Most commented sections:

• Paragraph 21 (8 comments)
• Paragraph 26 (4 comments)
• Paragraph 73 (3 comments)

HR 645 IHCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish national emergency centers on military installations.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

January 22, 2009CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concernedCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish national emergency centers on military installations.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘National Emergency Centers Establishment Act’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL EMERGENCY CENTERS.

(a) In General- In accordance with the requirements of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall establish not fewer than 6 national emergency centers on military installations.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Purpose of National Emergency Centers- The purpose of a national emergency center shall be to use existing infrastructure--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) to provide temporary housing, medical, and humanitarian assistance to individuals and families dislocated due to an emergency or major disaster;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) to provide centralized locations for the purposes of training and ensuring the coordination of Federal, State, and local first responders;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) to provide centralized locations to improve the coordination of preparedness, response, and recovery efforts of government, private, and not-for-profit entities and faith-based organizations; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) to meet other appropriate needs, as determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF MILITARY INSTALLATIONS AS NATIONAL EMERGENCY CENTERS.

(a) In General- Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall designate not fewer than 6 military installations as sites for the establishment of national emergency centers.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Minimum Requirements- A site designated as a national emergency center shall be--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) capable of meeting for an extended period of time the housing, health, transportation, education, public works, humanitarian and other transition needs of a large number of individuals affected by an emergency or major disaster;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) environmentally safe and shall not pose a health risk to individuals who may use the center;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) capable of being scaled up or down to accommodate major disaster preparedness and response drills, operations, and procedures;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) capable of housing existing permanent structures necessary to meet training and first responders coordination requirements during nondisaster periods;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) capable of hosting the infrastructure necessary to rapidly adjust to temporary housing, medical, and humanitarian assistance needs;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) required to consist of a complete operations command center, including 2 state-of-the art command and control centers that will comprise a 24/7 operations watch center as follows:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) one of the command and control centers shall be in full ready mode; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) the other shall be used daily for training; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(7) easily accessible at all times and be able to facilitate handicapped and medical facilities, including during an emergency or major disaster.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Location of National Emergency Centers- There shall be established not fewer than one national emergency center in each of the following areas:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) The area consisting of Federal Emergency Management Agency Regions I, II, and III.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) The area consisting of Federal Emergency Management Agency Region IV.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) The area consisting of Federal Emergency Management Agency Regions V and VII.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) The area consisting of Federal Emergency Management Agency Region VI.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) The area consisting of Federal Emergency Management Agency Regions VIII and X.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) The area consisting of Federal Emergency Management Agency Region IX.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Preference for Designation of Closed Military Installations- Wherever possible, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall designate a closed military installation as a site for a national emergency center. If the Secretaries of Homeland Security and Defense jointly determine that there is not a sufficient number of closed military installations that meet the requirements of subsections (b) and (c), the Secretaries shall jointly designate portions of existing military installations other than closed military installations as national emergency centers.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(e) Transfer of Control of Closed Military Installations- If a closed military installation is designated as a national emergency center, not later than 180 days after the date of designation, the Secretary of Defense shall transfer to the Secretary of Homeland Security administrative jurisdiction over such closed military installation.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(f) Cooperative Agreement for Joint Use of Existing Military Installations- If an existing military installation other than a closed military installation is designated as a national emergency center, not later than 180 days after the date of designation, the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of Defense shall enter into a cooperative agreement to provide for the establishment of the national emergency center.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(g) Reports-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) PRELIMINARY REPORT- Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting jointly with the Secretary of Defense, shall submit to Congress a report that contains for each designated site--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) an outline of the reasons why the site was selected;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) an outline of the need to construct, repair, or update any existing infrastructure at the site;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) an outline of the need to conduct any necessary environmental clean-up at the site;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) an outline of preliminary plans for the transfer of control of the site from the Secretary of Defense to the Secretary of Homeland Security, if necessary under subsection (e); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(E) an outline of preliminary plans for entering into a cooperative agreement for the establishment of a national emergency center at the site, if necessary under subsection (f).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) UPDATE REPORT- Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting jointly with the Secretary of Defense, shall submit to Congress a report that contains for each designated site--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) an update on the information contained in the report as required by paragraph (1);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) an outline of the progress made toward the transfer of control of the site, if necessary under subsection (e);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) an outline of the progress made toward entering a cooperative agreement for the establishment of a national emergency center at the site, if necessary under subsection (f); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) recommendations regarding any authorizations and appropriations that may be necessary to provide for the establishment of a national emergency center at the site.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) FINAL REPORT- Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting jointly with the Secretary of Defense, shall submit to Congress a report that contains for each designated site--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) finalized information detailing the transfer of control of the site, if necessary under subsection (e);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) the finalized cooperative agreement for the establishment of a national emergency center at the site, if necessary under subsection (f); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) any additional information pertinent to the establishment of a national emergency center at the site.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) ADDITIONAL REPORTS- The Secretary of Homeland Security, acting jointly with the Secretary of Defense, may submit to Congress additional reports as necessary to provide updates on steps being taken to meet the requirements of this Act.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 4. LIMITATIONS ON STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION.

This Act does not affect--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) the authority of the Federal Government to provide emergency or major disaster assistance or to implement any disaster mitigation and response program, including any program authorized by the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.); orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) the authority of a State or local government to respond to an emergency.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There is authorized to be appropriated $180,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2009 and 2010 to carry out this Act. Such funds shall remain available until expended.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act, the following definitions apply:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) CLOSED MILITARY INSTALLATION- The term ‘closed military installation’ means a military installation, or portion thereof, approved for closure or realignment under the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 (part A of title XXIX of Public Law 101-510; 10 U.S.C. 2687 note) that meet all, or 2 out of the 3 following requirements:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) Is located in close proximity to a transportation corridor.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) Is located in a State with a high level or threat of disaster related activities.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) Is located near a major metropolitan center.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) EMERGENCY- The term ‘emergency’ has the meaning given such term in section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) MAJOR DISASTER- The term ‘major disaster’ has the meaning given such term in section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) MILITARY INSTALLATION- The term ‘military installation’ has the meaning given such term in section 2910 of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 (part A of title XXIX of Public Law 101-510; 10 U.S.C. 2687 note).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink