Leveraging Emerging Technologies Act of 2017
(Sec. 2) This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to: (1) engage with innovative and emerging technology developers and firms, including technology-based small businesses and startup ventures, to address homeland security needs; and (2) develop, submit to Congress, and implement a DHS-wide strategy to proactively engage with such developers and firms that focuses on sustainable methods and guidance to build relationships to establish, develop, and enhance DHS capabilities to address such needs.
DHS may establish personnel and office space in areas in the United States with high concentrations of such developers and firms, co-located with other assets of DHS or other federal facilities, where possible.
[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 240 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
115th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 240
To encourage engagement between the Department of Homeland Security and
technology innovators, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 4, 2017
Mr. Ratcliffe (for himself, Mr. McCaul, and Mr. Thompson of
Mississippi) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Homeland Security
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To encourage engagement between the Department of Homeland Security and
technology innovators, 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 ``Leveraging Emerging Technologies Act
of 2017''.
SEC. 2. INNOVATION ENGAGEMENT.
(a) Innovation Engagement.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Homeland Security--
(A) shall engage with innovative and emerging
technology developers and firms, including technology-
based small businesses and startup ventures, to address
homeland security needs; and
(B) may identify geographic areas in the United
States with high concentrations of such innovative and
emerging technology developers and firms, and may
establish personnel and office space in such areas, as
appropriate.
(2) Engagement.--Engagement under paragraph (1) may include
innovative and emerging technology developers or firms with
proven technologies, supported with outside investment, with
potential applications for the Department of Homeland Security.
(3) Co-location.--If the Secretary of Homeland Security
determines that it is appropriate to establish personnel and
office space in a specific geographic area in the United States
pursuant to paragraph (1)(B), the Secretary shall co-locate
such personnel and office space with other existing assets of--
(A) the Department of Homeland Security, where
possible; or
(B) Federal facilities, where appropriate.
(4) Oversight.--Not later than 30 days after establishing
personnel and office space in a specific geographic area in the
United States pursuant to paragraph (1)(B), the Secretary of
Homeland Security shall inform Congress about the rationale for
such establishment, the anticipated costs associated with such
establishment, and the specific goals for such establishment.
(b) Strategic Plan.--Not later than six months after the date of
the enactment of this section, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall
develop, implement, and submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of
the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate a Department of Homeland Security-
wide strategy to proactively engage with innovative and emerging
technology developers and firms, including technology-based small
businesses and startup ventures, in accordance with subsection (a).
Such strategy shall--
(1) focus on sustainable methods and guidance to build
relationships, including with such innovative and emerging
technology developers and firms in geographic areas in the
United States with high concentrations of such innovative and
emerging technology developers and firms, and in geographic
areas outside such areas, to establish, develop, and enhance
departmental capabilities to address homeland security needs;
(2) include efforts to--
(A) ensure proven innovative and emerging
technologies can be included in existing and future
acquisition contracts;
(B) coordinate with organizations that provide
venture capital to businesses, particularly small
businesses and startup ventures, as appropriate, to
assist the commercialization of innovative and emerging
technologies that are expected to be ready for
commercialization in the near term and within 36
months; and
(C) address barriers to the utilization of
innovative and emerging technologies and the engagement
of small businesses and startup ventures in the
acquisition process;
(3) include a description of how the Department plans to
leverage proven innovative and emerging technologies to address
homeland security needs; and
(4) include the criteria the Secretary plans to use to
determine an innovation or technology is proven.
(c) Prohibition on Additional Funding.--No additional funds are
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.
Mr. Ratcliffe moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H277-279)
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 240.
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H277)
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H277)
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.
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