Project Bioshield Material Threats Act of 2006 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Homeland Security (the Secretary) to utilize existing risk assessments to assess current and emerging threats of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear agents and determine which of such agents present a material threat against the U.S. population sufficient to affect national security. Requires the Secretary to group such assessments to facilitate assessments by the Secretary of Health and Human Services on the availability and appropriateness of specific countermeasures to address more than one such agent or address adverse health consequences that are common to exposure to different agents. Requires the Secretary to complete assessments by December 31, 2007, for those agents known to the Secretary by the date of enactment of this Act that are capable of significantly affecting national security.
Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to reauthorize appropriations through FY2009 for the Secretary to carry out such terror threat assessments. Authorizes additional appropriations to enable the Secretary to meet the deadlines established under this Act.
[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5028 Introduced in House (IH)]
109th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5028
To amend the Public Health Service Act to improve and expedite the
assessment and determination of chemical, biological, radiological and
nuclear material threats by the Secretary of Homeland Security under
the Project BioShield program.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 28, 2006
Mr. Linder (for himself, Mr. Langevin, Mr. McCaul of Texas, Mr. Shays,
Mr. Simmons, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Mr. Dicks, Mr. Dent, and Ms.
Jackson-Lee of Texas) introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee
on Energy and Commerce, 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 amend the Public Health Service Act to improve and expedite the
assessment and determination of chemical, biological, radiological and
nuclear material threats by the Secretary of Homeland Security under
the Project BioShield program.
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 ``Project Bioshield Material Threats
Act of 2006''.
SEC. 2. BIOSHIELD PROGRAM; MODIFICATIONS REGARDING MATERIAL THREATS.
(a) In General.--Section 319F-2(c)(2)(A) of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d-6b(c)(2)(A)) is amended--
(1) by redesignating clauses (i) and (ii) as subclauses (I)
and (II), respectively;
(2) by moving each of such subclauses two ems to the right;
(3) by striking ``(A) Material threat.--The Homeland
Security Secretary'' and inserting the following:
``(A) Material threat.--
``(i) In general.--The Homeland Security
Secretary''; and
(4) by adding at the end the following clauses:
``(ii) Use of existing risk assessments.--
For the purpose of satisfying the requirements
of clause (i) as expeditiously as possible, the
Homeland Security Secretary shall, as
practicable, utilize existing risk assessments
that such Secretary considers credible.
``(iii) Order of assessments.--
``(I) Groupings to facilitate
assessment of countermeasures.--In
conducting threat assessments and
determinations under clause (i) of
chemical, biological, radiological, and
nuclear agents, the Homeland Security
Secretary shall, to the extent
practicable and appropriate, consider
the completion of such assessments and
determinations for groups of agents
toward the goal of facilitating the
assessment of countermeasures under
paragraph (3) by the Secretary of
Health and Human Services.
``(II) Categories of
countermeasures.--The grouping of
agents under subclause (I) by the
Homeland Security Secretary shall be
designed to facilitate assessments
under paragraph (3) by the Secretary of
Health and Human Services regarding the
following two categories of
countermeasures:
``(aa) Countermeasures that
may address more than one agent
identified under clause
(i)(II).
``(bb) Countermeasures that
may address adverse health
consequences that are common to
exposure to different agents.
``(III) Rule of construction.--A
particular grouping of agents pursuant
to subclause (II) is not required under
such subclause to facilitate
assessments of both categories of
countermeasures described in such
subclause. A grouping may concern one
category and not the other.
``(iv) Time frame for completion of certain
national-security determinations.--With respect
to chemical, biological, radiological, and
nuclear agents known to the Homeland Security
Secretary as of the day before the date of the
enactment of the Project Bioshield Material
Threats Act of 2006, and which such Secretary
considers to be capable of significantly
affecting national security, such Secretary
shall complete the determinations under clause
(i)(II) not later than December 31, 2007.
``(v) Definition.--For purposes of this
subparagraph, the term `risk assessment' means
a scientific, technically-based analysis of
agents that incorporates threat, vulnerability,
and consequence information.''.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 510(d) of the
Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 320(d)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``2006,'' and inserting
``2009,''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(3) Additional authorization of appropriations regarding
certain threat assessments.--For the purpose of providing an
additional amount to the Secretary to assist the Secretary in
meeting the requirements of clause (iv) of section 319F-
2(c)(2)(A)) of the Public Health Service Act (relating to time
frames), there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as
may be necessary for fiscal year 2007, in addition to the
authorization of appropriations established in paragraph (1).
The purposes for which such additional amount may be expended
include conducting risk assessments regarding clause (i)(II) of
such section when there are no existing risk assessments that
the Secretary considers credible.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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 Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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 Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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 Health, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Chairman .
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