6 USC 101 - Definitions

Collapse to view only § 101. Definitions

§ 101. Definitions
§ 102. Construction; severability
§ 103. Use of appropriated funds
§ 103a. Department of Homeland Security Nonrecurring Expenses Fund
§ 104. National biodefense strategy
§ 105. Biodefense analysis and budget submission
§ 106. Update of national biodefense implementation plan

§ 101. DefinitionsIn this chapter, the following definitions apply:

(1) Each of the terms “American homeland” and “homeland” means the United States.

(2) The term “appropriate congressional committee” means any committee of the House of Representatives or the Senate having legislative or oversight jurisdiction under the Rules of the House of Representatives or the Senate, respectively, over the matter concerned.

(3) The term “assets” includes contracts, facilities, property, records, unobligated or unexpended balances of appropriations, and other funds or resources (other than personnel).

(4) The term “critical infrastructure” has the meaning given that term in section 5195c(e) of title 42.

(5) The term “Department” means the Department of Homeland Security.

(6) The term “emergency response providers” includes Federal, State, and local governmental and nongovernmental emergency public safety, fire, law enforcement, emergency response, emergency medical (including hospital emergency facilities), and related personnel, agencies, and authorities.

(7) The term “EMP” means an electromagnetic pulse caused by a nuclear device or nonnuclear device, including such a pulse caused by an act of terrorism.

(8) The term “executive agency” means an executive agency and a military department, as defined, respectively, in sections 105 and 102 of title 5.

(9) The term “functions” includes authorities, powers, rights, privileges, immunities, programs, projects, activities, duties, and responsibilities.

(10) The term “GMD” means a geomagnetic disturbance caused by a solar storm or another naturally occurring phenomenon.

(11) The term “intelligence component of the Department” means any element or entity of the Department that collects, gathers, processes, analyzes, produces, or disseminates intelligence information within the scope of the information sharing environment, including homeland security information, terrorism information, and weapons of mass destruction information, or national intelligence, as defined under section 3003(5) of title 50, except—

(A) the United States Secret Service; and

(B) the Coast Guard, when operating under the direct authority of the Secretary of Defense or Secretary of the Navy pursuant to section 3 1

1 See References in Text note below.

of title 14, except that nothing in this paragraph shall affect or diminish the authority and responsibilities of the Commandant of the Coast Guard to command or control the Coast Guard as an armed force or the authority of the Director of National Intelligence with respect to the Coast Guard as an element of the intelligence community (as defined under section 3003(4) of title 50.2

2 So in original. A closing parenthesis probably should precede the period.

(12) The term “key resources” means publicly or privately controlled resources essential to the minimal operations of the economy and government.

(13) The term “local government” means—

(A) a county, municipality, city, town, township, local public authority, school district, special district, intrastate district, council of governments (regardless of whether the council of governments is incorporated as a nonprofit corporation under State law), regional or interstate government entity, or agency or instrumentality of a local government;

(B) an Indian tribe or authorized tribal organization, or in Alaska a Native village or Alaska Regional Native Corporation; and

(14) The term “major disaster” has the meaning given in section 5122(2) of title 42.

(15) The term “personnel” means officers and employees.

(16) The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Homeland Security.

(17) The term “State” means any State of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and any possession of the United States.

(18) The term “terrorism” means any activity that—

(A) involves an act that—

(i) is dangerous to human life or potentially destructive of critical infrastructure or key resources; and

(ii) is a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State or other subdivision of the United States; and

(B) appears to be intended—

(i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population;

(ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or

(iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping.

(19)

(A) The term “United States”, when used in a geographic sense, means any State of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, any possession of the United States, and any waters within the jurisdiction of the United States.

(B) Nothing in this paragraph or any other provision of this chapter shall be construed to modify the definition of “United States” for the purposes of the Immigration and Nationality Act [8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.] or any other immigration or nationality law.

(20) The term “voluntary preparedness standards” means a common set of criteria for preparedness, disaster management, emergency management, and business continuity programs, such as the American National Standards Institute’s National Fire Protection Association Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs (ANSI/NFPA 1600).

(Pub. L. 107–296, § 2, Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2140; Pub. L. 109–295, title VI, § 612(d), Oct. 4, 2006, 120 Stat. 1410; Pub. L. 109–347, title VI, § 613, Oct. 13, 2006, 120 Stat. 1943; Pub. L. 110–53, title V, § 502(a), title IX, § 901(d), Aug. 3, 2007, 121 Stat. 310, 371; Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title XIX, § 1913(a)(1), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2684.)

§ 102. Construction; severability

Any provision of this chapter held to be invalid or unenforceable by its terms, or as applied to any person or circumstance, shall be construed so as to give it the maximum effect permitted by law, unless such holding shall be one of utter invalidity or unenforceability, in which event such provision shall be deemed severable from this chapter and shall not affect the remainder thereof, or the application of such provision to other persons not similarly situated or to other, dissimilar circumstances.

(Pub. L. 107–296, § 3, Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2141.)

§ 103. Use of appropriated funds

Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, any report, notification, or consultation addressing directly or indirectly the use of appropriated funds and stipulated by this chapter to be submitted to, or held with, the Congress or any Congressional committee shall also be submitted to, or held with, the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives under the same conditions and with the same restrictions as stipulated by this chapter.

(Pub. L. 107–296, title XVII, § 1714, as added Pub. L. 108–7, div. L, § 103(5), Feb. 20, 2003, 117 Stat. 529.)

§ 103a. Department of Homeland Security Nonrecurring Expenses Fund

(a) Establishment

There is hereby established in the Treasury of the United States a fund to be known as the “Department of Homeland Security Nonrecurring Expenses Fund” (the Fund).

(b) Transfer of unobligated balances of expired discretionary funds

Unobligated balances of expired discretionary funds appropriated for this or any succeeding fiscal year from the General Fund of the Treasury to the Department of Homeland Security by this or any other Act may be transferred (not later than the end of the fifth fiscal year after the last fiscal year for which such funds are available for the purposes for which appropriated) into the Fund.

Amounts deposited in the Fund shall be available until expended, and in addition to such other funds as may be available for such purposes, for information technology system modernization and facilities infrastructure improvements necessary for the operation of the Department, subject to approval by the Office of Management and Budget.

(d) Limitation on apportionment or allotment of funds

Amounts in the Fund may not be apportioned or allotted for any fiscal year until after the date on which the Act making full-year appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for the applicable fiscal year is enacted into law, subject to subsection (e).

(e) Notification of planned use of funds

The Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate shall be notified at least 15 days in advance of the planned use of funds.

(Pub. L. 117–103, div. F, title V, § 538, Mar. 15, 2022, 136 Stat. 343; Pub. L. 118–47, div. C, title V, § 539(a), Mar. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 623.)

§ 104. National biodefense strategy

(a) Strategy and implementation plan required

The Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Secretary of Agriculture shall jointly develop a national biodefense strategy and associated implementation plan, which shall include a review and assessment of biodefense policies, practices, programs and initiatives. Such Secretaries shall review and, as appropriate, revise the strategy biennially.

(b) Elements

The strategy and associated implementation plan required under subsection (a) shall include each of the following:

(1) An inventory and assessment of all existing strategies, plans, policies, laws, and interagency agreements related to biodefense, including prevention, deterrence, preparedness, detection, response, attribution, recovery, and mitigation.

(2) A description of the biological threats, including biological warfare, bioterrorism, naturally occurring infectious diseases, and accidental exposures.

(3) A description of the current programs, efforts, or activities of the United States Government with respect to preventing the acquisition, proliferation, and use of a biological weapon, preventing an accidental or naturally occurring biological outbreak, and mitigating the effects of a biological epidemic.

(4) A description of the roles and responsibilities of the Executive Agencies, including internal and external coordination procedures, in identifying and sharing information related to, warning of, and protection against, acts of terrorism using biological agents and weapons and accidental or naturally occurring biological outbreaks.

(5) An articulation of related or required interagency capabilities and whole-of-Government activities required to support the national biodefense strategy.

(6) Recommendations for strengthening and improving the current biodefense capabilities, authorities, and command structures of the United States Government.

(7) Recommendations for improving and formalizing interagency coordination and support mechanisms with respect to providing a robust national biodefense.

(8) Any other matters the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Secretary of Agriculture determine necessary.

Not later than 275 days after December 23, 2016, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees the strategy and associated implementation plan required by subsection (a). The strategy and implementation plan shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.

(d) Briefings

Not later than March 1, 2017, and annually thereafter until March 1, 2025, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Secretary of Agriculture shall provide to the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives a joint briefing on the strategy developed under subsection (a) and the status of the implementation of such strategy.

(e) GAO Review

Not later than 180 days after the date of the submittal of the strategy and implementation plan under subsection (c), the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a review of the strategy and implementation plan to analyze gaps and resources mapped against the requirements of the National Biodefense Strategy and existing United States biodefense policy documents.

(f) Appropriate congressional committees defined

In this section, the term “appropriate congressional committees” means the following:

(1) The congressional defense committees.

(2) The Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate.

(3) The Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate.

(4) The Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate.

(Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title X, § 1086, Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2423; Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title XVII, § 1704, Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1797.)

§ 105. Biodefense analysis and budget submission

(a) Annual analysis

For each fiscal year, beginning in fiscal year 2023, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall—

(1) conduct a detailed and comprehensive analysis of Federal biodefense programs; and

(2) develop an integrated biodefense budget submission.

(b) Definition of biodefense

In accordance with the National Biodefense Strategy, the Director shall develop and disseminate to all Federal departments and agencies a unified definition of the term “biodefense” to identify which programs and activities are included in the annual budget submission required under subsection (a).

The analysis required under subsection (a) shall include—

(1) the display of all funds requested for biodefense activities, both mandatory and discretionary, by agency and categorized by biodefense enterprise element, such as threat awareness, prevention, deterrence, preparedness, surveillance and detection, response, attribution (including bioforensic capabilities), recovery, and mitigation; and

(2) detailed explanations of how each program and activity included aligns with biodefense goals and objectives as part of the National Biodefense Strategy required under section 104 of this title.

(d) Submittal to Congress

The Director, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall submit to Congress the analysis required under subsection (a) for a fiscal year concurrently with the President’s annual budget request for that fiscal year.

(Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title III, § 363, Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3547.)

§ 106. Update of national biodefense implementation plan

(a) In general

The Secretaries of Health and Human Services, Defense, Agriculture, Homeland Security, and all other Departments and agencies with responsibilities for biodefense, such as the Department of State, in consultation with the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, as appropriate, shall jointly, after reviewing the biodefense threat assessment described in subsection (d) and any relevant input from external stakeholders, as appropriate, update the National Biodefense Implementation Plan developed under section 104 of this title to clearly document established processes, roles, and responsibilities related to the National Biodefense Strategy.

(b) Specific updates

The updated National Biodefense Implementation Plan shall—

(1) describe the roles and responsibilities of the Federal departments and agencies, including internal and external coordination procedures, in identifying and sharing information between and among Federal departments and agencies, as described in section 104(b)(4) of this title and consistent with the statutory roles and authorities of such departments and agencies;

(2) describe roles, responsibilities, and processes for decisionmaking, including decisions regarding use of resources for effective risk management across the enterprise;

(3) describe resource plans for each department and agency with responsibility for biodefense to support implementation of the strategy within the jurisdiction of such department or agency, including for the Biodefense Coordination Team, as appropriate;

(4) describe guidance and methods for analyzing the data collected from agencies to include non-Federal resources and capabilities to the extent practicable; and

(5) describe and update, as appropriate, short-, medium-, and long-term goals for executing the National Biodefense Strategy and metrics for meeting each objective of the Strategy.

The Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall, not later than 6 months after the date of the completion of the assessment in subsection (d)(1)(A), submit the updated Implementation Plan to the appropriate congressional committees.

(d) Updated biodefense threat assessment

(1) In general

The Secretaries of Health and Human Services, Defense, Agriculture, and Homeland Security, shall jointly, and in consultation with the Director of National Intelligence, and other agency heads as appropriate—

(A) conduct an assessment of current and potential biological threats against the United States, both naturally occurring and man-made, either accidental or deliberate, including the potential for catastrophic biological threats, such as a pandemic;

(B) not later than 1 year after January 1, 2021, submit the findings of the assessment conducted under subparagraph (A) to the Federal officials described in subsection (d)(1)and 1

1 So in original.

the appropriate congressional committees described in subsection (e);

(C) not later than 30 days after the date on which the assessment is submitted under subparagraph (B), conduct a briefing for the appropriate congressional committees on the findings of the assessment;

(D) update the assessment under subparagraph (A) biennially, as appropriate, and provide the findings of such updated assessments to the Federal officials described in subsection (d)(1) and the appropriate congressional committees; and

(E) conduct briefings for the appropriate congressional committees as needed any time an assessment under this paragraph is updated.

(2) Classification and format

Assessments under paragraph (1) shall be submitted in an unclassified format and include a classified annex, as appropriate.

(e) Appropriate congressional committees defined

In this section, the term “appropriate congressional committees” means the following:

(1) The Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

(2) The Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate.

(3) The Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate.

(4) The Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate.

(5) The Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate.

(6) The Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.

(f) Rule of construction

Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter, limit, or duplicate the roles, responsibilities, authorities, or current activities, as established in statute or otherwise through existing practice or policy, of each Federal department or agency with responsibilities for biodefense or otherwise relevant to implementation of the National Biodefense Strategy.

(Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title III, § 364, Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3548.)