National Bombing Prevention Act of 2009

Bill: 111-hr-549
Sponsor: Rep. King, Peter T. [R-NY-3]
Introduced: 2009-01-15 in the House
Policy area: Emergency Management
Subjects: Advanced technology and technological innovations
Advisory bodies
Animal protection and human-animal relationships
Crime prevention
Department of Homeland Security
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal-Indian relations
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Homeland security
Intergovernmental relations
Law enforcement officers
Military procurement, research, weapons development
Public contracts and procurement
Public-private cooperation
Research and development
State and local government operations
Technology transfer and commercialization
Terrorism

Summary:
action_date: 2009-01-15
text: 
National Bombing Prevention Act of 2009 - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish an Office for Bombing Prevention within the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Protective Security Coordination Division of the Office of Infrastructure Protection. Assigns the Office primary responsibility for enhancing the ability and coordinating the efforts of the nation to deter, detect, prevent, protect against, and respond to terrorist explosive attacks in the United States.

Directs the Secretary to partner with other federal, state, local, and tribal agencies, nonprofit organizations, universities, and the private sector to: (1) develop a pilot program that includes a domestic breeding program for explosives detection canines; (2) increase the number of capability assessments of explosives detection canine units; (3) continue development of a scientifically-based training curriculum to enhance consensus-based national training and certification standards to provide for the effective use of explosives detection canines; and (4) continue engagement in explosives detection canine research and development activities through partnerships with the Science and Technology Directorate and the Technical Support Working Group.

Directs the Secretary to develop and periodically update a national strategy to prevent and prepare for terrorist explosive attacks in the United States.

Directs the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, to: (1) ensure coordination and information sharing regarding nonmilitary research, development, testing, and evaluation activities relating to the detection and prevention of, protection against, and response to terrorist attacks in the United States using explosives or improvised explosive devices and the development of tools and technologies necessary to neutralize and disable explosive devices; (2) coordinate with relevant federal department heads to ensure that military policies, procedures, activities, tools, and technologies to prevent and respond to terrorist attacks are adapted to nonmilitary uses; (3) establish a technology transfer program to facilitate the identification, modification, and commercialization of technology and equipment for use by agencies, emergency response providers, and the private sector against such attacks; and (4) establish a working group to advise and assist in the identification of military technologies developed by the Department of Defense (DOD) or the private sector to protect against and respond to explosive attacks.

Amends the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 to direct the Comptroller General to utilize explosives detection canine teams of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and other DHS agencies to strengthen security and capacity.

Directs the Secretary to submit a report to specified congressional committees on the administration of canine procurement activities by DHS to deter, prevent, detect, and protect against terrorist explosive attacks in the United States that includes consideration of the feasibility of reducing the price paid for the procurement of untrained canines.

action_date: 2009-02-03
text: 
National Bombing Prevention Act of 2009 - (Sec. 2) Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish within the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Protective Security Coordination Division of the Office of Infrastructure Protection an Office for Bombing Prevention to enhance and coordinate U.S. efforts to deter, detect, prevent, protect against, and respond to terrorist explosive attacks in the United States.
 
Directs the Office to: (1) serve as the lead agency of DHS for ensuring that programs designed to counter terrorist explosive attacks function together efficiently to meet the evolving threat from explosives and improvised explosive devices (IEDs); (2) promote secure information sharing of sensitive material and security awareness; (3) assist state, local, and tribal governments in developing multijurisdictional IED security plans for high risk jurisdictions; and (4) establish and execute a public awareness campaign to inform the general public and private sector businesses on ways they can deter, detect, prevent, protect against, and respond to terrorist explosive attacks.
 
Authorizes appropriations.
 
Directs the Secretary to partner with other federal, state, local, and tribal agencies, nonprofit organizations, universities, and the private sector to: (1) develop a pilot program that includes a domestic breeding program for explosives detection canines; (2) increase the number of capability assessments of explosives detection canine units; (3) continue development of a scientifically-based training curriculum to enhance consensus-based national training and certification standards to provide for the effective use of explosives detection canines; and (4) continue engagement in explosives detection canine research and development activities through partnerships with the Science and Technology Directorate and the Technical Support Working Group.
 
Directs the Secretary to develop, periodically update, and report to Congress on a national strategy to prevent and prepare for terrorist explosive attacks in the United States.
 
(Sec. 3) Directs the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, to: (1) ensure coordination and information sharing regarding nonmilitary research, development, testing, and evaluation activities relating to the detection and prevention of, protection against, and response to terrorist attacks using explosives or IEDs and the development of tools and technologies to neutralize and disable explosive devices; (2) coordinate with the Secretary of Defense and other federal department heads to ensure that military policies, procedures, activities, tools, and technologies to prevent and respond to terrorist attacks are adapted to nonmilitary uses; (3) establish a technology transfer program to facilitate the identification, modification, and commercialization of technology and equipment for use by governmental agencies, emergency response providers, and the private sector against such attacks; and (4) establish a working group to advise and assist in the identification of military technologies developed by the Department of Defense (DOD) or the private sector to protect against and respond to explosive attacks.
 
(Sec. 4) Amends the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 to direct the Comptroller General to utilize explosives detection canine teams of TSA and other DHS agencies to strengthen security and capacity.
 
(Sec. 5) Directs the Secretary to submit a report to specified congressional committees on the administration of canine procurement activities by DHS to deter, prevent, detect, and protect against terrorist explosive attacks in the United States that includes consideration of the feasibility of reducing the price paid for the procurement of untrained canines, including by utilizing an expanded pool of breeds, procuring canines from domestic breeders, and acquiring canines from animal shelters, rescue societies, and other not-for-profit entities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2009-02-04
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2009-02-03
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2009-02-03
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H902-903)
action_date: 2009-02-03
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H902-903)
action_date: 2009-02-03
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 549.
action_date: 2009-02-03
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H901-905)
action_date: 2009-02-03
text: Mr. Thompson (MS) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2009-01-15
text: Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.
action_date: 2009-01-15
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2009-01-15
text: Introduced in House