6 U.S. Code § 821 - Definitions

In this part:

(1) Administrator

The term “Administrator” means the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

(2) Basic need

The term “basic need”—

(A) means any good, service, or activity necessary to protect the health, safety, and general welfare of the civilian population of the United States; and

(B) includes—

(i) food;

(ii) water;

(iii) shelter;

(iv) basic communication services;

(v) basic sanitation and health services; and

(vi) public safety.

(3) Catastrophic incident

The term “catastrophic incident”—

(A) means any natural or man-made disaster that results in extraordinary levels of casualties or damage, mass evacuations, or disruption severely affecting the population, infrastructure, environment, economy, national morale, or government functions in an area; and

(B) may include an incident—

(i) with a sustained national impact over a prolonged period of time;

(ii) that may rapidly exceed resources available to State and local government and private sector authorities in the impacted area; or

(iii) that may significantly interrupt governmental operations and emergency services to such an extent that national security could be threatened.

(4) Critical infrastructure

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

(5) Existential risk

The term “existential risk” means the potential for an outcome that would result in human extinction.

(6) Global catastrophic risk

The term “global catastrophic risk” means the risk of events or incidents consequential enough to significantly harm or set back human civilization at the global scale.

(7) Global catastrophic and existential threats

The term “global catastrophic and existential threats” means threats that with varying likelihood may produce consequences severe enough to result in systemic failure or destruction of critical infrastructure or significant harm to human civilization. Examples of global catastrophic and existential threats include severe global pandemics, nuclear war, asteroid and comet impacts, supervolcanoes, sudden and severe changes to the climate, and intentional or accidental threats arising from the use and development of emerging technologies.

(8) Indian Tribal government

The term “Indian Tribal government” has the meaning given the term “Indian tribal government” in section 5122 of title 42.

(9) Local government; State

The terms “local government” and “State” have the meanings given such terms in section 5122 of title 42.

(10) National exercise program

The term “national exercise program” means activities carried out to test and evaluate the national preparedness goal and related plans and strategies as described in section 748(b) of this title.

(11) Secretary

The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Homeland Security.

(Pub. L. 117–263, div. G, title LXXIII, § 7302, Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3684.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Section 5195c(e) of title 42, referred to in par. (4), was in the original “section 1016(e) of the Critical Infrastructure Protection Act of 2001 and was translated as reading “section 1016(e) of the Critical Infrastructures Protection Act of 2001”, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.