[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 659 Introduced in House (IH)]
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 659
To improve the programs of the Department of Homeland Security relating
to trained detection canines, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 24, 2007
Mr. Rogers of Alabama (for himself, Mr. Carney, Mr. King of New York,
and Mr. Thompson of Mississippi) introduced the following bill; which
was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To improve the programs of the Department of Homeland Security relating
to trained detection canines, and for other purposes.
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 ``Canine Detection Team Improvement
Act of 2007''.
SEC. 2. CANINE DETECTION TEAM IMPROVEMENT.
(a) In General.--The Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended--
(1) by redesignating the second title XVIII as title XIX;
and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``TITLE XX--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
``Subtitle A--Canine Detection Teams
``SEC. 2001. COORDINATION AND ENHANCEMENT OF CANINE DETECTION TEAM
TRAINING.
``The Secretary shall--
``(1) fully coordinate the canine training programs of the
Department, including the research and development of new
canine training methods, including the optimum number and type
of training aids and research on all measurements for
efficiency and effectiveness; and
``(2) ensure that the Department is maximizing its use of
existing training facilities and resources to train canines
throughout the year.
``SEC. 2002. CANINE PROCUREMENT.
``The Secretary shall--
``(1) make it a priority to increase the number of
domestically bred canines used by the Department to assist in
its counter-terrorism mission, including the protection of
ports of entry and along the United States border;
``(2) increase the utilization of domestically bred canines
from universities and private and nonprofit sources in the
United States; and
``(3) consult with other Federal, State, and local
agencies, nonprofit organizations, universities, and private
entities that use detection canines, such as those
participating in the Scientific Working Group on Dog and
Orthogonal Detector Guidelines (popularly known as `SWGDOG'),
as well as the Office of Management and Budget, to encourage
domestic breeding of canines and consolidate canine
procurement, where possible, across the Federal Government to
reduce the cost of purchasing canines.
``SEC. 2003. DOMESTIC CANINE BREEDING GRANT PROGRAM.
``(a) Establishment of Program.--The Secretary shall establish a
competitive grant program for domestic breeders of canines. The purpose
of the grant program shall be to encourage the development and growth
of targeted breeding programs that are best suited for breeding canines
for detection purposes within the United States.
``(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $3,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2008 through 2012.
``SEC. 2004. HOMELAND SECURITY CANINE DETECTION ACCREDITATION BOARD.
``(a) Establishment of Accreditation Board.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date
on which the national voluntary consensus standards referred to
in subsection (b)(1) are issued, the Secretary, in consultation
with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of State, and the
Attorney General, shall establish a Homeland Security Canine
Detection Accreditation Board to develop and implement a
process for certifying compliance with such standards.
``(2) Membership.--The membership of the Accreditation
Board shall consist of experts in the fields of canine training
and explosives detection from Federal and State agencies,
universities, other research institutions, and the private
sector, such as those represented on the Executive Board of
SWGDOG.
``(b) Accreditation Process.--The Accreditation Board shall
establish and implement a voluntary accreditation process to--
``(1) certify that persons conducting certification of
canine detection teams appropriately ensure that the canine
detection teams meet the national voluntary consensus standards
for canines, handlers, and trainers developed by SWGDOG;
``(2) ensure that canine detection teams do not put public
safety and the safety of law enforcement personnel at risk due
to fraud or weaknesses in the initial or maintenance training
curriculum; and
``(3) maintain and update a public list of entities
accredited by the Department to certify canine detection teams.
``(c) Compliance With Standards.--Beginning not later than the date
that is 180 days after the date on which the standards referred to in
subsection (b)(1) are issued, the Secretary shall require that grant
funds administered by the Department may not be used to acquire a
canine detection team unless--
``(1) the canine detection team is certified under the
process established under subsection (b); or
``(2) the Secretary determines that the applicant has shown
special circumstances that justify the acquisition of canines
that are not certified under the process established under
subsection (b).
``SEC. 2005. DEFINITIONS.
``In this subtitle:
``(1) Canine detection team.--The term `canine detection
team' means a canine and a canine handler.
``(2) Certifying entity.--The term `certifying entity'
means an entity that oversees the processes and procedures used
to train and test canine detection teams.
``(3) SWGDOG.--The term `SWGDOG' means the Scientific
Working Group on Dog and Orthogonal Detector Guidelines.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections in section 1(b) of
such Act is amended by striking the items relating to the second title
XVIII and adding at the end the following:
``TITLE XIX--DOMESTIC NUCLEAR DETECTION OFFICE
``Sec. 1901. Domestic Nuclear Detection Office.
``Sec. 1902. Mission of Office.
``Sec. 1903. Hiring authority.
``Sec. 1904. Testing authority.
``Sec. 1905. Relationship to other Department entities and Federal
agencies.
``Sec. 1906. Contracting and grant making authorities.
``TITLE XX--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
``Subtitle A--Canine Detection Teams
``Sec. 2001. Coordination and enhancement of canine detection team
training.
``Sec. 2002. Canine procurement.
``Sec. 2003. Domestic canine breeding grant program.
``Sec. 2004. Homeland Security Canine Detection Accreditation Board.
``Sec. 2005. Definitions.''.
(c) Report.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall report
to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives
and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the
Senate on the plan of the Secretary to coordinate and consolidate the
canine training and related programs of the Department of Homeland
Security in accordance with section 2001 of the Homeland Security Act
of 2002, as added by subsection (a).
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