Department of Homeland Security Climate Change Research Act
Officially: “Department of Homeland Security Climate Change Research Act” Read the full text
What it does
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1Short title
This section would give the Act the short title "Department of Homeland Security Climate Change Research Act."
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1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Department of Homeland Security Climate Change Research Act .
2Climate change research and development
This section would add a new section 324 to Title III of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 and would require a recurring report to Congress. Under the new section 324, the Under Secretary for Science and Technology at the Department of Homeland Security would be required to evaluate existing federal research on approaches to mitigate identified or potential negative effects of climate change on homeland security, considering: the degree to which such effects affect preparedness and emergency planning and policies, including preparedness for, response to, and recovery from natural disasters; the degree to which the federal funding structure for responding to major disaster declarations and emergency declarations is appropriately structured to address such effects; and any other matters the Under Secretary determines appropriate. Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Under Secretary would then be allowed, but not required, to conduct research and development on approaches to mitigate those effects, based on the evaluation. Any such research and development would have to prioritize mitigating effects that impact the Department's ability to carry out its operations, though it could also address the other matters covered by the evaluation. In carrying out this work, the Under Secretary would be required to consult with, and could coordinate with, as appropriate: the heads of other relevant federal agencies and departments; the heads of state, local, tribal, and territorial governments; and relevant owners and operators of critical infrastructure. The new section would define "climate change" as detectable changes in one or more components of the climate system that are directly or indirectly attributed to human activity and to altering the composition of the global atmosphere. Separately, not later than one year after enactment and annually for three years after that, the Under Secretary would be required to submit a report on any research and development activities carried out under the new section 324 to the House Committee on Homeland Security, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Finally, this section would add an entry for the new section 324 to the table of contents of the Homeland Security Act of 2002.
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2. Climate change research and development (a) In general Title III of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 ( 6 U.S.C. 181 et seq. ) is amended by adding at the end the following new section: 324. Climate change research and development (a) In general The Under Secretary for Science and Technology— (1) shall evaluate existing Federal research regarding approaches to mitigate identified or potential negative effects of climate change on homeland security that includes consideration of— (A) the degree to which such identified or potential negative effects affect preparedness and emergency planning and policies, including with respect to preparedness, response to, and recovery from natural disasters; (B) the degree to which the Federal funding structure to respond to major disaster declarations and emergency declarations is appropriately structured to address such identified or potential negative effects; and (C) such other matters as the Under Secretary determines appropriate; and (2) may, subject to the availability of appropriations, conduct research and development on approaches to mitigate such identified or potential negative effects of climate change on homeland security in response to the evaluation under paragraph (1). (b) Scope The scope of the research and development under paragraph (2) of subsection (a)— (1) shall prioritize mitigating identified or potential negative effects that impact the ability of the Department to carry out operations; and (2) may address the matters described in paragraph (1) of such subsection (a). (c) Consultation and coordination In carrying out this section, the Under Secretary for Science and Technology shall consult, and may, as appropriate, coordinate, with— (1) the heads of— (A) other relevant Federal agencies and departments; and (B) State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments; and (2) relevant owners and operators of critical infrastructure. (d) Climate change defined The term climate change refers to detectable changes in one or more climate system components that is directly or indirectly attributed to— (1) human activity; and (2) altering the composition of the global atmosphere. . (b) Report to Congress Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this section and annually thereafter for three years, the Under Secretary for Science and Technology of the Department of Homeland Security shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report on any research and development activities carried out pursuant to section 324 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as added by subsection (a). (c) Clerical amendment The table of contents in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 323 the following new item: Sec. 324. Climate change research and development. .
Where it is
In the House.