranteed funds borrowed from lending institutions for technical assistance and security enhancements. 
 
Requires each State to designate a State agency to evaluate applications for assistance and transmit qualifying applications to the Secretary. 
 
Directs the Secretary to: (1) select applications for assistance, giving preference to nonprofit organizations determined to be at greatest risk of international terrorist attack; and (2) execute contracts for the highest priority applicants until available funds are expended, followed by loan guarantees.
 
Requires nonprofit organizations granted assistance to use certified contractors selected from a list maintained by the Secretary.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to provide grants to local governments to offset incremental costs associated with law enforcement in areas with a high concentration of nonprofit organizations.
 
Establishes within the Department of Homeland Security the Office of Community Relations and Civic Affairs to administer grant programs for nonprofit organizations and local law enforcement assistance.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-11-10
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 797.
action_date: 2004-11-10
text: Committee on Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Collins under authority of the order of the Senate of 10/11/04 with amendments. With written report No. 108-408. Minority views filed.
action_date: 2004-11-10
text: Committee on Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Collins under authority of the order of the Senate of 10/11/04 with amendments. With written report No. 108-408. Minority views filed.
action_date: 2004-07-21
text: Committee on Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
action_date: 2004-04-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Governmental Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3580-3581)
action_date: 2004-04-01
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3579-3580)
action_date: 2004-04-01
text: Introduced in Senate