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Bill115th CongressFiled Jan 24, 2017Emergency Management
H.R. 687

First Responder Access to Innovative Technologies Act

Bill journey · stage 2 of 5

Under committee review

Filed
Comm.
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Law

What it doesSummary passed house without amendment (Jan 31, 2017)

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

First Responder Access to Innovative Technologies Act

(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to implement a uniform process for reviewing applications that contain explanations to use grants provided under the Urban Area Security Initiative or the State Homeland Security Grant Program to purchase equipment or systems that do not meet or exceed any applicable national voluntary consensus standards developed under the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006.

FEMA must consider:

  • current or past use of proposed equipment or systems by federal agencies or the Armed Forces;
  • the absence of a national voluntary consensus standard for such equipment or systems;
  • the existence of an international consensus standard for such equipment or systems and whether such equipment or systems meets such standard;
  • the nature of the capability gap identified by the applicant and how such equipment or systems will address such gap; and
  • the degree to which such equipment or systems will serve the needs of the applicant better than equipment or systems that meet or exceed existing consensus standards.

FEMA shall implement a uniform process for reviewing applications to use such grants to purchase equipment or systems not included on the Authorized Equipment List maintained by FEMA.

The Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security shall submit to specified congressional committees a report assessing the implementation of such review process, including information on the number of requests to purchase equipment or systems that do not meet or exceed any applicable consensus standard, the capability gaps identified by applicants, the number of such requests granted and denied, and the processing time for the review of such requests.

What just happenedFeb 1, 2017

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Who’s behind it

Rep. Payne, Donald M., Jr. [D-NJ-10](D-NJ)Sponsor
4 cosponsors2 D2 R
Read on Congress.gov
4cosponsors2committees10actions1related bills5subjects
  1. Feb 1, 2017IntroReferral

    Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

    Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
  2. Jan 31, 2017FloorH38310

    Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

  3. Jan 31, 2017FloorH37300

    On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H792)

  4. Jan 31, 2017Floor8000

    Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H792)

  5. Jan 31, 2017FloorH8D000

    DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 687.

  6. Jan 31, 2017FloorH30000

    Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H792-793)

  7. Jan 31, 2017FloorH30300

    Mr. Donovan moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

  8. Jan 24, 2017IntroReferralH11100

    Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.

    Homeland Security Committee
  9. Jan 24, 2017IntroReferralIntro-H

    Introduced in House

  10. Jan 24, 2017IntroReferral1000

    Introduced in House

Passed House without amendmentJan 31, 201781

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

First Responder Access to Innovative Technologies Act

(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to implement a uniform process for reviewing applications that contain explanations to use grants provided under the Urban Area Security Initiative or the State Homeland Security Grant Program to purchase equipment or systems that do not meet or exceed any applicable national voluntary consensus standards developed under the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006.

FEMA must consider:

  • current or past use of proposed equipment or systems by federal agencies or the Armed Forces;
  • the absence of a national voluntary consensus standard for such equipment or systems;
  • the existence of an international consensus standard for such equipment or systems and whether such equipment or systems meets such standard;
  • the nature of the capability gap identified by the applicant and how such equipment or systems will address such gap; and
  • the degree to which such equipment or systems will serve the needs of the applicant better than equipment or systems that meet or exceed existing consensus standards.

FEMA shall implement a uniform process for reviewing applications to use such grants to purchase equipment or systems not included on the Authorized Equipment List maintained by FEMA.

The Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security shall submit to specified congressional committees a report assessing the implementation of such review process, including information on the number of requests to purchase equipment or systems that do not meet or exceed any applicable consensus standard, the capability gaps identified by applicants, the number of such requests granted and denied, and the processing time for the review of such requests.

Introduced in HouseJan 24, 2017

First Responder Access to Innovative Technologies Act

This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to implement a uniform process for reviewing applications that contain explanations to use grants provided under the Urban Area Security Initiative or the State Homeland Security Grant Program to purchase equipment or systems that do not meet or exceed any applicable national voluntary consensus standards developed under the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006.

FEMA must consider:

  • current or past use of proposed equipment or systems by federal agencies or the Armed Forces;
  • the absence of a national voluntary consensus standard for such equipment or systems;
  • the existence of an international consensus standard for such equipment or systems and whether such equipment or systems meets such standard;
  • the nature of the capability gap identified by the applicant and how such equipment or systems will address such gap; and
  • the degree to which such equipment or systems will serve the needs of the applicant better than equipment or systems that meet or exceed existing consensus standards.

FEMA shall implement a uniform process for reviewing applications to use such grants to purchase equipment or systems not included on the Authorized Equipment List maintained by FEMA.

The Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security shall submit to specified congressional committees a report assessing the implementation of such review process, including information on the number of requests to purchase equipment or systems that do not meet or exceed any applicable consensus standard, the capability gaps identified by applicants, the number of such requests granted and denied, and the processing time for the review of such requests.

First Responder Access to Innovative Technologies Act — Informed