First Responder Access to Innovative Technologies Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3254) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish a process to review applications for certain grants to purchase equipment or systems that do not meet or exceed any applicable national voluntary consensus standards, and for other purposes.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 3254

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``First Responder Access to Innovative Technologies Act''. SEC. 2. APPROVAL OF CERTAIN EQUIPMENT.

(a) In General.--Section 2008 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 609) is amended--

(1) in subsection (f)--

(A) by striking ``If an applicant'' and inserting the following:

``(1) Application requirement.--If an applicant''; and

(B) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:

``(2) Review process.--The Administrator shall implement a uniform process for reviewing applications that, in accordance with paragraph (1), contain explanations to use grants provided under section 2003 or 2004 to purchase equipment or systems that do not meet or exceed any applicable national voluntary consensus standards developed under section 647 of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 (6 U.S.C. 747).

``(3) Factors.--In carrying out the review process under paragraph (2), the Administrator shall consider the following:

``(A) Current or past use of proposed equipment or systems by Federal agencies or the Armed Forces.

``(B) The absence of a national voluntary consensus standard for such equipment or systems.

``(C) The existence of an international consensus standard for such equipment or systems, and whether such equipment or systems meets such standard.

``(D) The nature of the capability gap identified by the applicant and how such equipment or systems will address such gap.

``(E) 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.

``(F) Any other factor determined appropriate by the Administrator.''; and

(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:

``(g) Review Process.--The Administrator shall implement a uniform process for reviewing applications to use grants provided under section 2003 or 2004 to purchase equipment or systems not included on the Authorized Equipment List maintained by the Administrator.''.

(b) Inspector General Report.--Not later than three years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report assessing the implementation of the review process established under paragraph (2) of subsection (f) of section 2008 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (as added by subsection (a) of this section), including information on the following:

(1) The number of requests to purchase equipment or systems that do not meet or exceed any applicable consensus standard evaluated under such review process.

(2) The capability gaps identified by applicants and the number of such requests granted or denied.

(3) The processing time for the review of such requests.

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Mr. GUEST. 3254.

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Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3254, the First Responder Access to Innovative Technologies Act. It is a great piece of commonsense legislation that will put in place a better process for our first responders to access FEMA grants to purchase new equipment.

I commend my colleague across the aisle, Mr. Payne, for his work on this legislation and supporting first responders. H.R. 3254 passed unanimously out of committee in May, and I urge my colleagues to support its final passage on the floor today.
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Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues in both the House and the Senate to support this legislation, H.R. 3254, which would support our first responders, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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