S 1449 IS
107th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1449
To establish the National Office for Combatting Terrorism. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 21, 2001 Mr. GRAHAM (for himself, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. BAYH, Ms. MIKULSKI, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. NELSON of Florida, and Mr. ROCKEFELLER) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Governmental Affairs
A BILL
To establish the National Office for Combatting Terrorism. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. NATIONAL OFFICE FOR COMBATTING TERRORISM.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT- There is established within the Executive Office of the President an office to be known as the `National Office for Combatting Terrorism' (in this section referred to as the `Office').
(b) OFFICERS- (1) The head of the Office shall be the Director of the National Office for Combatting Terrorism, who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
(2) The President shall assign to the Office such other officers, if any, as the President, in consultation with the Director, considers appropriate to discharge the responsibilities of the Office.
(c) RESPONSIBILITIES- Subject to the direction and control of the President, the responsibilities of the Office shall include the following:
(1) To develop policies, goals, objectives, and priorities for the United States for the prevention of and response to terrorism.
(2) To develop a comprehensive strategy for the United States for the prevention of and response to terrorism to be known as the `National Terrorism Prevention and Response Strategy' (in this section referred to as the `Strategy').
(3) To coordinate, oversee, and evaluate the implementation and execution of the Strategy by the agencies of the Federal Government with responsibilities for terrorism prevention and response under the Strategy.
(4) To coordinate and oversee the programs and activities of State and local governments as part of the Strategy, including ensuring that mechanisms exist for communication and coordination in the event of a terrorist attack.
(5) To coordinate the development of a comprehensive annual budget for the programs and activities under the Strategy, including the budgets of the military departments and agencies within the National Foreign Intelligence Program relating to international terrorism, but excluding military programs, projects, or activities relating to force protection, and to review annually such annual budget and the budgets of such departments and agencies relating to international terrorism.
(6) To certify to the President whether or not the budget relating to terrorism of each agency of the Federal Government with responsibilities for terrorism prevention and response under the Strategy is consistent with the Strategy.
(7) To carry out any other responsibilities relating to development, coordination, and implementation of United States policy on terrorism that the President considers appropriate.
(d) RESOURCES- The President shall, in consultation with the Director, assign or allocate to the Office such resources, including funds, personnel, and other resources, as the President considers appropriate in order to facilitate the discharge of the responsibilities of the Office.
(e) OVERSIGHT BY CONGRESS- The location of the Office in the Executive Office of the President shall not be construed as affecting access by Congress, or any committee of Congress, to--
(1) any information, document, record, or paper in the possession of the Office or any study conducted by or at the direction of the Director; or
(2) any personnel of the Office.
(f) PAY OF DIRECTOR- Section 5312 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to the Director of National Drug Control Policy the following new item:
`Director of the National Office for Combatting Terrorism.'.
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