6 U.S. Code § 195c - Promoting antiterrorism through international cooperation program

(a) Definitions

In this section:

(1) Director

The term “Director” means the Director selected under subsection (b)(2).

(2) International cooperative activity

The term “international cooperative activity” includes—

(A) coordinated research projects, joint research projects, or joint ventures;

(B) joint studies or technical demonstrations;

(C) coordinated field exercises, scientific seminars, conferences, symposia, and workshops;

(D) training of scientists and engineers;

(E) visits and exchanges of scientists, engineers, or other appropriate personnel;

(F) exchanges or sharing of scientific and technological information; and

(G) joint use of laboratory facilities and equipment.

(b) Science and Technology Homeland Security International Cooperative Programs Office

(1) Establishment

The Under Secretary shall establish the Science and Technology Homeland Security International Cooperative Programs Office.

(2) Director

The Office shall be headed by a Director, who—

(A) shall be selected, in consultation with the Assistant Secretary for International Affairs, by and shall report to the Under Secretary; and

(B) may be an officer of the Department serving in another position.

(3) Responsibilities

(A) Development of mechanisms

The Director shall be responsible for developing, in coordination with the Department of State and, as appropriate, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and other Federal agencies, understandings and agreements to allow and to support international cooperative activity in support of homeland security.

(B) Priorities

The Director shall be responsible for developing, in coordination with the Office of International Affairs and other Federal agencies, strategic priorities for international cooperative activity for the Department in support of homeland security.

(C) Activities

The Director shall facilitate the planning, development, and implementation of international cooperative activity to address the strategic priorities developed under subparagraph (B) through mechanisms the Under Secretary considers appropriate, including grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts to or with foreign public or private entities, governmental organizations, businesses (including small businesses and socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses (as those terms are defined in sections 632 and 637 of title 15, respectively)), federally funded research and development centers, and universities.

(D) Identification of partners

The Director shall facilitate the matching of United States entities engaged in homeland security research with non-United States entities engaged in homeland security research so that they may partner in homeland security research activities.

(4) Coordination

The Director shall ensure that the activities under this subsection are coordinated with the Office of International Affairs and the Department of State and, as appropriate, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and other relevant Federal agencies or interagency bodies. The Director may enter into joint activities with other Federal agencies.

(c) Matching funding

(1) In general

(A) Equitability

The Director shall ensure that funding and resources expended in international cooperative activity will be equitably matched by the foreign partner government or other entity through direct funding, funding of complementary activities, or the provision of staff, facilities, material, or equipment.

(B) Grant matching and repayment

(i) In general

The Secretary may require a recipient of a grant under this section—

(I) to make a matching contribution of not more than 50 percent of the total cost of the proposed project for which the grant is awarded; and

(II) to repay to the Secretary the amount of the grant (or a portion thereof), interest on such amount at an appropriate rate, and such charges for administration of the grant as the Secretary determines appropriate.

(ii) Maximum amount

The Secretary may not require that repayment under clause (i)(II) be more than 150 percent of the amount of the grant, adjusted for inflation on the basis of the Consumer Price Index.

(2) Foreign partners

Partners may include Israel, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Singapore, and other allies in the global war on terrorism as determined to be appropriate by the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of State.

(3) Loans of equipment

The Director may make or accept loans of equipment for research and development and comparative testing purposes.

(d) Foreign reimbursements

If the Science and Technology Homeland Security International Cooperative Programs Office participates in an international cooperative activity with a foreign partner on a cost-sharing basis, any reimbursements or contributions received from that foreign partner to meet its share of the project may be credited to appropriate current appropriations accounts of the Directorate of Science and Technology.

(e) Report to Congress on international cooperative activities

Not later than one year after August 3, 2007, and every 5 years thereafter, the Under Secretary, acting through the Director, shall submit to Congress a report containing—

(1) a brief description of each grant, cooperative agreement, or contract made or entered into under subsection (b)(3)(C), including the participants, goals, and amount and sources of funding;

(2) a list of international cooperative activities underway, including the participants, goals, expected duration, and amount and sources of funding, including resources provided to support the activities in lieu of direct funding; and [1]

(3) for international cooperative activities identified in the previous reporting period, a status update on the progress of such activities, including whether goals were realized, explaining any lessons learned, and evaluating overall success; and

(4) a discussion of obstacles encountered in the course of forming, executing, or implementing agreements for international cooperative activities, including administrative, legal, or diplomatic challenges or resource constraints.

(f) Animal and zoonotic diseases

As part of the international cooperative activities authorized in this section, the Under Secretary, in coordination with the Assistant Secretary for the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office, the Department of State, and appropriate officials of the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Health and Human Services, may enter into cooperative activities with foreign countries, including African nations, to strengthen American preparedness against foreign animal and zoonotic diseases overseas that could harm the Nation’s agricultural and public health sectors if they were to reach the United States.

(g) Cybersecurity

As part of the international cooperative activities authorized in this section, the Under Secretary, in coordination with the Department of State and appropriate Federal officials, may enter into cooperative research activities with Israel to strengthen preparedness against cyber threats and enhance capabilities in cybersecurity.

(h) Construction; authorities of the Secretary of State

Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter or affect the following provisions of law:

(1) Title V of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 1979 (22 U.S.C. 2656a et seq.).

(2) Section 112b(g) of title 1.

(3) Section 2651a(e)(2) of title 22.

(4) Sections 2752 and 2767 of title 22.

(5) Section 2382(c) of title 22.

(i) Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as are necessary.

(Pub. L. 107–296, title III, § 317, as added Pub. L. 110–53, title XIX, § 1901(b)(1), Aug. 3, 2007, 121 Stat. 505; amended Pub. L. 114–304, § 2(a), Dec. 16, 2016, 130 Stat. 1519; Pub. L. 115–387, § 2(f)(3), Dec. 21, 2018, 132 Stat. 5168; Pub. L. 117–263, div. E, title LIX, § 5947(a)(3), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3481.)

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[1]  So in original. The word “and” probably should not appear.

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 1979, referred to in subsec. (h)(1), is Pub. L. 95–426, Oct. 7, 1978, 92 Stat. 963. Title V of the Act is classified generally to sections 2656a to 2656d of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.

Amendments

2022—Subsec. (h)(2). Pub. L. 117–263 substituted “Section 112b(g)” for “Section 112b(c)”.

2018—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 115–387 substituted “the Assistant Secretary for the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office,” for “the Chief Medical Officer,”.

2016—Subsec. (e)(3), (4). Pub. L. 114–304, § 2(a)(1), added pars. (3) and (4).

Subsecs. (g) to (i). Pub. L. 114–304, § 2(a)(2), (3), added subsec. (g) and redesignated former subsecs. (g) and (h) as (h) and (i), respectively.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2022 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 117–263 effective 270 days after Dec. 23, 2022, see section 5947(c) of Pub. L. 117–263, set out as a note under section 112a of Title 1, General Provisions.

Findings

Pub. L. 110–53, title XIX, § 1901(a), Aug. 3, 2007, 121 Stat. 505, provided that:

“Congress finds the following:

“(1) The development and implementation of technology is critical to combating terrorism and other high consequence events and implementing a comprehensive homeland security strategy.

“(2) The United States and its allies in the global war on terrorism share a common interest in facilitating research, development, testing, and evaluation of equipment, capabilities, technologies, and services that will aid in detecting, preventing, responding to, recovering from, and mitigating against acts of terrorism.

“(3) Certain United States allies in the global war on terrorism, including Israel, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Singapore have extensive experience with, and technological expertise in, homeland security.

“(4) The United States and certain of its allies in the global war on terrorism have a history of successful collaboration in developing mutually beneficial equipment, capabilities, technologies, and services in the areas of defense, agriculture, and telecommunications.

“(5) The United States and its allies in the global war on terrorism will mutually benefit from the sharing of technological expertise to combat domestic and international terrorism.

“(6) The establishment of an office to facilitate and support cooperative endeavors between and among government agencies, for-profit business entities, academic institutions, and nonprofit entities of the United States and its allies will safeguard lives and property worldwide against acts of terrorism and other high consequence events.”

Transparency of Funds

Pub. L. 110–53, title XIX, § 1902, Aug. 3, 2007, 121 Stat. 508, provided that:

“For each Federal award (as that term is defined in section 2 of the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 [Pub. L. 109–282] (31 U.S.C. 6101 note)) under this title [enacting this section and provisions set out as notes under this section] or an amendment made by this title, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall ensure full and timely compliance with the requirements of the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (31 U.S.C. 6101 note).”