Securing the Cities Improvement Act

This section gives the Act its official name: the Securing the Cities Improvement Act.

This section would amend section 1928 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 596b), the law governing the Securing the Cities (STC) program, in four ways. First, it would change subsection (a) so that the program's coverage is defined by reference to jurisdictions designated under subsection (c), replacing the current reference to "high-risk urban areas." Second, it would rewrite subsection (b)(7) so that, among the Secretary's duties for the STC program, the Secretary must establish performance metrics and milestones for the program, monitor expenditures for the program, and track the program's performance against those metrics and milestones. Third, it would change how jurisdictions are selected for designation under subsection (c)(1): instead of choosing from among high-risk urban areas identified under section 2003 of the Act, the Secretary would base designation on the jurisdiction's capability and capacity relating to preparedness and response, the relative threat to the jurisdiction, the jurisdiction's vulnerability, and the consequences for the jurisdiction regarding terrorist attacks and other high-consequence events using nuclear or other radiological materials. Fourth, it would replace subsection (d) with a new reporting requirement: not later than two years after that subsection's enactment, the Secretary must submit to the House Committee on Homeland Security and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs a report on participation in the STC program, the establishment of performance metrics and milestones for the program, performance against those metrics and milestones, and any plans to change the program.