Bill Summary
This legislation aims to transfer the responsibility of nuclear forensics and attribution activities from the Department of Homeland Security to the National Nuclear Security Administration. It establishes a National Nuclear Forensics Center within the Administration to coordinate and improve federal nuclear forensics and attribution activities. The legislation also repeals the previously established Nuclear Forensics and Attribution Act and amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to remove references to the now defunct National Technical Nuclear Forensics Center.
Possible Impacts
1. The establishment of the National Nuclear Forensics Center would affect people working in the Department of Homeland Security, as their activities would be realigned to the National Nuclear Security Administration.
2. The plan to modify the university program of the National Nuclear Security Administration to include expertise in nuclear forensics would affect students and faculty at universities involved in the program.
3. The repeal of the Nuclear Forensics and Attribution Act would affect the federal government's ability to respond to nuclear attacks and strengthen national security.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6596 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6596
To realign the nuclear forensics and attribution activities of the
Federal Government from the Department of Homeland Security to the
National Nuclear Security Administration.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 22, 2020
Mr. Foster (for himself and Mr. Fortenberry) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and
in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, Homeland Security, and
Foreign Affairs, 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 concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To realign the nuclear forensics and attribution activities of the
Federal Government from the Department of Homeland Security to the
National Nuclear Security Administration.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL NUCLEAR FORENSICS CENTER.
(a) Establishment.--
(1) In general.--The National Nuclear Security
Administration Act (50 U.S.C. 2401 et seq.) is amended by
inserting after section 3221 the following new section:
``SEC. 3222. NATIONAL NUCLEAR FORENSICS CENTER.
``(a) Establishment.--There is within the Administration a National
Nuclear Forensics Center (in this section referred to as the `Center').
``(b) Mission.--The mission of the Center shall be to coordinate
stewardship, planning, assessment, gap analysis, exercises,
improvement, including operational improvements and research,
development, testing, and evaluation, and integration for all Federal
nuclear forensics and attribution activities to ensure an enduring
national technical nuclear forensics capability to strengthen the
collective response of the United States to nuclear terrorism or other
nuclear attacks.''.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of contents at the
beginning of such Act is amended by inserting after the item
relating to section 3221 the following new item:
``Sec. 3222. National Nuclear Forensics Center.''.
(3) Nuclear forensics expertise.--Not later than one year
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator
for Nuclear Security shall develop and implement a plan to
modify the university program of the National Nuclear Security
Administration established under section 4814 of the Atomic
Energy Defense Act (50 U.S.C. 2795) to include the development
of expertise in nuclear forensics in supporting scientific and
engineering advancement in key Department of Energy defense and
national security program areas.
(b) Conforming Repeals.--
(1) In general.--The Nuclear Forensics and Attribution Act
(Public Law 111-140) is hereby repealed.
(2) Homeland security act of 2002.--Title XIX of the
Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 590 et seq.) is amended
as follows:
(A) In section 1923--
(i) in subsection (a)--
(I) by striking ``(a) Mission.--'';
(II) in paragraph (9), by striking
the semicolon and inserting ``; and'';
(III) by striking paragraphs (10),
(11), (12), and (13); and
(IV) by redesignating paragraph
(14) as paragraph (10); and
(ii) by striking subsection (b).
(B) In section 1927(a)(1) (6 U.S.C. 596a(a)(1))--
(i) in subparagraph (A)(ii), by striking
the semicolon and inserting ``; and'';
(ii) in subparagraph (B)(iii), by striking
``; and'' and inserting a period; and
(iii) by striking subparagraph (C).
(c) References and Construction.--Any reference in any law,
regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United States to
the National Technical Nuclear Forensics Center established within the
Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office of the Department of
Homeland Security, formerly the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office,
shall be deemed to be a reference to the National Nuclear Forensics
Center established by section 3222 of the National Nuclear Security
Administration Act, as added by subsection (a).
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