House Passes Homeland Security
Bill
November 15, 2002 - By a vote of 299 to 121, the House
Nov. 13 passed a compromise proposal (H.R.
5710) to create a Department of Homeland Security. The
bill calls for the Secretary of Health and Human Services
(HHS), in collaboration with the Secretary of Homeland Security,
to "set priorities, goals, objectives, and policies and
develop a coordinated strategy" for civilian human health-related
research and development activities relating to countermeasures
for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear and other
terrorist threats. HHS also will retain authority to set priorities
and goals for public health-related activities to improve
state, local, and hospital preparedness and response. HHS
and the Department of Homeland Security are to collaborate
in developing specific benchmarks and outcome measures to
evaluate progress toward achieving the priorities and goals
identified for research and public health.
The bill transfers authority for the Plum Island Animal Disease
Center as well as functions relating to agriculture import
and entry inspection activities from the Department of Agriculture
to the Department of Homeland Security. The bill also authorizes
the Secretary of Homeland Security to perform functions delegated
to USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
to protect domestic livestock and plants; however, USDA retains
control over other APHIS activities.
The bill creates an Under Secretary for Science and Technology
within the new department, with authority to create one or
more federally funded research and development centers to
provide independent analysis of homeland security issues.
The new department also is mandated to establish one or more
university-based centers for homeland security.
The bill also establishes a Homeland Security Advanced Research
Projects Agency, which will administer an Acceleration Fund
for Research and Development of Homeland Security Technologies
to award competitive, merit-reviewed grants, cooperative agreements
or contracts to public or private entities, including businesses,
federally funded research and development centers, and universities.
The bill authorizes $500 million for the fund in FY 2003.
The Senate is expected to approve the bill before adjourning
for the year. President Bush had made passage of the homeland
security bill his number one priority for the lame duck session
of Congress.
Erica Froyd, Director, Public Health and Research Legislative Affairs
AAMC Government Relations
efroyd@aamc.org
(202) 828-0525
or
Dave Moore, Senior Director
AAMC Government Relations
dbmoore@aamc.org
(202) 828-0525
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