Sen. Gary C. Peters

This act repeals a provision of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 that requires the Department of Homeland Security to promulgate regulations to minimize the excessive use by contractors of subcontractors or tiers of subcontractors to perform the principal work of any contract for facilitating response to or recovery from a natural or man-made disaster.

Saving Money and Accelerating Repairs Through Leasing Act or the SMART Leasing Act This bill authorizes the General Services Administration (GSA) to establish a pilot program that allows federal agencies to lease underutilized properties with GSA approval and to use the rent payments to help fund capital projects and facilities maintenance. The GSA may not enter into a lease under the pilot program unless it certifies that the lease will not have a negative impact on its mission or that of the applicable federal agency. The bill provides for a maximum of six leases under the program during each fiscal year, with a term of up to 15 years.

Protecting Firefighters from Adverse Substances Act or the PFAS Act This act requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop guidance for firefighters and other emergency response personnel on training, education programs, and best practices to protect them from exposure to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly referred to as PFASs, from firefighting foam and to prevent the release of PFASs into the environment. These substances are man-made and may have adverse human health effects. A variety of products contain the compounds, such as nonstick cookware or weatherproof clothing. DHS shall make available a curriculum designed to reduce and eliminate exposure to PFAS from firefighting foam and personal protective equipment (PPE); prevent the release of PFAS from firefighting foam into the environment; and educate firefighters and other emergency response personnel on foams and non-foam alternatives, PPE, and other firefighting tools and equipment that do not contain PFAS. The U.S. Fire Administration shall make recommendations to DHS as to the content of the curriculum. DHS must create an online public repository on tools and best practices to reduce, limit, and prevent the release of and exposure to PFASs.

Data Mapping to Save Moms' Lives Act This act directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to include data on maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity in its broadband health mapping tool. This is an online platform that allows users to visualize, overlay, and analyze broadband and health data at national, state, and county levels. The FCC must consult with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding the data to incorporate into the tool.

This bill authorizes the Science and Technology Directorate to extend, during FY2023 and under certain circumstances, liability protections that apply if qualified anti-terrorism technologies are deployed in defense against, in response to, or for recovery from an act of terrorism.

Securing Open Source Software Act of 2022 This bill sets forth the duties of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) regarding open source software security. Open source software means software for which the human-readable source code is made available to the public for use, study, re-use, modification, enhancement, and re-distribution. Specifically, CISA must perform outreach and engagement to bolster the security of open source software; support federal efforts to strengthen the security of such software; coordinate with nonfederal entities on efforts to ensure the long-term security of such software; serve as a public point of contact regarding the security of such software for nonfederal entities; and support federal and nonfederal supply chain security efforts by encouraging efforts to bolster open source software security. CISA must (1) publicly publish a framework, incorporating government, industry, and open source software community frameworks and best practices, for assessing the risk of open source software components; and (2) update the framework at least annually. The bill provides for a critical infrastructure assessment study and pilot assessment. CISA's Cybersecurity Advisory Committee may establish a software security subcommittee, including open source software security. The Office of Management and Budget, in coordination with CISA, the Office of the National Cyber Director, and the General Services Administration, shall issue guidance on the responsibilities of the chief information officers at specified agencies regarding open source software.

Safeguarding the Homeland from the Threats Posed by Unmanned Aircraft Systems Act of 2022 This bill provides statutory authority for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to authorize their personnel to act to detect, identify, monitor, track, and mitigate a credible threat that an unmanned aircraft system (i.e., drone) poses to the safety or security of certain facilities or assets. For example, DHS and DOJ may carry out a pilot program to evaluate the potential benefits of state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies taking actions to mitigate credible unmanned aircraft system threats. Additionally, DHS and DOJ must coordinate with the Federal Aviation Administration before carrying out any action authorized by the bill to ensure the action does not adversely impact or interfere with safe airport operations, navigation, air traffic services, or the safe and efficient operation of the national airspace system.

Offices of Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction and Health Security Act of 2022 This bill reauthorizes the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) office in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and provides statutory authority for a new Office of Health Security. The CWMD office shall perform duties to coordinate and guide DHS efforts to counter weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear and other related emerging threats. The Office of Health Security shall have the responsibility for oversight of all medical, public health, and workforce safety matters of DHS.

Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2021 This bill addresses federal information security management, notification and remediation of cybersecurity incidents. For example, the bill requires (1) the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to perform ongoing and continuous assessments of federal information security risk posture; and (2) federal agencies to take certain actions in response to information security breaches, such as notifying affected individuals.

Domains Critical to Homeland Security Act This bill authorizes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to conduct research and development to identify U.S. critical domains for economic and homeland security and evaluate the extent to which disruption, corruption, exploitation, or dysfunction of any such domain poses a substantial threat to homeland security. The bill defines United States critical domains for economic security as the critical infrastructure and other associated industries, technologies, and intellectual property, or any combination thereof, that are essential to U.S. economic security. DHS may conduct additional research into high-risk critical domains under specified circumstances.