Homeland Security Block Grant Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-87
Sponsor: Sen. Clinton, Hillary Rodham [D-NY]
Introduced: 2003-01-07 in the Senate
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Auditing
Block grants
Boundaries
Bridges
Chemical industries
Commerce
Computer crimes
Computer security measures
Congress
Congressional investigations
Congressional reporting requirements
County politics and government
Crime and Law Enforcement
Depressed areas
Disaster relief
EBB Terrorism
Economics and Public Finance
Electric power production
Emergency communication systems
Emergency medicine
Energy
Energy storage
Environmental Protection
Equipment and supplies
Federal aid to Indians
Federal aid to law enforcement
Finance and Financial Sector
Fire fighters
Fire prevention
Gas pipelines
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Harbors
Health
Hours of labor
Industrial buildings
Infrastructure
Infrastructure (Economics)
Intergovernmental fiscal relations
International Affairs
Interstate compacts
Labor and Employment
Law enforcement officers
Marine terminals
Medical personnel
Metropolitan areas
Minorities
Nuclear power plants
Nuclear security measures
Nuclear terrorism
Occupational health and safety
Paramedical personnel
Petroleum pipelines
Petroleum storage
Planning
Police
Regional planning
Rescue work
Science, Technology, Communications
Security measures
State-local relations
Terminals (Transportation)
Terrorism
Traffic accidents and safety
Transportation and Public Works
Transportation of hazardous substances
Transportation safety
Tunnels
Urban affairs
Water Resources Development
Water supply
Water treatment plants

Summary:
action_date: 2003-01-07
text: Homeland Security Block Grant Act of 2003 - Authorizes the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to make homeland security block grants to States, local governments, and Indian tribes.
Requires grantees to: (1) prepare a statement of homeland security objectives and projected fund use; (2) provide the Secretary with specified certifications regarding a homeland security plan, activities, and identified needs; and (3) submit to the Secretary a performance and evaluation report concerning the use of funds and the relationship of such use to objectives.
Directs the Secretary to: (1) encourage and assist national associations of eligible grantees, States, and local governments in non-qualifying areas to develop and recommend uniform record-keeping, performance reporting, evaluation reporting, and auditing requirements; (2) establish uniform reporting requirements; and (3) conduct reviews and audits of grantee performance and transactions at least annually.
Includes as activities eligible for assistance: (1) funding additional law enforcement, fire, and emergency resources and purchasing equipment; (2) improving cyber and infrastructure security; (3) assisting Local Emergency Planning Committees in improving disaster response systems; (4) assisting communities in coordinating responses to terrorist attacks; (5) establishing timely notification systems between communities; (6) improving public communication systems; and (7) devising, evaluating progress on, and implementing a homeland security plan. Provides that grants may be used to cover costs incurred for eligible activities on or after September 11, 2001.
Sets forth provisions regarding allocation and distribution of funds and matching requirements. Earmarks specified sums for Indian tribes, metropolitan cities and urban counties, States, regional cooperation, and local communities. Mandates nondiscrimination in programs and activities. Sets forth remedies for noncompliance with Act requirements.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-01-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2003-01-07
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S73-74)
action_date: 2003-01-07
text: Introduced in Senate