FRIENDS Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 42 To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to submit a study on the circumstances which may impact the effectiveness and availability of first responders before, during, or after a terrorist threat or event, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JANUARY 3, 2019 Ms. JACKSON LEE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security, for a period to be subsequently deter- mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to submit a study on the circumstances which may impact the effectiveness and availability of first responders before, during, or after a terrorist threat or event, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘First Responder Iden- 4 tification of Emergency Needs in Disaster Situations’’ or 5 the ‘‘FRIENDS Act’’. 6 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:29 Jan 08, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H42.IH H42 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 42 IH SEC. 2. CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH MAY IMPACT FIRST RE- 1 SPONDERS DURING A TERRORIST EVENT. 2 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 3 date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General 4 of the United States shall submit to the Committees on 5 Homeland Security and Transportation and Infrastruc- 6 ture of the House of Representatives and the Committee 7 on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the 8 Senate a report that describes select State and local pro- 9 grams and policies, as appropriate, related to the pre- 10 paredness and protection of first responders. The report 11 may include information on— 12 (1) the degree to which such programs and poli- 13 cies include consideration of the presence of a first 14 responder’s family in an area impacted by a terrorist 15 attack; 16 (2) the availability of personal protective equip- 17 ment for first responders; 18 (3) the availability of home Medkits for first re- 19 sponders and their families for biological incident re- 20 sponse; and 21 (4) other related factors. 22 (b) CONTEXT.—In preparing the report required 23 under subsection (a), the Comptroller General of the 24 United States may, as appropriate, provide information— 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:29 Jan 08, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H42.IH H42 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 42 IH (1) in a format that delineates high risk urban 1 areas from rural communities; and 2 (2) on the degree to which the selected State 3 and local programs and policies included in such re- 4 port were developed or are being executed with fund- 5 ing from the Department of Homeland Security, in- 6 cluding grant funding from the State Homeland Se- 7 curity Grant Program or the Urban Area Security 8 Initiative under sections 2002 and 2003, respec- 9 tively, of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 10 U.S.C. 603 and 604). 11 (c) HOMELAND SECURITY CONSIDERATION.—After 12 issuance of the report required under subsection (a), the 13 Secretary of Homeland Security shall consider such re- 14 port’s findings and assess its applicability for Federal first 15 responders. 16 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:29 Jan 08, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H42.IH H42 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS