§ 195c — Promoting Antiterrorism Through International Cooperation Program

(a) In this section: (1) The term “Director” means the Director selected under subsection (b)(2). (2) The term “international cooperative activity” includes— (A) coordinated research projects, joint research projects, or joint ventures; (B) joint studies or technical demonstrations; (C) coordinated field exercises, scientific seminars, conferences, symposia, and workshops; (D) training of scientists and engineers; (E) visits and exchanges of scientists, engineers, or other appropriate personnel; (F) exchanges or sharing of scientific and technological information; and (G) joint use of laboratory facilities and equipment. (1) The Under Secretary shall establish the Science and Technology Homeland Security International Cooperative Programs Office. (2) The Office shall be headed by a Director, who— (A) shall be selected, in consultation with the Assistant Secretary for International Affairs, by and shall report to the Under Secretary; and (B) may be an officer of the Department serving in another position. (A) The Director shall be responsible for developing, in coordination with the Department of State and, as appropriate, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and other Federal agencies, understandings and agreements to allow and to support international cooperative activity in support of homeland security. (B) The Director shall be responsible for developing, in coordination with the Office of International Affairs and other Federal agencies, strategic priorities for international cooperative activity for the Department in support of homeland security. (C) The Director shall facilitate the planning, development, and implementation of international cooperative activity to address the strategic priorities developed under subparagraph (B) through mechanisms the Under Secretary considers appropriate, including grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts to or with foreign public or private entities, governmental organizations, businesses (including small businesses and socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses (as those terms are defined in sections 632 and 637 of title 15, respectively)), federally funded research and development centers, and universities. (D) The Director shall facilitate the matching of United States entities engaged in homeland security research with non-United States entities engaged in homeland security research so that they may partner in homeland security research activities. (4) The Director shall ensure that the activities under this subsection are coordinated with the Office of International Affairs and the Department of State and, as appropriate, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and other relevant Federal agencies or interagency bodies. The Director may enter into joint activities with other Federal agencies. (A) The Director shall ensure that funding and resources expended in international cooperative activity will be equitably matched by the foreign partner government or other entity through direct funding, funding of complementary activities, or the provision of staff, facilities, material, or equipment. (i) The Secretary may require a recipient of a grant under this section— (I) to make a matching contribution of not more than 50 percent of the total cost of the proposed project for which the grant is awarded; and (II) to repay to the Secretary the amount of the grant (or a portion thereof), interest on such amount at an appropriate rate, and such charges for administration of the grant as the Secretary determines appropriate. (ii) The Secretary may not require that repayment under clause (i)(II) be more than 150 percent of the amount of the grant, adjusted for inflation on the basis of the Consumer Price Index. (2) Partners may include Israel, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Singapore, and other allies in the global war on terrorism as determined to be appropriate by the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of State. (3) The Director may make or accept loans of equipment for research and development and comparative testing purposes. (d) If the Science and Technology Homeland Security International Cooperative Programs Office participates in an international cooperative activity with a foreign partner on a cost-sharing basis, any reimbursements or contributions received from that foreign partner to meet its share of the project may be credited to appropriate current appropriations accounts of the Directorate of Science and Technology. (e) Not later than one year after August 3, 2007, and every 5 years thereafter, the Under Secretary, acting through the Director, shall submit to Congress a report containing— (1) a brief description of each grant, cooperative agreement, or contract made or entered into under subsection (b)(3)(C), including the participants, goals, and amount and sources of funding; (2) (3) for international cooperative activities identified in the previous reporting period, a status update on the progress of such activities, including whether goals were realized, explaining any lessons learned, and evaluating overall success; and (4) a discussion of obstacles encountered in the course of forming, executing, or implementing agreements for international cooperative activities, including administrative, legal, or diplomatic challenges or resource constraints. (f) As part of the international cooperative activities authorized in this section, the Under Secretary, in coordination with the Assistant Secretary for the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office, the Department of State, and appropriate officials of the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Health and Human Services, may enter into cooperative activities with foreign countries, including African nations, to strengthen American preparedness against foreign animal and zoonotic diseases overseas that could harm the Nation’s agricultural and public health sectors if they were to reach the United States. (g) As part of the international cooperative activities authorized in this section, the Under Secretary, in coordination with the Department of State and appropriate Federal officials, may enter into cooperative research activities with Israel to strengthen preparedness against cyber threats and enhance capabilities in cybersecurity. (h) Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter or affect the following provisions of law: (1) Title V of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 1979 (22 U.S.C. 2656a et seq.). (2) Section 112b(g) of title 1. (3) Section 2651a(e)(2) of title 22. (4) Sections 2752 and 2767 of title 22. (5) Section 2382(c) of title 22. (i) There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as are necessary.