Directs the Coordinator to: (1) notify and consult with the Federal Bureau of Investigation concerning each child abduction for which an AMBER Alert is issued; and (2) establish minimum standards for the issuance of alerts and for the extent of their dissemination (limited to the geographic areas most likely to facilitate the recovery of the abducted child).
Requires the Secretary of Transportation to provide grants to States for the development or enhancement of notification or communications systems along highways for alerts and other information for the recovery of abducted children. Includes among permissible activities the development or enhancement of electronic message boards, and the placement of additional signage, along highways.
Directs the Attorney General to provide grants to States for the development or enhancement of programs and activities for the support of AMBER Alert communications plans.
[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 412 Introduced in House (IH)]
108th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 412
To enhance the operation of the AMBER Alert communications network in
order to facilitate the recovery of abducted children, to provide for
enhanced notification on highways of alerts and information on such
children, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 28, 2003
Mr. Frost (for himself, Ms. Dunn, Mr. Lampson, Mr. Pombo, Mr. Conyers,
Ms. Granger, Mr. Schiff, Mr. Holt, Mr. Bell, Mr. Meehan, Mr. Matheson,
Mr. Hastings of Florida, Mr. Kildee, Mr. Serrano, Mr. Menendez, Mr.
Wexler, Mr. Edwards, Mrs. Bono, Mr. McIntyre, Mr. Gutierrez, Mr. Bishop
of New York, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Moore, Ms. McCarthy of Missouri, Mrs.
Tauscher, Mr. Holden, Ms. Kaptur, Mrs. Maloney, Mr. Brown of Ohio, Mr.
Lucas of Kentucky, Mr. Royce, Ms. Woolsey, Mr. Honda, Ms. Norton, Ms.
Baldwin, Mr. Hill, Mrs. Johnson of Connecticut, Mr. Reyes, Mr. Ross,
Mr. Rodriguez, Ms. Lofgren, Ms. Hooley of Oregon, Mr. Brady of Texas,
Mr. Udall of New Mexico, Mr. Larson of Connecticut, Mr. Pomeroy, Mr.
Cannon, Mr. Strickland, Mr. Green of Texas, Mr. Pascrell, Mr. Farr, Mr.
Langevin, Mr. Frelinghuysen, Mr. Kleczka, Mr. Baker, Mr. Wilson of
South Carolina, Mr. Wu, Mr. Renzi, Mr. Cardoza, Mr. Larsen of
Washington, Mr. Nethercutt, Mr. Lewis of California, Mr. Terry, Mr.
Acevedo-Vila, Mr. Ramstad, Mr. Davis of Alabama, Mr. Engel, Mr. Spratt,
Mr. Barton of Texas, Mr. Stenholm, Mr. Markey, Mr. Tanner, Mr. Wynn,
Mrs. Davis of California, Mr. Calvert, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of
Texas, Mr. Bachus, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Ms. Berkley, Mr. Inslee,
Mr. Emanuel, Ms. DeLauro, Ms. McCollum, Ms. Schakowsky, Mrs. Jones of
Ohio, Mr. Scott of Virginia, Mr. Baca, Ms. Corrine Brown of Florida,
Mr. Stupak, Mr. Burgess, Mrs. Biggert, Mr. Hensarling, Mr. Michaud, Mr.
Hefley, Mr. Tierney, Mr. Cooper, Mr. Kind, Mr. Wolf, and Mr. McHugh)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To enhance the operation of the AMBER Alert communications network in
order to facilitate the recovery of abducted children, to provide for
enhanced notification on highways of alerts and information on such
children, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``National AMBER Alert Network Act of
2003''.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL COORDINATION OF AMBER ALERT COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK.
(a) Coordination Within Department of Justice.--The Attorney
General shall assign an officer of the Department of Justice to act as
the national coordinator of the AMBER Alert communications network
regarding abducted children. The officer so designated shall be known
as the AMBER Alert Coordinator of the Department of Justice.
(b) Duties.--In acting as the national coordinator of the AMBER
Alert communications network, the Coordinator shall--
(1) seek to eliminate gaps in the network, including gaps
in areas of interstate travel;
(2) work with States to encourage the development of
additional elements (known as local AMBER plans) in the
network;
(3) work with States to ensure appropriate regional
coordination of various elements of the network; and
(4) act as the nationwide point of contact for--
(A) the development of the network; and
(B) regional coordination of alerts on abducted
children through the network.
(c) Consultation With Federal Bureau of Investigation.--In carrying
out duties under subsection (b), the Coordinator shall notify and
consult with the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
concerning each child abduction for which an alert is issued through
the AMBER Alert communications network.
(d) Cooperation.--The Coordinator shall cooperate with the
Secretary of Transportation and the Federal Communications Commission
in carrying out activities under this section.
SEC. 3. MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR ISSUANCE AND DISSEMINATION OF ALERTS
THROUGH AMBER ALERT COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK.
(a) Establishment of Minimum Standards.--Subject to subsection (b),
the AMBER Alert Coordinator of the Department of Justice shall
establish minimum standards for--
(1) the issuance of alerts through the AMBER Alert
communications network; and
(2) the extent of the dissemination of alerts issued
through the network.
(b) Limitations.--(1) The minimum standards established under
subsection (a) shall be adoptable on a voluntary basis only.
(2) The minimum standards shall, to the maximum extent practicable
(as determined by the Coordinator in consultation with State and local
law enforcement agencies), provide that the dissemination of an alert
through the AMBER Alert communications network be limited to the
geographic areas most likely to facilitate the recovery of the abducted
child concerned.
(3) In carrying out activities under subsection (a), the
Coordinator may not interfere with the current system of voluntary
coordination between local broadcasters and State and local law
enforcement agencies for purposes of the AMBER Alert communications
network.
(c) Cooperation.--(1) The Coordinator shall cooperate with the
Secretary of Transportation and the Federal Communications Commission
in carrying out activities under this section.
(2) The Coordinator shall also cooperate with local broadcasters
and State and local law enforcement agencies in establishing minimum
standards under this section.
SEC. 4. GRANT PROGRAM FOR NOTIFICATION AND COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS ALONG
HIGHWAYS FOR RECOVERY OF ABDUCTED CHILDREN.
(a) Program Required.--The Secretary of Transportation shall carry
out a program to provide grants to States for the development or
enhancement of notification or communications systems along highways
for alerts and other information for the recovery of abducted children.
(b) Activities.--Activities funded by grants under the program
under subsection (a) may include--
(1) the development or enhancement of electronic message
boards along highways and the placement of additional signage
along highways; and
(2) the development or enhancement of other means of
disseminating along highways alerts and other information for
the recovery of abducted children.
(c) Federal Share.--The Federal share of the cost of any activities
funded by a grant under the program under subsection (a) may not exceed
50 percent.
(d) Distribution of Grant Amounts on Geographic Basis.--The
Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable, ensure the
distribution of grants under the program under subsection (a) on an
equitable basis throughout the various regions of the United States.
(e) Administration.--The Secretary shall prescribe requirements,
including application requirements, for grants under the program under
subsection (a).
(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--(1) There is authorized to be
appropriated for the Department of Transportation $20,000,000 for
fiscal year 2004 to carry out this section.
(2) Amounts appropriated pursuant to the authorization of
appropriations in paragraph (1) shall remain available until expended.
SEC. 5. GRANT PROGRAM FOR SUPPORT OF AMBER ALERT COMMUNICATIONS PLANS.
(a) Program Required.--The Attorney General shall carry out a
program to provide grants to States for the development or enhancement
of programs and activities for the support of AMBER Alert
communications plans.
(b) Activities.--Activities funded by grants under the program
under subsection (a) may include--
(1) the development and implementation of education and
training programs, and associated materials, relating to AMBER
Alert communications plans;
(2) the development and implementation of law enforcement
programs, and associated equipment, relating to AMBER Alert
communications plans; and
(3) such other activities as the Secretary considers
appropriate for supporting the AMBER Alert communications
program.
(c) Federal Share.--The Federal share of the cost of any activities
funded by a grant under the program under subsection (a) may not exceed
50 percent.
(d) Distribution of Grant Amounts on Geographic Basis.--The
Attorney General shall, to the maximum extent practicable, ensure the
distribution of grants under the program under subsection (a) on an
equitable basis throughout the various regions of the United States.
(e) Administration.--The Attorney General shall prescribe
requirements, including application requirements, for grants under the
program under subsection (a).
(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--(1) There is authorized to be
appropriated for the Department of Justice $5,000,000 for fiscal year
2004 to carry out this section.
(2) Amounts appropriated pursuant to the authorization of
appropriations in paragraph (1) shall remain available until expended.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
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