House

	H.R. 1259, Computer Security Enhancement Act Sponsor: Rep. Constance Morella, R-Md. Introduced: March 28, 2001 Committee: House Science Final Action: Passed by the House Description: H.R. 1259 seeks to enhance the ability of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to improve computer security. The bill would require NIST to help federal agencies protect computer networks, to promote federal compliance with existing computer information security and privacy guidelines, and to help the government respond to unauthorized access to computer systems. NIST also would have to develop uniform standards and guidelines for federal security and privacy. The bill identifies the National Security Agency's security guidelines as a benchmark for NIST.
	H.R. 2951, Aviation Security Act Sponsor: Rep. Greg Ganske, R-Iowa Introduced: Sept. 25, 2001 Committee: House Transportation and Infrastructure Description: H.R. 2951 seeks to improve airport security by requiring that the workers who screen customers, baggage and cargo be federal employees. The bill also would authorize grants to help small airports buy better metal detectors, scanning equipment and other security devices. A similar Senate measure, S. 1473, was introduced.
	H.R. 2965, Criminal Alien Visa Denial Act Sponsor: Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn. Introduced: Sept. 25, 2001 Committee: House Judiciary Description: H.R. 2965 would require the attorney general and FBI director to give the State Department and the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) access to criminal history databases. The goal of the bill is to help the State Department and INS identify visa applicants who have criminal histories in an effort to prevent terrorism from abroad. It would require that the information be extracted from the larger crime databases and periodically updated for immigration use. A Senate companion bill, S. 1452, was introduced.
	H.R. 2970, Securing America Investment Act Sponsor: Rep. Gerald Weller, R-Ill. Introduced: Sept. 25, 2001 Committee: House Ways and Means Description: H.R. 2970 would amend the tax code to allow business to deduct the full cost of security-related devices from their tax bill the year they buy the devices. Under current law, the value of such equipment -- including "computers and software to combat cyber terrorism," surveillance cameras, electronic alarms, wiring and biometric identifiers -- must be depreciated over time.
	H.R. 3025, Untitled Sponsor: Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Va. Introduced: Oct. 4, 2001 Committee: House Armed Services Description: H.R. 3025 would allow state and local governments to buy counter-terrorism equipment from the Defense Department. Bill sponsor Randy Forbes, R-Va., said the bill seeks to give state and local police and firefighters access to the best technology because they are usually the first on the scene of national emergencies.
	H.R. 3026, Office of Homeland Security Act Sponsor: Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev. Introduced: Oct. 4, 2001 Committees: House Government Reform, Armed Services, Judiciary, Transportation and Infrastructure, Intelligence, Energy and Commerce Description: H.R. 3026 would give the new White House Office of Homeland Security Cabinet-level status and budgetary authority. The mission of the office, announced by President Bush after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks against the United States, is to oversee and coordinate a national strategy to safeguard the nation against terrorism. Sponsors of the bill argued that without Cabinet-level status and budgetary authority, the office would struggle to accomplish that mission.
	H.R. 3033, Foreign Student Database Funding Act Sponsor: Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn. Introduced: Oct. 4, 2001 Committee: House Judiciary Description: H.R. 3033 would authorize money for a program to collect information on foreign students who receive visas to study in the United States. Congress mandated the program, which calls for compiling the information electronically where possible, in a 1996 immigration law. Rather than fund the program with a $100 nonrefundable fee on student visa applications, as required in the 1996 law, H.R. 3033 would authorize the use of tax dollars to create the system. The measure also would require the General Accounting Office to review the program one year after its launch, which is scheduled for Jan. 1, 2003.
	H.R. 3043, Untitled Sponsor: Rep. John Sweeney, R-N.Y. Introduced: Oct. 4, 2001 Committee: House Judiciary Description: H.R. 3043 would authorize a system for tracking foreign students within the United States. The bill, introduced after news reports that one of the alleged terrorists in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks against the United States, would allow U.S. officials to collect information on: where foreign students are attending school; whether they transfer to new schools; what they are studying; when they are expected to complete their studies; and where they live and work while in school. The Justice Department would have six months to create the tracking system.
	H.R. 3052, Visa Information Security Act Sponsor: Rep. Gene Green, D-Texas Introduced: Oct. 5, 2001 Committee: House Judiciary Description: H.R. 3052 would require machine-readable biometric identifiers such as fingerprints on the visas of foreigners entering the United States. The State Department and attorney general would have to crosscheck the identifiers against criminal databases before issuing visas.
	H.R. 3101, Aviation Security Technology Enhancement Act Sponsor: Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah Introduced: Oct. 11, 2001 Committees: House Science, and Transportation and Infrastructure Description: H.R. 3101 seeks to heighten aviation security by requiring the use of technologies such as fingerprint identification, face, hand and voice recognition, and retinal scanning. The bill would require the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop standards for biometric and other technologies in an effort to ensure their widespread use in identifying airline passenger and checking their bags, and in restricting airport employee access to in certain areas. It also would require federal officials to field test the technologies in airports.
	H.R. 3120, Airline Check for Terrorist Act Sponsor: Rep. Ric Keller, R-Fla. Introduced: Oct. 12, 2001 Committee: House Judiciary Description: H.R. 3120 would require the FBI to study the feasibility of giving airlines computer access to federal records on suspected terrorists so they could crosscheck those records with lists of airline passengers. The bill would authorize $250,000 a year over two years for the study, and the FBI would have to report to Congress by Dec. 31, 2002.
	H.R. 3129, Customs Border Security Act Sponsor: Rep. Philip Crane, R-Ill. Introduced: Oct. 16, 2001 Committee: House Ways and Means Final Action: Passed by the House Description: H.R. 3129 would mandate an electronic system to allow federal officials to crosscheck commercial passenger lists against databases of information on terrorists and other criminals. The bill, which would reauthorize the Customs Service, would require that "manifests" be filed for all cargo and passengers entering the United States by air, land or water-based commercial carrier. Currently, providing such information is voluntary. The measure also would authorize $10 million for Customs' cyber-smuggling center, which is a key agency in the effort to protect children from online sexual predators.
	H.R. 3165, Aviation Security Act II Sponsor: Rep. Greg Ganske, R-Iowa Introduced: Oct. 24, 2001 Committee: House Transportation and Infrastructure Description: H.R. 3165 encompasses the Senate-passed version of aviation security legislation, which includes language on using computers and other technologies to screen passengers.
	H.R. 3178, Water Infrastructure Security and Research Development Act Sponsor: Rep. Sherwood Boehlert, R-N.Y. Introduced: Oct. 30, 2001 Committee: House Science Final Action: Passed by the House Description: H.R. 3178 would authorize funds toward protecting computers and other critical infrastructure affiliated with the nation's water supply. The bill, passed by voice vote in the House on Dec. 18, 2001, would authorize $12 million each year over the next five years to accomplish its goal. A Senate companion measure, S. 1593, also was introduced.
	H.R. 3198, Agricultural Terrorism Prevention and Response Act Sponsor: Rep. Adam Putnam, R-Fla. Introduced: Oct. 31, 2001 Committee: House Agriculture Description: H.R. 3198 seeks to protect the nation's food supply from chemical or bioterrorism. Among other things, the bill would create an Interagency Agricultural Terrorism Committee to coordinate the counter-terrorism activities of the Agriculture Department, the Customs Service, the Food and Drug Administration and state agriculture departments. The panel's duties would include protecting the critical infrastructure related to the food supply. The measure was one of several, including S. 1593, H.R. 3178 and H.R. 3219, targeted at bolstering the critical infrastructure of various sectors.
	H.R. 3205, Enhanced Border Security Act Sponsor: Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich. Introduced: Nov. 1, 2001 Committee: House Judiciary, Intelligence, International Relations, Government Reform, Ways and Means, Transportation and Infrastructure Description: H.R.3205 is an omnibus measure that seeks to enhance U.S. border security and thus combat terrorism. The bill would require law enforcement and intelligence agencies to share information on potential terrorists with the State Department and Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). It also would use technology to track foreign students as they travel the nation, and to check immigrants' palm prints at airports and borders. And the measure would authorize the State Department to raise fees through the use of machine-readable visas and use the funds to improve technology at U.S. ports. Other technology-related provisions would: give more direction to the INS on establishing an automated exit/entry control system for foreign visitors; require airlines to electronically transmit to law enforcement the passenger and crew lists for all flights arriving in the United States; and fully implement the use of biometric border-crossing cards and the machines to read them. A Senate companion measure, S. 1618, and another related Senate bill, S. 1627, also were introduced.
	H.R. 3220, Secure Transportation for America Act Sponsor: Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas Introduced: Nov. 1, 2001 Committees: House Transportation and Infrastructure, Judiciary, Ways and Means, Rules Description: H.R.3220 aims to improve aviation security. Among other things, the bill would require airlines to electronically transmit lists of the passengers and crew on their flights to the Transportation Department. The lists would have to include names, birth dates and other identifying information. The measure also would provide tax credits for certain improvements to airport security, including the installation of voice-stress analysis and other technologies, the enhanced use of computer profiling to screen passengers and property, and the addition of technology to screen employees and police entering secure areas.
	H.R. 3221, Untitled Sponsor: Rep. Marge Roukema, R-N.J. Introduced: Nov. 1, 2001 Committee: House Judiciary Description: H.R.3221 would overhaul the student visa program by imposing stricter reporting requirements and a nine-month moratorium on the program. Measures with similar language, including H.R. 3181, S. 1618 and S. 1627, also were introduced after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, which were carried out in part by hijackers who entered the United States on student visas.
	H.R. 3229, Visa Entry Reform Act Sponsor: Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Calif. Introduced: Nov. 6, 2001 Committees: House Judiciary, International Relations, Transportation and Infrastructure Description: H.R. 3229 seeks to enhance U.S. border security. The bill would connect law enforcement with a centralized database, upgrade technologies used to prevent fraud and illegal entry by immigrants, and impose new restrictions on student visas to prevent misuse of the program. It also would require airlines to electronically transmit passenger and crew information to U.S. authorities so they could crosscheck the names against criminal databases. A Senate companion bill, S. 1627, also was introduced, as were competing measures, S. 1618 and H.R. 3205.
	H.R. 3231, Immigration Reform and Accountability Act Sponsor: Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis. Introduced: Nov. 6, 2001 Committee: House Judiciary Final Action: Passed by the House Description: H.R. 3231 would overhaul the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service by splitting it into two separate agencies, one for providing immigration services and the other, the Immigration Affairs Bureau, for preventing illegal border crossings and prosecuting violators. The bill also would create an Office of Shared Services to oversee facilities, information resources, and records needed by both components.
	H.R. 3285, Federal-Local Information Sharing Partnership Act Sponsor: Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y. Introduced: Nov. 13, 2001 Committees: House Judiciary, Intelligence, Financial Services, and Education and the Workforce Description: H.R. 3285 would let federal agencies share information about terrorist threats with local police. The bill would expand the information-sharing concept codified in a 2001 anti-terrorism law that allows agencies such as the FBI and CIA to share intelligence information with each other. Neither H.R. 3285 nor its Senate companion measure, S. 1615, would require federal-local interaction, but they would allow federal agencies to share any terrorist-related information they intercept electronically or otherwise.
	H.R. 3344, Untitled Sponsor: Rep. Nick Smith, R-Mich. Introduced: Nov. 19, 2001 Committee: House Science Description: H.R. 3344 would require the National Science Foundation (NSF) to identify new technologies for preventing and responding to terrorist attacks. The bill would require NSF to collaborate with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, which spurred the creation of the Internet, and other federal agencies. It also would require NSF to identify new terrorist-related research activities, and the agency would have to report its findings to Congress within 90 days.
	H.R. 3378, Commission on Homeland Security Act Sponsor: Rep. Steve Horn, R-Calif. Introduced: Nov. 29, 2001 Committee: House Government Reform Description: H.R. 3378 seeks to increase cooperation and collaboration on homeland security issues within the federal government. The bill would establish a commission to study the federal government's security efforts, including the efficiency of agencies' security missions and personnel resources. Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge would chair the 21-member commission, which also would study interagency coordination.
	H.R. 3394, Cyber Security Research and Development Act Sponsor: Rep. Sherwood Boehlert, R-N.Y. Introduced: Dec. 4, 2001 Committees: House Science, Education and the Workforce Final Action: Signed into law (PL 107-305) Description: H.R. 3394 aims to better protect the nation's critical information infrastructures in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The bill would authorize nearly $880 million over five years to create new cyber-security programs within the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). New NSF programs would include cyber-security research centers, undergraduate program grants and competitive fellowship grants. The bill also would create new NIST fellowships to attract more researchers to the field of computer and network security. Other new NIST programs would include an in-house research program and a grant program to support joint studies by academic and industry researchers. The House Science Committee approved the measure by voice vote two days after it was introduced.
	H.R. 3397, HERO Act Sponsor: Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif. Introduced: Dec. 4, 2001 Committee: House Energy and Commerce Description: H.R. 3397 would require the FCC to free designated airwaves for use by the public-safety community. The bill seeks to close a loophole in a 1996 law, said sponsor Jane Harman, D-Calif. The law mandated that broadcasters relinquish 24 megahertz of spectrum currently used for analog television (channels 63, 64, 68 and 69) to public-safety officials in an effort to allow them to communicate with each other via wireless telecommunications devices. It gave broadcasters until 2006 to vacate the spectrum -- but only if 85 percent of U.S. households had TVs capable of receiving digital signals by then. Harman said only 1 percent of households currently are fit for digital TV. Her bill would lift the 85-percent rule and require that the spectrum identified in the 1996 law be relinquished for public-safety uses by the end of 2006.
	H.R. 3426, Federal Emergency Procurement Flexibility Act Sponsor: Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va. Introduced: Dec. 6, 2001 Committee: House Government Reform Description: H.R. 3426 would give federal agencies purchasing flexibility when they are procuring property and services designed to defend against terrorism. The bill would streamline the procurement process when it involves buying technology or other goods for use in humanitarian or peacekeeping operations, or for preventing cyber attacks or other types of terrorism. The measure also would expand to all agencies the authority that allows the Defense Department to use approaches other than contracts to buy research and development for new technologies to fight terrorism. A Senate companion bill, S. 1780, was introduced the same day.
	H.R. 3435, Empowering Local First Responders To Fight Terrorism Act Sponsor: Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y. Introduced: Dec. 6, 2001 Committees: House Judiciary, Transportation and Infrastructure Description: H.R. 3435 would authorize grants to the local police, fire and emergency personnel who typically are the "first responders" to terrorism and other emergencies. The local agencies that qualify for the grants could use the money to buy technology, among other things. The bill also would authorize the U.S. attorney general's office to establish regional centers to train first responders.
	H.R. 3437, Port and Maritime Security Act Sponsor: Rep. Clay Shaw, R-Fla. Introduced: Dec. 6, 2001 Committees: House Transportation and Infrastructure, Judiciary, Armed Services Description: H.R. 3437 seeks to make the nation's seaports more secure. The bill would require the creation of a federal port-security task force and local seaport security committees overseen by the Coast Guard. The text of the measure lists investments in "non-intrusive" security technology, harmonized data collection on seaport-related theft and better communication among law enforcement agencies involved in seaport protection among its goals.
	H.R. 3448, Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Response Act Sponsor: Rep. W.J. (Billy) Tauzin, R-La. Introduced: Dec. 11, 2001 Committee: House Energy and Commerce Final Action: Signed into law (PL 107-188) Description: H.R.3448 aims to improve the United States' ability to prepare for and respond to bioterrorism and other public health emergencies. The bill includes language that would require community water systems serving more than 3,300 people to assess the risks of terrorism against their computers and other systems. It also would require: special training for health officials; the dissemination of teaching materials via telecommunications and other means; and the creation of a database to identify officials who are specially trained to respond to bioterrorism. The food industry, meanwhile, would have to grant federal investigators access to records, including electronic ones, after an attack. The House passed the bill on a 418-2 vote Dec. 12, 2001, and the Senate passed an amended version Dec. 20.
	H.R. 3458, Untitled Sponsor: Rep. John Shadegg, R-Ariz. Introduced: Dec. 11, 2001 Committee: House Energy and Commerce Description: H.R.3458 would authorize the creation of an emergency medical-alert network and a system for disseminating educational materials on nuclear, biological or chemical attacks against the nation. Under the bill, educational organizations could receive grants to develop materials to make health officials aware of biological, chemical and nuclear threats. The information could be disseminated via long-distance learning, telemedicine and other means. Similar language was included in a broader bioterrorism bill, H.R. 3448.
	H.R. 3482, Cyber Security Enhancement Act Sponsor: Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas Introduced: Dec. 13, 2001 Committee: House Judiciary Final Action: Passed by the House Description: H.R. 3482 seeks to combat terrorism and other threats to homeland security by strengthening the penalties for certain cyber crimes. The bill would exempt Internet service providers from liability when they help law enforcement agencies investigate cyber crime or terrorism. It also would establish an office at the Justice Department to coordinate efforts to develop new technologies for fighting computer and Internet crime.
	H.R. 3483, Intergovernmental Law Enforcement Information Sharing Act Sponsor: Rep. Steve Horn, R-Calif. Introduced: Dec. 13, 2001 Committee: House Judiciary Description: H.R. 3483 seeks to enhance the sharing of law enforcement information at the federal, state and local levels. The bill would require the attorney general to conduct background checks on governors, mayors and senior police officials at the state and local levels so they can be given access to classified information compiled by the federal government. The attorney general also would be tasked with ensuring that government information systems are secure enough for sharing information on terrorism and other crimes.
	H.R. 3494, Use NICS in Terrorist Investigations Act Sponsor: Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, D-N.Y. Introduced: Dec. 13, 2001 Committee: House Judiciary Description: H.R. 3494 would give the FBI access to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System for certain investigations. The goal of the bill is to allow audits in order to detect fraud and misuse of the system, and to protect its privacy and security. A Senate companion bill, S. 1788, also was introduced.
	H.R. 3515, International Student Responsibility Act Sponsor: Rep. George Miller, D-Calif. Introduced: Dec. 18, 2001 Committees: House Judiciary, Education and the Workforce Description: H.R.3515 would overhaul the program that grants visas to foreign students so they can study at U.S. colleges. The bill was introduced after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks against the United States, which involved at least one terrorist admitted on a student visa. Among other things, the measure would authorize more resources to help the Immigration and Naturalization Service create an electronic database for tracking foreign students and to use the database aggressively. Similar language was included in an omnibus border-security bill, H.R. 3525, the House passed Dec. 19, and similar bills, including H.R. 3043, H.R. 3181 and H.R. 3221, were introduced.
	H.R. 3525, Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act Sponsor: Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis. Introduced: Dec. 19, 2001 Committees: House Judiciary, Intelligence, International Relations, Ways and Means, Transportation and Infrastructure Final Action: Signed into law (PL 107-173) Description: H.R.3525 is an omnibus bill that seeks to enhance U.S. border security. Among other things, the measure would require the Immigration and Naturalization Service to strengthen its computer-based system for tracking foreign students who receive visas to attend U.S. colleges. The bill also would give immigration officials electronic access to law enforcement and intelligence information on potential immigrants, and it would authorize $150 million to upgrade technology at U.S. borders. A similar Senate measure, S. 1749, was introduced, as were other related measures, S. 1618, S. 1627 and H.R. 3205.
	H.R. 3555, United States Security (USA) Act Sponsor: Rep. Robert Menendez, D-N.J. Introduced: Dec. 20, 2001 Committees: House Energy and Commerce, Transportation and Infrastructure, Education and the Workforce, Government Reform, Ways and Means, Armed Services, International Relations, Intelligence, Financial Services, Judiciary Description: H.R.3555 is a broad-based anti-terrorism bill that, among other things, seeks to: enhance technology at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Customs Service and the Postal Service; mandate real-time information on terrorism for travelers; foster information sharing among law enforcement officials at all levels of government; and bolster research and development of anti-terrorism technologies for the Defense Department. The measure would authorize $24 billion overall.
	H.R. 3600, National Border Security Agency Act Sponsor: Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo. Introduced: Dec. 20, 2001 Committees: House Government Reform, Judiciary, Transportation and Infrastructure, Ways and Means Description: H.R.3600 would consolidate three border-security agencies into a National Border Security Agency. The bill also would create an "entry-exit" system that would record the personal identifiers, such as fingerprints or biometric information, of international visitors.
	H.R. 3639, Homeland Security Fund Act Sponsor: Rep. Bill Pascrell, D-N.J. Introduced: Jan. 29, 2002 Committees: House Ways and Means, Government Reform Description: H.R. 3639 would allow taxpayers to designate $3 of their income-tax liability toward a new Homeland Security Fund. They could make the designation when filing their annual tax returns or at other times approved by the Treasury secretary. The money in the fund could be used to purchase technology to combat terrorism and protect the nation's computer systems and other critical infrastructure, among other things. The bill also would establish a Cabinet-level Office of Homeland Security within the Executive Office of the President, and its director would be subject to Senate confirmation.
	H.R. 3825, Homeland Security Information Sharing Act Sponsor: Rep. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga. Introduced: Feb. 28, 2002 Committee: House Intelligence, Judiciary and Government Reform Description: H.R. 3825 aims to increase the sharing of security-related information among federal, state and local intelligence and law enforcement agencies. The bill would require the president to proscribe the development of information-sharing procedures within six months of passage and would mandate that agencies use existing technologies to convert intelligence into an easily shared format. The bill also would increase the number of security clearances at the state and local levels so that classified information could be more broadly shared.
	H.R. 3844, Federal Information Security Management Act Sponsor: Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va. Introduced: March 5, 2002 Committee: House Government Reform, Science Description: H.R. 3844 aims to strengthen the federal government's information security by developing management standards for security risks. Under the measure, the White House Office of Management and Budget would oversee federal agencies' information-security policies and require agencies to identify risks to their systems. OMB would have to establish an information-security incident center, and the bill would make security standards developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology compulsory for federal agencies. The measure would permanently reauthorize the Government Information Security Reform Act.
	H.R. 3983, Maritime Transportation Anti-Terrorism Act Sponsor: Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska Introduced: March 18, 2002 Committee: House Transportation and Infrastructure Final Action: Passed by the House Description: H.R. 3983 seeks to make ports and waterways less vulnerable to terrorism and to coordinate the response in the event of an attack. The bill would authorize $5.9 billion to the Coast Guard and extend its jurisdiction from three to 12 miles off U.S. coasts. The agency must evaluate the vulnerability of higher-risk facilities at U.S. ports and organize teams to protect possible terrorist targets, among other things. The measure would require a system for cargo identification and screening. Operators of commercial vessels arriving from foreign ports would have to submit lists of passengers and crew before entering U.S. ports.
	H.R. 4029, National Integrative Center for Homeland Security Act Sponsor: Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas Introduced: March 20, 2002 Committee: House Transportation and Infrastructure Description: H.R. 4029 would authorize the creation of a university-based center to coordinate scientific research and collect and disseminate information in response to homeland security threats. The Federal Emergency Management Agency would be tasked with establishing the National Integrative Center for Homeland Security, which would train "first responders" to emergencies, encourage research on bioterrorism and threats to food and water supplies, and gather information on border and waterway security. The selection of the university would be based on its expertise and programs in scientific areas.
	H.R. 4059, Homeland Security Block Grant Act Sponsor: Rep. Michael McNulty, D-N.Y. Introduced: March 20, 2002 Committee: House Transportation and Infrastructure, Judiciary, Energy and Commerce Description: H.R. 4059 would authorize block grants to states, local governments and Indian tribes to help them develop homeland security plans. The money could be used to improve cyber security and protect critical infrastructures, among other things. The bill would authorize $3 billion in local government grants for fiscal 2002 -- with 1 percent reserved for Indian tribes and 70 percent for urban areas -- and a separate $500 million for statewide use. A Senate companion bill, S. 2038, was introduced the same day.
	H.R. 4088, Defense Budget Restoration Act Sponsor: Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo. Introduced: April 9, 2002 Committee: House Armed Services Description: H.R. 4088 would authorize a $10 billion reserve fund the president requested for the Defense Department in fiscal 2003 and specify that the fund should go toward anti-terrorism efforts. The bill would dedicate $1.9 billion toward research and development efforts within the department, with $200 million specifically geared toward defense against chemical and biological warfare.
	H.R. 4598, Homeland Security Information Sharing Act Sponsor: Rep. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga. Introduced: April 25, 2002 Committee: House Intelligence, Judiciary Final Action: Passed by the House Description: H.R. 4598 seeks to foster the sharing of homeland security information among federal, state and local officials. Under the bill, the president either would have to outline rules for declassifying information or grant security clearance to state and local officials. The measure also would require the president to ensure that information-sharing technologies are current and can handle sharing both classified and unclassified information. The legislation would apply to the National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System, the Regional Information Sharing System, and the FBI's Terrorist Threat Warning System, among others. The House passed the bill on a 422-2 vote June 26, 2002.
	H.R. 4633, Driver's License Modernization Act Sponsor: Rep. James Moran, D-Va. Introduced: May 1, 2002 Committee: House Transportation and Infrastructure, Judiciary, Science Description: H.R. 4633 would require all states to include computer information chips on all driver's licenses within five years. The chips would contain all written information on the card, as well as a biometric identifier such as a fingerprint or retinal scan. That information would be encrypted to prevent unauthorized access but also would have to be interoperable with license databases for all the states. The federal government would issue standards for the biometric data and for interoperability. The bill also would mandate that states incorporate several visual identifiers on their licenses, such as 3-D elements or barcodes, to prevent license fraud. Creating a fake license would become a federal crime, even if the license were not transported across state lines.
	H.R. 4777, Untitled Sponsor: Rep. Tim Roemer, D-Ind. Introduced: May 20, 2002 Committee: House Intelligence, Judiciary, International Relations, Transportation and Infrastructure Description: H.R. 4777 would establish a National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States to investigate the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The panel would be tasked with identifying lessons that can be learned from the attacks, and its review would encompass issues such as border control, commercial aviation and government intelligence.
	H.R. 4779, Customs Border Security Act Sponsor: Rep. Philip Crane, R-Ill. Introduced: May 21, 2002 Committee: House Ways and Means Description: H.R. 4779 would authorize programs at the Customs Service, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and International Trade Commission programs from fiscal 2002 through fiscal 2004. Technology-related authorizations for Customs would include money for: the Automated Commercial Environment computer system that tracks all commercial imports; targeting software to read license plates; and the Child Cyber-Smuggling Center that aims to prevent child pornography and sexual exploitation of children. The bill also would require the operators of cargo vessels to provide electronic manifests of the goods they are carrying before they could enter the United States.
	H.R. 4860, U.S. Commission on an Open Society with Security Act Sponsor: Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C. Introduced: June 4, 2002 Committee: House Transportation and Infrastructure Description: H.R. 4860 would establish the U.S. Commission on an Open Society with Security, a 21-member panel tasked with ensuring safe access to public buildings in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., authored the bill because of concerns about continued closure of Pennsylvania Avenue in the nation's capital and other restrictions on access to government property. The commission would examine how new technology might be leveraged to promote access and also would consider the effects of open public facilities on free speech, the economy and job performance, among other things.
	H.R. 4864, Anti-Terrorism Explosives Act Sponsor: Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis. Introduced: June 5, 2002 Committee: House Judiciary Description: H.R. 4864 would require anyone who wishes to use explosives to obtain a permit from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF). Companies that work with explosives would have to conduct background checks on all employees and submit samples of their explosives for government tracking. ATF uses a database called the Arson and Explosives Incidents System to trace stolen and recovered explosive material and military ordnance. The bureau also oversees the Bomb Arson Tracking System (BATS), which facilitates and promotes the collection and sharing of information on fire, arson and explosives information among participating agencies. As presently envisioned, law enforcers with access to the National Crime Information Center could access BATS via desktop computer and the Internet.
	H.R. 5005, Homeland Security Act Sponsor: Rep. Dick Armey, R-Texas Introduced: June 24, 2002 Committee: House Select Homeland Security, Agriculture, Appropriations, Armed Services, Energy and Commerce, Financial Services, Government Reform, Intelligence, International Relations, Judiciary, Science, Transportation and Infrastructure, Ways and Means Final Action: Signed into law (PL 107-296) Description: H.R. 5005 encompassed the Bush administration's plan to create a Homeland Security Department when introduced and largely reflected that proposal after the House passed it in July 2002. The measure would consolidate several existing security-related agencies into the new department, with the goal of improving efforts to prevent and respond to terrorism. The agencies would include the Defense Department's National Communications System and the computer-security division of the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Some research and intelligence programs at the Energy Department also would be transferred. A competing bill, S. 2452, also was introduced.
	H.R. 5007, Untitled Sponsor: John Langevin, D-R.I. Introduced: June 24, 2002 Committee: House Administration Description: H.R. 5007 would require a study into the possibility of creating an electronic communications system that would enable Congress to continue its work after a terrorist attack or other emergency. The bill would require the National Academy of Sciences to research the feasibility and cost of such a system and the Librarian of Congress to identify constitutional or procedural obstacles that could arise. A report would have to be submitted within one year.
	H.R. 5013, Untitled Sponsor: George Gekas, R-Pa. Introduced: June 25, 2002 Committee: House Judiciary Description: H.R. aims to improve homeland security by restricting the immigration of terrorists and their supporters, drug traffickers, illegal aliens, human rights abusers or people who have engaged in identity fraud. The measure seeks to make forms of identification, including birth certificates, driver's licenses and Social Security cards, more secure by requiring immigrants who use the visa-waiver program to obtain passports with biometric identifiers.
	H.R. 5023, Dirty-Bomb Prevention Act Sponsor: Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass. Introduced: June 26, 2002 Committee: House Energy and Commerce Description: H.R. 5023 seeks to protect the nation from low-tech nuclear devices known as "dirty bombs" that could contaminate small areas if exploded. The bill would create a national system to track certain hazardous materials called "sealed sources" that are used to manufactures such bombs. The legislation also would require the National Academy of Sciences to research alternative technologies to sealed sources. A Senate companion bill, S. 2684, also was introduced.
	H.R. 5073, Immigration Security and Efficiency Enhancement Act Sponsor: Rep. Joe Baca, D-Calif. Introduced: July 9, 2002 Committee: House Judiciary Description: H.R. 5073 aims to streamline the immigration process by directing the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) to allow electronic submissions. The system would allow INS to avoid manual verifications of properly completed applications. The bill would not allow applicants to file by personal computer but instead would create certified intermediary organizations to help the applicants to submit forms. The legislation, introduced in response to INS failures such as granting student visas to terrorists, also would require the National Records Center to maintain a file of all completed immigration applications.
	H.R. 5135, Aviation Security Enhancement Act Sponsor: Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas Introduced: July 16, 2002 Committee: House Transportation and Infrastructure Description: H.R. 5135 would extend the Dec. 31, 2002, deadline for airports to install explosive-detection technology. The bill would give the Transportation Security Administration more time to determine industry deadlines for bomb-screening capability. An identical bill, S. 2735, also was introduced, and the idea of a deadline extension also has become a factor in the debate about creating a Homeland Security Department.
	H.R. 5164, Community Protection and Response Act Sponsor: Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y. Introduced: July 18, 2002 Committee: House Transportation and Infrastructure, Energy and Commerce Description: H.R. 5164 seeks to coordinate the federal response to a potential terrorist attacks. The measure would enable the president to establish an office to coordinate disaster assistance and appoint a director to lead recovery efforts. It also would authorize: grants to aid the collection of health data in the event of emergencies; reimbursements to state and local governments and schools for some costs; and as much as $5 million in disaster-related loans for communities.
	H.R. 5169, Wastewater Treatment Works Security Act Sponsor: Don Young, R-Alaska Introduced: July 22, 2002 Committee: House Transportation and Infrastructure Final Action: Passed by the House Description: H.R.5169 seeks to improve the security of wastewater treatment facilities. The bill would require officials assess the vulnerability of electronic, computer and other automated systems, among other things, at the facilities. The security of computer systems also would have to be upgraded.
	H.R. 5307, Law Enforcement Partnership to Combat Terrorism Act Sponsor: Rep. Jim Saxton, D-N.J. Introduced: July 26, 2002 Committee: House Judiciary Description: H.R. 5307 would give state and local intelligence officers access to federal funds offered through the Community Oriented Policing Services (http://www.usdoj.gov/cops/home.htm) (COPS) program. The bill would increase the number of law enforcement officers combating terrorism, and existing officers would be redeployed for the same task. Special training would be provided for at least one officer and analyst for each COPS grant recipient, and coordination among federal, state and local officials would be increased to ensure a concentrated, connected nationwide effort to combat terrorism.
	H.R. 5387, Federal Bureau of Investigation Reform Act Sponsor: Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich. Introduced: Sept. 17, 2002 Committee: House Judiciary, Government Reform Description: H.R. 5387 would overhaul the FBI, which plays a key anti-terrorism role. The bill would require the hiring of a security director at the agency, as well as other security jobs overseeing issues such as information systems security and counter-surveillance measures. The Justice Department's inspector general also would have to audit the FBI's technology and computer-security systems. And the measure would authorize $22.5 million over three years to help the department's Office of Intelligence Policy and Review enhance security at computer and telecommunications facilities and meet other anti-terrorism demands.
	H.R. 5441, Homeland Emergency Responders Organization Act Sponsor: Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla. Introduced: Sept. 24, 2002 Committee: House Transportation and Infrastructure Description: H.R 5441 would authorize federal grants to implement nationwide anti-terrorism programs. The bill would establish an Office of National Preparedness within the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which would issue the federal grants for interstate and intrastate anti-terrorism programs involving local "first responders" to emergencies. The programs would focus on mutual aid, planning, development and training exercises. Statewide emergency-notification capabilities would be established or upgraded. In addition, a Web site for first responders to share information on homeland security preparedness would be put online no later than one year after the office is established.
	H.R. 5461, Regional Comprehensive Emergency Preparedness, Coordination, and Recovery Act Sponsor: Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga. Introduced: Sept. 25, 2002 Committee: House Transportation and Infrastructure Description: H.R. 5461 would encourage the development of regional plans for emergency preparedness and coordination. Among other things, the plans would have to assess equipment needs, establish regional communication systems and create secure information repositories for officials to access. They also would have to include information on the location of communication facilities and other critical infrastructure. Computers and software would be required for securing the key resources and critical infrastructure outlined within the plans.
	H.R. 5671, Information Security Act Sponsor: Rep. Christopher John, D-La. Introduced: Oct. 16, 2002 Committee: House Government Reform Description: H.R. 5671 seeks to ensure the best possible security precautions within the proposed Homeland Security Department. The security measures would include a standards-based e-mail encryption system and a communications system that would support multiple platforms, among other things.
	H. Res. 481, Untitled Sponsor: Rep. Jim Ryun, R-Kan. Introduced: July 11, 2002 Committee: House Rules Description: H. Res. 481 would express the House's view that the chamber should have a permanent Homeland Security Committee to consolidate oversight of that issue. Currently, 14 committees and 25 subcommittees have jurisdiction over homeland security. The resolution calls for a new committee that would draw from the membership of the Armed Services, Energy and Commerce, Financial Services, Intelligence, Judiciary, Science, and Transportation and Infrastructure committees, as well as from the minority and majority leadership.

Senate

	S. 1429, Airport and Seaport Terrorism Prevention Act Sponsor: Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C. Introduced: Sept. 17, 2001 Committee: Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Description: S. 1429 seeks to improve security at airports and seaports. The bill would require airports to maximize the use of "non-intrusive" technologies to screen passengers, baggage and cargo. One goal would be to identify chemical, biological and other potentially hazardous substances. The measure also would require that air-traffic controllers and other personnel use biometric identifiers to access key areas. And it would authorize grants to foster the use of video cameras, biometric technology, X-rays and radiation monitors at seaports.
	S. 1447, Aviation Security Act Sponsor: Sen. Ernest (Fritz) Hollings, D-S.C. Introduced: Sept. 21, 2001 Committee: Not referred to committee Final Action: Signed into law (PL 107-71) Description: S. 1447 is an omnibus measure that seeks to improve airport security. Among other things, the bill would require airline officials to electronically transmit lists containing the names, birth dates and other information on all passengers and crew on each U.S. flight. It also seeks to ensure the adequacy of the computer-assisted passenger pre-screening system, and the measure would require airlines to use the most secure computer technology available. In addition, the Federal Aviation Administration would have to create pilot programs to test biometrics and other security technology. President Bush signed the legislation into law Nov. 19, 2001.
	S. 1448, Intelligence to Prevent Terrorism Act Sponsor: Sen. Bob Graham, D-Fla. Introduced: Sept. 21, 2001 Committee: Senate Intelligence Description: S. 1448 seeks to enhance the intelligence-gathering capabilities of the federal government in an attempt to prevent terrorism. The bill includes a section on electronic surveillance that would broaden the data-collection authority of foreign intelligence officials to put them on par with the authority of domestic law enforcement. It also would allow federal law enforcement agencies to share with the CIA any foreign intelligence they may gather during their own probes. President Bush signed the House companion measure, H.R. 2883, into law on Dec. 28, 2001.
	S. 1452, Untitled Sponsor: Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. Introduced: Sept. 21, 2001 Committee: Senate Judiciary Description: S. 1452 would require the attorney general and FBI director to give the State Department and the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) access to criminal history databases. The goal of the bill is to help the State Department and INS identify visa applicants who have criminal histories in an effort to prevent terrorism from abroad. It would require that the information be extracted from the larger crime databases and periodically updated for immigration use. A House companion measure, H.R. 2965, was introduced.
	S. 1473, Untitled Sponsor: Sen. Timothy Johnson, D-S.D. Introduced: Sept. 26, 2001 Committee: Not referred to committee Description: S. 1473 seeks to improve airport security by requiring that the workers who screen customers, baggage and cargo be federal employees. The bill also would authorize grants to help small airports buy better metal detectors, scanning equipment and other security devices. A similar House measure, H.R. 2951, was introduced.
	S. 1489, Untitled Sponsor: Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine Introduced: Oct. 3, 2001 Committee: Senate Judiciary Description: S. 1489 would require all federal law enforcement agencies and the intelligence community to share information on immigrants with the State Department. The bill, introduced after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks against the United States, seeks to prevent terrorists from receiving visas to enter the country legally. The bill would apply to the FBI, the CIA, the Immigration and Naturalization Service, the Customs Service and other agencies. Bill sponsor Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, introduced two related measures, S. 1490 and S. 1491, the same day.
	S. 1491, Untitled Sponsor: Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine Introduced: Oct. 3, 2001 Committee: Senate Judiciary Description: S. 1491 would authorize the creation of a fingerprint-processing system for immigrants. The bill, introduced after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks against the United States, would require foreign nationals to be fingerprinted before a visa could be issued, and the information would be stored in a database. The legislation seeks to build on a 1998 program that requires Mexicans who frequently cross the U.S.-Mexico border to carry cards with digital fingerprints. Bill sponsor Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, introduced two related measures, S. 1489 and S. 1490, the same day.
	S. 1509, NET COP Act Sponsor: Sen. John (Jay) Rockefeller, D-W.Va. Introduced: Oct. 4, 2001 Committee: Senate Judiciary Description: S. 1509, dubbed the NET COP Act, would authorize a Justice Department grant program designed to give rural police departments access to crime-fighting databases. The rural police agencies could use the money to buy computer equipment and pay for Internet access so they could access Justice's regional information-sharing systems and the FBI's Law Enforcement Online program. The money also could be used to reimburse police officers who used their own money to buy computers or Internet access. The bill also would require the attorney general to create a help desk that could respond to technological queries from rural police.
	S. 1510, Uniting and Strengthening America (USA) Act Sponsor: Sen. Thomas Daschle, D-S.D. Introduced: Oct. 4, 2001 Committee: Not referred to committee Final Action:Passed by the Senate Description: S. 1510 represents the Senate Democratic leadership's proposal for combating terrorism. The omnibus bill encompasses proposals for expanding the powers of law enforcement officials, preventing money laundering and securing the nation's borders, among other things. It would expand law enforcers' authority to tap telephones and intercept e-mail communications of suspected terrorists. The measure also would allow courts to grant the police search warrants for collecting electronic evidence nationwide. Other technology-related language within the legislation would: foster coordination among federal agencies such as the CIA and FBI that conduct electronic surveillance; require the Secret Service to create a network of task forces on electronic crime; authorize money for improving the technology of the Immigration and Naturalization Service and Customs Service; and create an electronic system for crosschecking visa applications with federal criminal records.
	S. 1534, Department of National Homeland Security Act Sponsor: Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn. Introduced: Oct. 11, 2001 Committee: Senate Governmental Affairs Description: S. 1534 would create the Cabinet-level National Homeland Security Department to coordinate government anti-terrorism efforts and prepare for natural and man-made emergencies. Under the bill, the president would nominate and the Senate would confirm the Homeland Security secretary. It also would transfer oversight of various agencies -- including the Critical Infrastructure Assurance Office, the National Infrastructure Protection Center, the Customs Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency -- to the new department. And an Office of Science and Technology would provide advice on research and development.
	S. 1593, Water Infrastructure Security and Research Development Act Sponsor: Sen. James Jeffords, I-Vt. Introduced: Oct. 30, 2001 Committee: Senate Environment and Public Works Description: S. 1593 authorize funds toward protecting computers and other critical infrastructure affiliated with the nation's water supply. The bill would authorize $12 million each year over the next six years to accomplish its goal. A House companion measure, H.R. 3178, also was introduced.
	S. 1615, Federal-Local Information Sharing Partnership Act Sponsor: Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. Introduced: Nov. 1, 2001 Committee: Senate Judiciary Description: S. 1615 would let federal agencies share information about terrorist threats with local police. The bill would expand the information-sharing concept codified in a 2001 anti-terrorism law that allows agencies such as the FBI and CIA to share intelligence information with each other. Neither S. 1615 nor its House companion measure, H.R. 3285, would require federal-local interaction, but they would allow federal agencies to share any terrorist-related information they intercept electronically or otherwise.
	S. 1618, Enhanced Border Security Act Sponsor: Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. Introduced: Nov. 1, 2001 Committee: Senate Judiciary Description: S. 1618 is an omnibus measure that seeks to enhance U.S. border security. The bill would require law enforcement and intelligence agencies to share information on potential terrorists with the State Department and Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). It also would use technology to track foreign students as they travel the nation, and to check immigrants' palm prints at airports and borders. And the measure would authorize the State Department to raise fees through the use of machine-readable visas and use the funds to improve technology at U.S. ports. Other technology-related provisions would: give more direction to the INS on establishing an automated exit/entry control system for foreign visitors; require airlines to electronically transmit to law enforcement the passenger and crew lists for all flights arriving in the United States; and fully implement the use of biometric border-crossing cards and the machines to read them. A House companion bill, H.R. 3205, and a related Senate measure, S. 1627, were introduced.
	S. 1627, Visa Entry Reform Act Sponsor: Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. Introduced: Nov. 1, 2001 Committee: Senate Judiciary Description: S. 1627 seeks to enhance U.S. border security. The bill would connect law enforcement with a centralized database, upgrade technologies used to prevent fraud and illegal entry by immigrants, and impose new restrictions on student visas to prevent misuse of the program. It also would require airlines to electronically transmit passenger and crew information to U.S. authorities so they could crosscheck the names against criminal databases. A House companion bill, H.R. 3229, also was introduced, as were competing measures, S. 1618 and H.R. 3205.
	S. 1733, Name Matching for Enforcement and Security Act Sponsor: Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C. Introduced: Nov. 27, 2001 Committee: Senate Judiciary Description: S. 1733 seeks to prevent the federal government from issuing visas to suspected terrorists and other criminals. The bill would require law enforcement and intelligence agencies to unify their databases so immigration officials could determine the admissibility of aliens. The database would have to have the ability to crosscheck names across the relevant databases and in no less than four languages deemed a high priority by top-level officials.
	S. 1735, Untitled Sponsor: Sen. Joseph Biden, D-N.J. Introduced: Nov. 27, 2001 Committee: Senate Armed Services Description: S. 1735 would establish a new federal panel whose mission would be to analyze threats to homeland security and propose a national strategy to address those threats. The National Commission on Threats to the Homeland and U.S. National Security would draw on the work of previous panels that analyzed national security threats, including one chaired by former Sens. Gary Hart and Warren Rudman and another one chaired by Virginia Gov. James Gilmore. The homeland security commission would consist of six experts in national security, law enforcement and public safety, and they would produce an interim report within six months and a final report on Sept. 11, 2002, the one-year anniversary of the deadliest terrorist attacks in U.S. history.
	S. 1737, Homeland Security Block Grant Act Sponsor: Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y. Introduced: Nov. 28, 2001 Committee: Senate Judiciary Description: S. 1737 would authorize block grants to local governments to help them improve security and public safety. Backed by groups like the U.S. Conference of Mayors and National Association of Police Organizations, the bill would authorize $3 billion in funding, with 70 percent going directly to more than 1,000 cities and counties. The remaining 30 percent would be sent to the states to distribute to smaller communities. The homeland security grants could be used to buy new equipment and technologies to improve communication, improve cyber security, and help communities coordinate timely information-sharing systems.
	S. 1747, Untitled Sponsor: Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa Introduced: Nov. 29, 2001 Committee: Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Description: S. 1747 seeks to protect Americans from the threat of bioterrorism. Among other things, the $4 billion authorization bill would: take steps to improve surveillance and the information-sharing capacity of agencies involved in combating bioterrorism; create a nationwide inventory and tracking system of hazardous pathogens such as anthrax and smallpox; and upgrade security at labs that handle pathogens. The measure also would expand the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Health Alert Network (http://www.phppo.cdc.gov/han/), whose mission includes full Internet connectivity for state and local health departments. In late October 2001, a commission headed by and named after Virginia Gov. James Gilmore recommended that the federal government provide enough funds to fully implement the network.
	S. 1749, Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act Sponsor: Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. Introduced: Nov. 30, 2001 Committee: Senate Judiciary Description: S. 1749 would create new restrictions on visa holders and mandate reforms in immigration agencies. The bill would authorize $150 million to improve INS technology, and bolster security and screening procedures at borders and U.S. ports. It also would mandate new requirements for tracking foreign students and creating identification systems, and it would require law enforcement and intelligence agencies to make their data systems interoperable. A House companion measure, H.R. 3525, was introduced, as were other similar measures, S. 1618, S. 1627 and H.R. 3205.
	S. 1765, Bioterrorism Preparedness Act Sponsor: Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn. Introduced: Dec. 4, 2001 Committee: Not referred to committee Description: S. 1765 seeks to improve the nation's ability to prepare for and respond to bioterrorism. Among other things, the comprehensive legislation would require the launch of a federal Internet site to provide the public, health professionals and others with information on bioterrorism. It also would enhance grant programs for state and local health agencies in an effort to get more of them to incorporate e-mail systems and high-speed Internet connections into their systems. Another bioterrorism bill, S. 1764, was introduced the same day.
	S. 1780, Federal Emergency Procurement Flexibility Act Sponsor: Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn. Introduced: Dec. 6, 2001 Committee: Senate Governmental Affairs Description: S. 1780 would give federal agencies purchasing flexibility when they are procuring property and services designed to defend against terrorism. The bill would streamline the procurement process when it involves buying technology or other goods for use in humanitarian or peacekeeping operations, or for preventing cyber attacks or other types of terrorism. The measure also would expand to all agencies the authority that allows the Defense Department to use approaches other than contracts to buy research and development for new technologies to fight terrorism. A House companion bill, H.R. 3426, was introduced the same day.
	S. 1788, Use NICS in Terrorist Investigations Act Sponsor: Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. Introduced: Dec. 7, 2001 Committee: Senate Judiciary Description: S. 1788 would give the FBI access to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System in an attempt to detect fraud and misuse of the system, and to protect its privacy and security. A House companion measure, H.R. 3494, also was introduced.
	S. 1867, Untitled Sponsor: Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn. Introduced: Dec. 20, 2001 Committee: Senate Governmental Affairs Description: S.1867 would establish a commission to investigate the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania. The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States would report to Congress and the president on the lessons that can be learned from the attacks. The 14-member panel would be divided evenly among Democrats and Republicans, consisting of four people appointed by the president and one each by the chairmen and ranking minority members of relevant congressional committees. The president would appoint the chairman. The commission would have to submit a report six months after its initial meeting and another a year later.
	S. 1901, Cyber Security Research and Education Act Sponsor: Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C. Introduced: Jan. 28, 2002 Committee: Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Description: S. 1901 would authorize federal programs aimed at "training the trainers" of cyber-security specialists. The bill would create a fellowship at the National Science Foundation that would provide loans to cover the tuition and living expenses for four years of study. Fellows would have those loans forgiven at 20 percent a year for each year after graduation that they teach cyber security at colleges. Another provision would authorize funds for college professors to study cyber security for one year at the Defense Department or at a university or other facility that specializes in the subject. Money also would be authorized for the colleges to hire temporary replacements for the professors on sabbatical and for grants to improve cyber-security infrastructure at the schools. Finally, the legislation would create a cyber-security training program at the National Security Agency. The bill is one of two cyber-security measures that Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., introduced the same day. The other measure is S. 1900.
	S. 1981, Enhanced Penalties for Enabling Terrorists Act Sponsor: Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif. Introduced: March 1, 2002 Committee: Senate Judiciary Final Action:Passed by the Senate Description: S. 1981 would increase the penalties for identification fraud connected to terrorism and bolster the training of airport personnel. The bill would require up to 25 years in jail for anyone who produces, transfers, possesses or uses a fake ID in connection with terrorism. The Senate passed the bill by voice vote April 18, 2002.
	S. 1989, National Cyber Security Defense Team Authorization Act Sponsor: Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. Introduced: March 5, 2002 Committee: Senate Judiciary Description: S. 1989 would create a cyber-security team of experts from the Commerce, Defense, Justice, State and Treasury departments, and the FBI and CIA. The president and his National Security Council would oversee the team, whose mission would be to determine areas of vulnerability in the government's electronic infrastructure for power, water, communications or other systems. The team would recommend ways for federal agencies to correct their cyber weaknesses.