lcalvobartolome/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Defense — Civil
Subject: Emergency management
Date: 2010-09-14 00:00:00

Federal Protective Service Improvement and Accountability Act of 2010 - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to maintain no fewer than 1,350 full-time equivalent positions in the Federal Protective Service inspector force, who shall be fully trained federal law enforcement officers. Directs the Secretary to classify the positions in the following categories: (1) Federal Facility Security Officers, responsible for security assessment; and (2) law enforcement officers, responsible for physical law enforcement and investigations. Directs the Secretary to establish: (1) the Federal Protective Service contract oversight force; and (2) minimum training and certification standards for security guard services at facilities protected by the Service. Expresses the sense of Congress that specified security standards for federal facilities established by the Interagency Security Committee should be implemented for all federal facilities for which they were issued.Directs the Secretary, through the Director of the Federal Protective Service, to: (1) commence a one-year pilot program to research the advantages of converting guard positions at the highest-risk federal facilities protected by the Service from contract guard positions to positions held by federal employees; and (2) establish and hire individuals for a federal facility security guard position. Directs the Comptroller General to: (1) periodically review and report to Congress on the performance by federal facility security guards under the pilot program, and upon its completion submit a final report evaluating whether or not the performance of individuals in such positions was satisfactory (if so, directs the Secretary to replace contract guards at all highest risk facilities protected by the Service with federal employees); and (2) submit a review of the fee-based funding system in use by the Service and issue any recommendations for alternative approaches.
Topic: Defense — Civil
Subject: International affairs
Date: 2010-09-29 00:00:00

International Biosecurity Act of 2010 - Directs the Secretary of State to establish the International Biosecurity Initiative which shall: (1) pursue efforts to establish international standards for pathogen and laboratory safety; (2) pursue efforts to ensure a strong global legal regime for biosecurity; (3) pursue strategies to strengthen the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction; (4) engage in cooperative efforts to improve national, regional, and multinational surveillance and response capabilities with respect to infectious disease outbreaks; (5) support international mechanisms that enhance biosecurity policy coordination; (6) facilitate the alignment of foreign assistance for biosecurity with the public health needs of recipient countries; (7) engage in multilateral and bilateral discussions of biodefense programs and control of sensitive biotechnologies to ensure that they are limited to peaceful purposes; and (8) develop an assessment of the potential security threats and societal and ethical impacts posed by emerging and future biotechnology developments. Directs the Secretary to: (1) convene an International Biosecurity Task Force of experts to serve as a nongovernmental consultative body for the International Biosecurity Initiative; (2) establish the Nonproliferation and Counterterrorism Fellowship Program to provide eligible students and recent graduates educational fellowships for obtaining a deeper understanding of federal efforts to counter terrorist activities and to promote nonproliferation; (3) submit to Congress an assessment of the limits and capabilities of technologies that could be used for investigating biological incidents and allegations of illegal biological weapons activities; (4) submit to Congress an assessment of the global legal regime for biosecurity; and (5) report to Congress following any incident in which a foreign country fails to share information about the outbreak of a previously unknown infectious disease or about an outbreak for which the country is otherwise required to share information.
Topic: Defense — Civil
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2010-09-29 00:00:00

Homeland Defense Operations Pay Equity Act - Revises the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009 to extend to federal government employees who are members of the Coast Guard Reserve or National Guard an entitlement to receive the basic pay which would have been payable for their civilian employment when absent while serving on active duty or training in certain domestic operations and emergencies.
Topic: Defense — Civil
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2009-01-06 00:00:00

Restoring America's Power Act of 2009 - Expresses the sense of Congress that Congress should enact, and the President should sign, legislation to restore and enhance U.S. national security by: (1) strengthening America's military capabilities and recognizing the service of our troops and the commitment of their families; (2) addressing the threat posed by al Qaeda and other terrorist groups and refocusing on Afghanistan and Pakistan as the United States transitions in Iraq; (3) defeating extremist ideology; and (4) reducing the threat posed by unsecured nuclear materials and other weapons of mass destruction and addressing the security challenges posed by Iran and North Korea.
Topic: Defense — Civil
Subject: Health
Date: 2009-02-26 00:00:00

Select Agent Program and Biosafety Improvement Act of 2009 - Amends the Public Health Service Act and the Agricultural Bioterrorism Protection Act of 2002 to reauthorize appropriations for the Select Agent Program, which lists and controls biological agents and toxins that have the potential to pose a severe threat to public health and safety. Requires appropriate training of individuals handling or using such agents and toxins. Includes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) among the federal agencies limited in the disclosure of information related to listed agents or toxins.Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to contract with the National Academy of Sciences to review and make recommendations for improving the Select Agent Program.Sets forth additional factors that the Secretary must consider in determining whether to list an agent or toxin, including whether the agent or toxin is endemic to the United States.Requires the Secretary to issue guidance on inventorying and monitoring listed biological agents.Directs the Attorney General to issue guidance regarding the scope of the statutory definition of "variola virus." Requires the Secretary to: (1) develop guidelines for how laboratories and laboratory personnel that do not regularly test for listed agents and toxins may be rapidly accessed and utilized during emergencies; and (2) evaluate national needs of, and oversight of, high containment biological laboratories.Provides for the development of minimum standards for laboratory biosafety and biosecurity training for relevant personnel of high containment biological laboratories.Requires the Secretary to establish a Biological Laboratory Incident Reporting System.
Topic: Defense — Civil
Subject: Emergency management
Date: 2009-03-16 00:00:00

Firefighter Fatality Reduction Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct a survey of, and report to Congress on, the compliance of fire departments in the United States with national voluntary consensus standards for staffing, training, safe operations, personal protective equipment, and fitness. Requires the Secretary to establish a Task Force to Enhance Firefighter Safety to: (1) consult with the Secretary to conduct such survey; and (2) develop a plan to enhance firefighter safety by increasing compliance with such standards, including by reviewing and evaluating the report to determine the extent of and barriers to achieving compliance and by considering ways the federal government, states, and local governments can promote, encourage, or require compliance.
Topic: Defense — Civil
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2009-03-17 00:00:00

Amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 to authorize the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction to exercise certain employment and employment-related authorities currently permitted for the heads of temporary organizations established by law or executive order.
Topic: Defense — Civil
Subject: Law
Date: 2009-04-23 00:00:00

See Something, Say Something Act of 2009 - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to grant immunity from civil liability to persons who, in good faith and based on an objectively reasonable suspicion, report suspicious activity indicating that an individual may be engaging, or preparing to engage, in a violation of law relating to an act of terrorism. Grants qualified immunity from civil liability to any authorized official who observes, or receives a report of, such activity and takes reasonable action in good faith to respond, consistent with applicable law in the relevant jurisdiction. Provides that an authorized official not entitled to assert the defense of qualified immunity shall nonetheless be immune from civil immunity if that official takes reasonable action, in good faith, to respond to the reported activity.
Topic: Defense — Civil
Subject: Emergency management
Date: 2009-05-14 00:00:00

Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security to waive or modify certain restrictions on the term and use of grants to fire departments for hiring, rehiring, or retaining firefighters under the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 for recipients of grants awarded during FY2009 or FY2010.
Topic: Defense — Civil
Subject: Emergency management
Date: 2009-06-04 00:00:00

Local Homeland Event Response Operations Grant Act of 2009 - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to make grants to a law enforcement agency or fire department for overtime expenses relating to preparation for, and activities during or directly following, a special event. Authorizes the President or the Secretary to designate an event as a special event if it is an event of significant national importance that may require consultation, technical advice, and support to specific functional areas in which the state or local government agencies may lack expertise or key resources, designation of a Federal Coordinator, and development of an integrated Federal Support Plan and either: (1) extensive federal interagency security and incident management preparedness and predeployment of federal assets; or (2) direct national-level federal support and situational awareness and limited predeployment of federal assets.
Topic: Defense — Civil
Subject: Transportation and public works
Date: 2009-06-25 00:00:00

Maritime Hazardous Cargo Security Act - Authorizes the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating to promote the establishment within the International Maritime Organization of an international committee for the safe and secure handling and transportation of especially hazardous cargo to the United States. Directs the Secretary to: (1) develop and implement a voluntary program under which foreign ports and facilities can certify their compliance with International Ship and Port Facility Code (ISPFC) standards (including a program under which independent, third-party entities are certified to validate such ports' and facilities' compliance with such standards); and (2) establish a strategic plan (under current law, program) to utilize assistance programs to assist foreign ports and facilities that lack effective antiterrorism measures in implementing port security antiterrorism measures. Authorizes the Coast Guard (CG) to lend, lease, donate, or otherwise provide equipment and technical training and support to foreign ports and facilities to assist them in complying, and validating such compliance, with ISPFC standards. Directs the Secretary, acting through the CG Commandant, to: (1) initiate a national study to identify measures to improve the security of maritime transportation of liquefied natural gas and other especially hazardous cargoes; and (2) coordinate with other federal agencies, the National Maritime Security Advisory Committee, and appropriate state and local government officials through the Area Maritime Security Committees and other coordinating committees to evaluate, and provide a national strategy for, the waterside security of vessels carrying, and waterfront facilities handling, especially hazardous cargo. Includes the establishing of regional response and recovery protocols to prepare for, respond to, mitigate against, and recover from a transportation security incident in area maritime transportation security plans. Directs the Secretary to ensure that federal, state, and local personnel responsible for the safety and security of vessels in port carrying especially hazardous cargo complete Department of Homeland Security incident command system training. Directs the Secretary to ensure that interoperable communications technology is deployed at all interagency operational centers for port security located at high-priority ports.
Topic: Defense — Civil
Subject: Immigration
Date: 2009-11-10 00:00:00

Emergency Port of Entry Personnel and Infrastructure Funding Act of 2009 - Amends the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2010 to allocate certain FY2010 appropriations to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to pay the salaries and related compensation for an additional 250 CBP officers and 25 associated support personnel who shall be devoted to new inspection lanes at new land ports of entry along the Southern border between the United States and Mexico. Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to hire, train, and assign to duty, by the end of FY2013, an additional: (1) 2,500 full-time CBP officers to serve on all inspection lanes and enforcement teams at U.S. lands ports of entry on the Northern border between the United States and Canada and the same number of CBP officers for the same purposes on the Southern border; and (2) 350 full-time support staff for all U.S. ports of entry. Directs the Secretary to report to specified congressional committees on DHS plans for placing sufficient CBP officers on outbound inspections and agriculture specialists at all Southern border land ports of entry, respectively. Authorizes the Secretary to make incentive payments of $5,000 to $10,000, during FY2010-FY2015, to recruit and retain qualified CBP port of entry officers. Directs the Secretary to: (1) equip each CBP officer with a secure two-way communication and satellite-enabled device that allows communication between ports of entry and inspection stations, and with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement entities; and (2) establish a grant program for the purchase of detection equipment at land ports of entry and mobile, hand-held, two-way communication and biometric devices for state and local law enforcement officers along the Southern border. Amends the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) to allocate certain construction funds for infrastructure improvements, expansion, and new construction (or reimbursement for new construction costs incurred during FY2007-FY2009) of high-volume ports of entry in Texas, regardless of port ownership. Grants the CBP additional authority for port of entry construction along the Northern and Southern U.S. borders.
Topic: Defense — Civil
Subject: Emergency management
Date: 2009-11-18 00:00:00

Strengthening and Updating Resources and Equipment Act or the SURE Act - Amends the Homeland Security Act to permit grants awarded under the State Homeland Security Grant Program or the Urban Area Security Initiative to be used for maintenance agreements, user fees, or sustainment costs for purchased equipment related to preventing, preparing for, protecting against, and responding to acts of terrorism. Prohibits the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) from imposing: (1) a limit on the amount of any such award that may be used to pay for equipment purchase and maintenance costs; and (2) any additional limitation, including any fiscal year limitation, on the amount of any such award that may be used for a specific type, purpose, or category of equipment purchase or maintenance cost.
Topic: Defense — Civil
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2009-12-03 00:00:00

Security Clearance Modernization and Reporting Act of 2009 - Amends the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 to extend national security clearance report requirements to the earlier of two years after the Comptroller General has removed all security clearance-related items from the list known as the High-Risk List, or 2017. (Under current law, such report requirement runs through 2011.) Adds to required report information a description of the full range of time required to complete initial clearance applications. Establishes the Security Clearance and Suitability Performance Accountability Council to perform specified duties, and oversee the development of techniques, relating to the enhancement of applicant suitability determinations and security clearances, including holding each U.S. agency accountable for its security procedures. Directs the Council to develop and submit to Congress a strategic plan that identifies the causes of problems with the issuance of security clearances and a description of corrective actions to address such problems. Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to submit to Congress an information technology strategy for expediting the security clearance process and for providing security clearance and suitability determination reform consistent with the Report of the Joint Security and Suitability Reform Team, dated December 20, 2008.
Topic: Defense — Civil
Subject: Health
Date: 2009-12-10 00:00:00

Defense Against Infectious Diseases Act of 2009 - Directs the President: (1) to convene a consortium of representatives of state, local, and tribal governments to assess the adequacy of guidance for state and local government planning in the National Strategy for Pandemic Flu and the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza Implementation Plan; and (2) within one year after convening such consortium and every four years thereafter, to convene another consortium to review and update such Strategy and Plan. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS), to conduct a survey to identify appropriate alternative medical care facilities capable of meeting medical surge capacity needs for the prophylaxis for, and treatment of, infectious diseases outbreaks. Directs the Secretary of DHS to identify specific resources, including subsistence supplies and personnel, that may be required to support the implementation of strategies for social distancing and medical surge during a federally declared emergency or major disaster to prevent the introduction, transmission, and spread of communicable disease and ensure the proper delivery of crisis and medical care. Requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to report to the appropriate Senate and House committees describing the roles and responsibilities, capabilities, and coordination of federal assets for medical response to infectious disease outbreaks or biological attacks.
Topic: Defense — Civil
Subject: Emergency management
Date: 2010-02-04 00:00:00

Continuing Chemical Facilities Antiterrorism Security Act of 2010 - Amends the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2007 to extend until October 4, 2015, the authority of the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to issue interim final regulations establishing risk-based performance standards for security of chemical facilities and requiring vulnerability assessments and the development and implementation of site security plans for such facilities. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and in coordination with the Under Secretary for National Protection and Programs, to: (1) establish a voluntary chemical security training program to enhance the capabilities of high-risk chemical facilities to prevent, prepare for, respond to, mitigate against, and recover from acts of terrorism, natural disasters, and other man-made disasters; and (2) develop a voluntary chemical security exercise program to offer voluntary testing and evaluation of the capabilities of the federal government, state governments, commercial personnel and management, emergency response providers, and the private sector to prevent, prepare for, mitigate against, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism, natural disasters, and other emergencies at chemical facilities.
Topic: Defense — Civil
Subject: Health
Date: 2010-03-18 00:00:00

Biosecurity and Vaccine Development Improvement Act of 2010 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to design, construct, and operate facilities to develop and produce biological products to meet critical national needs in response to potential bioterrorist attacks or naturally occurring pathogens for which private industry has not devoted adequate development effort or has not produced adequate stocks of such biological products. Requires the Secretary to ensure that there is competition. Allows the Secretary to: (1) establish a public-private partnership to design, construct, own, and operate such a facility; and (2) use the authority to enter into other transactions under the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority to establish such a facility.
Topic: Defense — Civil
Subject: Emergency management
Date: 2010-04-27 00:00:00

Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) a Chief Veterinary Officer, who shall: (1) head the division of DHS with primary responsibility for veterinary issues, food defense, and agriculture security; and (2) have primary responsibility within DHS for responsibilities relating to veterinary medicine and veterinary public health. Requires that such Officer: (1) be a veterinarian who possesses a demonstrated ability in and knowledge of veterinary public health and emergency preparedness; (2) be appointed by the DHS Secretary; and (3) report directly to the Chief Medical Officer (or to the Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs if the Assistant Secretary is not serving as Chief Medical Officer).
Topic: Defense — Civil
Subject: Emergency management
Date: 2010-05-05 00:00:00

Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize appropriations to the Director of the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for the Securing the Cities Initiative, including funding for: (1) each city in which the Initiative has been implemented by FY2009; and (2) additional Securing the Cities initiatives to be implemented in not fewer than two sites participating in the Urban Area Security Initiative.