General.—

Sec. 101. General.—The Homeland Security Act of 2002 (Public Law 107–296) is amended—117 STAT. 527(1) in section 308, by striking subsections (a) through (c)(1) and inserting in lieu thereof the following:“(a) In General.—The Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, shall carry out the responsibilities under section 302(4) through both extramural and intramural programs.“(b) Extramural Programs.—“(1) In general.—The Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, shall operate extramural research, development, demonstration, testing, and evaluation programs so as to—“(A) ensure that colleges, universities, private research institutes, and companies (and consortia thereof) from as many areas of the United States as practicable participate;“(B) ensure that the research funded is of high quality, as determined through merit review processes developed under section 302(14); and“(C) distribute funds through grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts.“(2) University-based centers for homeland security.—“(A) Designation.—The Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, shall designate a university-based center or several university-based centers for homeland security. The purpose of the center or these centers shall be to establish a coordinated, university-based system to enhance the Nation’s homeland security.“(B) Criteria for designation.—Criteria for the designation of colleges or universities as a center for homeland security, shall include, but are not limited to, demonstrated expertise in—“(i) The training of first responders.“(ii) Responding to incidents involving weapons of mass destruction and biological warfare.“(iii) Emergency and diagnostic medical services.“(iv) Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear countermeasures or detection.“(v) Animal and plant health and diagnostics.“(vi) Food safety.“(vii) Water and wastewater operations.“(viii) Port and waterway security.“(ix) Multi-modal transportation.“(x) Information security and information engineering.“(xi) Engineering.“(xii) Educational outreach and technical assistance.“(xiii) Border transportation and security.“(xiv) The public policy implications and public dissemination of homeland security related research and development.“(C) Discretion of secretary.—To the extent that exercising such discretion is in the interest of homeland security, and with respect to the designation of any given university-based center for homeland security, the Secretary may except certain criteria as specified in section 117 STAT. 528 308(b)(2)(B) and consider additional criteria beyond those specified in section 308(b)(2)(B). Upon designation of a university-based center for homeland security, the Secretary shall that day publish in the Federal Register the criteria that were excepted or added in the selection process and the justification for the set of criteria that were used for that designation.“(D) Report to congress.—The Secretary shall report annually, from the date of enactment, to Congress concerning the implementation of this section. That report shall indicate which center or centers have been designated and how the designation or designations enhance homeland security, as well as report any decisions to revoke or modify such designations.“(E) Authorization of appropriations.—There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this paragraph.“(c) Intramural Programs.—“(1) Consultation.—In carrying out the duties under section 302, the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, may draw upon the expertise of any laboratory of the Federal Government, whether operated by a contractor or the Government.”; and(2) in subsection 835(d) by striking all after the word “security” and inserting in lieu thereof a period.