PACTS Act

Bill: 110-hr-884
Sponsor: Rep. King, Peter T. [R-NY-3]
Introduced: 2007-02-07 in the House
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Africa
Africa (Sub-Saharan)
Agriculture and Food
Animal diseases
Animals
Australia
Biological warfare
Canada
Communicable diseases
Communication in science
Conferences
Congressional reporting requirements
Crime and Law Enforcement
Department of Homeland Security
East Asia
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Engineers
Europe
Exchange of persons programs
Executive reorganization
Federal aid to education
Federal aid to research
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Health
Higher education
International Affairs
International cooperation
International cooperation in science
Israel
Joint ventures
Laboratories
Middle East and North Africa
Oceania
Plant diseases
Public health
Research and development
Research and development facilities
Research centers
Research grants
Science, Technology, Communications
Scientific instruments and apparatus
Scientists
Singapore
Technological innovations
Technology transfer
Terrorism
United Kingdom

Summary:
action_date: 2007-02-07
text: 
Promoting Antiterrorism Cooperation through Technology and Science Act, or PACTS Act - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Under Secretary for Science and Technology of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish the Science and Technology Homeland Security International Cooperative Programs Office.
 
Requires the Director of the Office to: (1) develop understandings or agreements that allow and support international cooperative activity in support of homeland security research, development, and comparative testing; (2) develop strategic priorities for such activity; and (3) facilitate the planning, development, and implementation of international cooperative activity to address such priorities.
 
 Requires the Director to: (1) facilitate the matching of U.S. entities with non-U.S. entities that may partner in homeland security research activities; and (2) ensure that activities are coordinated with those of other relevant research agencies. Authorizes the Director to hold international homeland security technology workshops and conferences.
 
Authorizes the Under Secretary to carry out international cooperative activities to support specified responsibilities, including through the award of grants and the entering of cooperative agreements or contracts.
 

 


action_date: 2007-02-27
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

 
Promoting Antiterrorism Cooperation through Technology and Science Act, or PACTS Act - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Under Secretary for Science and Technology of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish the Science and Technology Homeland Security International Cooperative Programs Office (the Office). 
 
Provides for the Office to be headed by a Director, who: (1) shall be selected by and shall report to the Under Secretary; and (2) may be an officer of DHS serving in another position. 
 
Requires the Director to: (1) develop, in consultation with the Department of State, understandings or agreements that allow and support international cooperative activity in support of homeland security research, development, and comparative testing; (2) develop, in coordination with the Directorate of Science and Technology, the other components of DHS, and other federal agencies, strategic priorities for such activity; and (3) facilitate the planning, development, and implementation of international cooperative activity to address such priorities. 
 
 Requires the Director to: (1) facilitate the matching of U.S. entities with non-U.S. entities that may partner in homeland security research activities; and (2) ensure that activities are coordinated with those of other relevant research agencies. Permits the Director to run projects jointly with other agencies. 
 
Authorizes the Director to hold international homeland security technology workshops and conferences to improve contact among the international community of technology developers and to help establish direction for future technology goals.
 
Authorizes the Under Secretary to carry out international cooperative activities to support specified responsibilities of the Under Secretary, including through the award of grants and the entering into of cooperative agreements or contracts. Instructs the Under Secretary to ensure that funding and resources expended in international cooperative activities will be equitably matched by the foreign partner organization through direct funding or funding of complimentary activities, or through the provision of staff, facilities, materials, or equipment. 
 
Permits the Under Secretary to make or accept loans of equipment for research and development and comparative testing purposes. 
 
Authorizes the Under Secretary to conduct international cooperative activities jointly with other agencies. 
 
Specifies that foreign partners may include: (1) Israel; (2) the United Kingdom; (3) Canada; (4) Australia; (5) Singapore; and (6) other allies in the global war on terrorism, as appropriate. 
 
Authorizes the Under Secretary, in coordination with the Chief Medical Officer, as part of the international cooperative activities authorized by this Act, to facilitate the development of information sharing and other types of cooperative mechanisms with foreign countries, including African nations, to strengthen American preparedness against threats to the U.S's agricultural and public health sectors from exotic diseases. 
 
Authorizes appropriations to the Secretary of DHS, which shall be derived from amounts otherwise authorized for the Directorate of Science and Technology, for FY2008-FY2011 for activities under this Act. 
 
States that, whenever the Office participates in an international cooperative activity with a foreign country on a cost-sharing basis, any reimbursements or contributions received from that foreign country to meet its share of the project may be credited to appropriate current appropriations accounts of the Directorate of Science and Technology. 
 
Requires the Under Secretary, acting through the Director, to transmit: (1) a specified report to Congress on such international cooperative activities; and (2) updates of such report every five years. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-08-03
text: Provisions of measure incorporated into Title XIX of H.R. 1, P.L. 110-53.
action_date: 2007-02-28
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2007-02-27
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 396 - 16 (Roll no. 105). (text: CR H1909-1910)
action_date: 2007-02-27
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2007-02-27
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 396 - 16 (Roll no. 105).(text: CR H1909-1910)
action_date: 2007-02-27
text: Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H1932-1933)
action_date: 2007-02-27
text: At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
action_date: 2007-02-27
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 884.
action_date: 2007-02-27
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H1909-1914)
action_date: 2007-02-27
text: Mr. King (NY) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
action_date: 2007-02-23
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity, and Science and Technology.
action_date: 2007-02-07
text: Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.
action_date: 2007-02-07
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2007-02-07
text: Introduced in House