Fusion Center Enhancement Act of 2015
(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to revise provisions concerning the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) State, Local, and Regional Fusion Center Initiative. The bill renames it as the Department of Homeland Security Fusion Center Partnership Initiative and changes references to "participating state, local, or regional fusion centers" to references to the "National Network of Fusion Centers," which is defined as a decentralized arrangement of fusion centers intended to enhance individual state and urban area fusion centers' ability to leverage the capabilities and expertise of all fusion centers for the purpose of enhancing analysis and homeland security information sharing nationally. (A fusion center serves as a focal point within the state and local environment for the receipt, analysis, gathering, and sharing of threat-related information between the federal government and state, local, tribal, territorial, and private sector partners.)
The duties of the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to the Initiative are revised to include:
The Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis must ensure that fusion centers in the Network have access to homeland security information sharing systems and that DHS personnel are deployed to support fusion centers in the Network in a manner consistent with DHS's mission and existing statutory limits.
The Under Secretary shall negotiate memoranda of understanding between DHS and a state or local government regarding the exchange of information between DHS and Network fusion centers. Such memoranda shall include:
The Under Secretary shall: (1) coordinate with appropriate federal officials to ensure the deployment to Network fusion centers of representatives of other federal agencies with relevant expertise; and (2) report to specified congressional committees annually through 2022 on the efforts of DHS components to enhance support provided to Network fusion centers.
[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3598 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
114th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3598
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to enhance the partnership
between the Department of Homeland Security and the National Network of
Fusion Centers, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 24, 2015
Mr. Barletta (for himself and Mr. King of New York) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland
Security
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to enhance the partnership
between the Department of Homeland Security and the National Network of
Fusion Centers, 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 ``Fusion Center Enhancement Act of
2015''.
SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY FUSION CENTER PARTNERSHIP
INITIATIVE.
(a) In General.--Section 210A of the Homeland Security Act of 2002
(6 U.S.C. 124h) is amended--
(1) by amending the section heading to read as follows:
``SEC. 210A. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY FUSION CENTER PARTNERSHIP
INITIATIVE.'';
(2) in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following
new sentence: ``Beginning on the date of the enactment of the
Fusion Center Enhancement Act of 2015, such Initiative shall be
known as the `Department of Homeland Security Fusion Center
Partnership Initiative'.'';
(3) by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:
``(b) Interagency Support and Coordination.--Through the Department
of Homeland Security Fusion Center Partnership Initiative, in
coordination with principal officials of fusion centers in the National
Network of Fusion Centers and the officers designated as the Homeland
Security Advisors of the States, the Secretary shall--
``(1) coordinate with the heads of other Federal
departments and agencies to provide operational and
intelligence advice and assistance to the National Network of
Fusion Centers;
``(2) support the integration of fusion centers into the
information sharing environment;
``(3) support the maturation and sustainment of the
National Network of Fusion Centers;
``(4) reduce inefficiencies and maximize the effectiveness
of Federal resource support to the National Network of Fusion
Centers;
``(5) provide analytic and reporting advice and assistance
to the National Network of Fusion Centers;
``(6) review information within the scope of the
information sharing environment, including homeland security
information, terrorism information, and weapons of mass
destruction information, that is gathered by the National
Network of Fusion Centers and incorporate such information, as
appropriate, into the Department's own such information;
``(7) provide for the effective dissemination of
information within the scope of the information sharing
environment to the National Network of Fusion Centers;
``(8) facilitate close communication and coordination
between the National Network of Fusion Centers and the
Department and other Federal departments and agencies;
``(9) provide the National Network of Fusion Centers with
expertise on Department resources and operations;
``(10) coordinate the provision of training and technical
assistance to the National Network of Fusion Centers and
encourage such fusion centers to participate in terrorism
threat-related exercises conducted by the Department;
``(11) ensure, to the greatest extent practicable, that
support for the National Network of Fusion Centers is included
as a national priority in applicable homeland security grant
guidance;
``(12) ensure that each fusion center in the National
Network of Fusion Centers has a privacy policy approved by the
Chief Privacy Officer of the Department and a civil rights and
civil liberties policy approved by the Officer for Civil Rights
and Civil Liberties of the Department;
``(13) coordinate the nationwide suspicious activity report
initiative to ensure information gathered by the National
Network of Fusion Centers is incorporated as appropriate;
``(14) lead Department efforts to ensure fusion centers in
the National Network of Fusion Centers are the primary focal
points for the sharing of homeland security information,
terrorism information, and weapons of mass destruction
information with State and local entities to the greatest
extent practicable;
``(15) develop and disseminate best practices on the
appropriate levels for staffing at fusion centers in the
National Network of Fusion Centers of qualified representatives
from State, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement,
fire, emergency medical, and emergency management services, and
public health disciplines, as well as the private sector; and
``(16) carry out such other duties as the Secretary
determines appropriate.'';
(4) in subsection (c)--
(A) by striking so much as precedes paragraph
(3)(B) and inserting the following:
``(c) Resource Allocation.--
``(1) Information sharing and personnel assignment.--
``(A) Information sharing.--The Under Secretary for
Intelligence and Analysis shall ensure that, as
appropriate--
``(i) fusion centers in the National
Network of Fusion Centers have access to
homeland security information sharing systems;
and
``(ii) Department personnel are deployed to
support fusion centers in the National Network
of Fusion Centers.
``(B) Personnel assignment.--Department personnel
referred to in subparagraph (A)(ii) may include the
following:
``(i) Intelligence officers.
``(ii) Intelligence analysts.
``(iii) Other liaisons from components and
offices of the Department, as appropriate.
``(2) Sources of support.--
``(A) In general.--Information shared and personnel
assigned pursuant to paragraph (1) may be shared or
provided, as the case may be, by the following
Department components and offices, in coordination with
the respective component or office head and in
consultation with the principal officials of fusion
centers in the National Network of Fusion Centers:
``(i) The Office of Intelligence and
Analysis.
``(ii) The Office of Infrastructure
Protection.
``(iii) The Transportation Security
Administration.
``(iv) U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
``(v) U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement.
``(vi) The Coast Guard.
``(vii) Other components or offices of the
Department, as determined by the Secretary.
``(B) Coordination with other federal agencies.--
The Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis shall
coordinate with appropriate officials throughout the
Federal Government to ensure the deployment to fusion
centers in the National Network of Fusion Centers of
representatives with relevant expertise of other
Federal departments and agencies.
``(3) Resource allocation criteria.--
``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall make
available criteria for sharing information and
deploying personnel to support a fusion center in the
National Network of Fusion Centers pursuant to
paragraph (1).''; and
(B) in paragraph (4)(B), in the matter preceding
clause (i), by inserting ``in which such fusion center
is located'' after ``region'';
(5) in subsection (d)--
(A) in paragraph (3), by striking ``and'' at the
end;
(B) in paragraph (4)--
(i) by striking ``government'' and
inserting ``governments''; and
(ii) by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
``(5) utilize Department information, including information
held by components and offices, to develop analysis focused on
the mission of the Department under section 101(b).'';
(6) in subsection (e)--
(A) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
``(1) In general.--To the greatest extent practicable, the
Secretary shall make it a priority to allocate resources,
including deployed personnel, under this section from U.S.
Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement, and the Coast Guard to support fusion centers in
the National Network of Fusion Centers located in jurisdictions
along land or maritime borders of the United States in order to
enhance the integrity of and security at such borders by
helping Federal, State, local, tribal, and territorial law
enforcement authorities to identify, investigate, and otherwise
interdict persons, weapons, and related contraband that pose a
threat to homeland security.''; and
(B) in paragraph (2), in the matter preceding
subparagraph (A), by striking ``participating State,
local, and regional'';
(7) in subsection (j)--
(A) in paragraph (4), by striking ``and'' at the
end;
(B) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph
(6); and
(C) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following
new paragraph:
``(5) the term `National Network of Fusion Centers' means a
decentralized arrangement of fusion centers intended to enhance
individual State and urban area fusion centers' ability to
leverage the capabilities and expertise of all fusion centers
for the purpose of enhancing analysis and homeland security
information sharing nationally; and''; and
(8) by striking subsection (k).
(b) Accountability Report.--Not later than one year after the date
of the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter through 2022, the
Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis of the Department of
Homeland Security shall report to the Committee on Homeland Security of
the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate on the efforts of the Office of
Intelligence and Analysis of the Department and other relevant
components and offices of the Department to enhance support provided to
fusion centers in the National Network of Fusion Centers, including
meeting the requirements specified in section 210A of the Homeland
Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 124h), as amended by subsection (a) of
this section.
(c) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section 1(b) of
such Act is amended by striking the item relating to section 210A and
inserting the following new item:
``Sec. 210A. Department of Homeland Security Fusion Centers
Initiative.''.
(d) Reference.--Any reference in any law, rule, or regulation to
the ``Department of Homeland Security State, Local, and Regional Fusion
Center Initiative'' shall be deemed to be a reference to the
``Department of Homeland Security Fusion Center Initiative''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Homeland Security. H. Rept. 114-324.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Homeland Security. H. Rept. 114-324.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 247.
Mr. Barletta moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H7355-7357)
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3598.
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H7355-7356)
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On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H7355-7356)
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.