PACTS Act
Latest action · Aug 3, 2007 Provisions of measure incorporated into Title XIX of H.R. 1, P.L. 110-53.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedFeb 7, 2007
- Passed HouseFeb 27, 2007
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)
Promoting Antiterrorism Cooperation through Technology and Science Act, or PACTS Act - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Under Secretary for Science and Technology of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish the Science and Technology Homeland Security International Cooperative Programs Office (the Office).
Provides for the Office to be headed by a Director, who: (1) shall be selected by and shall report to the Under Secretary; and (2) may be an officer of DHS serving in another position.
Requires the Director to: (1) develop, in consultation with the Department of State, understandings or agreements that allow and support international cooperative activity in support of homeland security research, development, and comparative testing; (2) develop, in coordination with the Directorate of Science and Technology, the other components of DHS, and other federal agencies, strategic priorities for such activity; and (3) facilitate the planning, development, and implementation of international cooperative activity to address such priorities.
Requires the Director to: (1) facilitate the matching of U.S. entities with non-U.S. entities that may partner in homeland security research activities; and (2) ensure that activities are coordinated with those of other relevant research agencies. Permits the Director to run projects jointly with other agencies.
Authorizes the Director to hold international homeland security technology workshops and conferences to improve contact among the international community of technology developers and to help establish direction for future technology goals.
Authorizes the Under Secretary to carry out international cooperative activities to support specified responsibilities of the Under Secretary, including through the award of grants and the entering into of cooperative agreements or contracts. Instructs the Under Secretary to ensure that funding and resources expended in international cooperative activities will be equitably matched by the foreign partner organization through direct funding or funding of complimentary activities, or through the provision of staff, facilities, materials, or equipment.
Permits the Under Secretary to make or accept loans of equipment for research and development and comparative testing purposes.
Authorizes the Under Secretary to conduct international cooperative activities jointly with other agencies.
Specifies that foreign partners may include: (1) Israel; (2) the United Kingdom; (3) Canada; (4) Australia; (5) Singapore; and (6) other allies in the global war on terrorism, as appropriate.
Authorizes the Under Secretary, in coordination with the Chief Medical Officer, as part of the international cooperative activities authorized by this Act, to facilitate the development of information sharing and other types of cooperative mechanisms with foreign countries, including African nations, to strengthen American preparedness against threats to the U.S's agricultural and public health sectors from exotic diseases.
Authorizes appropriations to the Secretary of DHS, which shall be derived from amounts otherwise authorized for the Directorate of Science and Technology, for FY2008-FY2011 for activities under this Act.
States that, whenever the Office participates in an international cooperative activity with a foreign country on a cost-sharing basis, any reimbursements or contributions received from that foreign country to meet its share of the project may be credited to appropriate current appropriations accounts of the Directorate of Science and Technology.
Requires the Under Secretary, acting through the Director, to transmit: (1) a specified report to Congress on such international cooperative activities; and (2) updates of such report every five years.
Recorded votes 1
Newest first. Open one to see how every member voted.
| Roll call | Question | Result | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| House 105 | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass | Passed396–16 | Feb 27, 2007 |
Cosponsors 22
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Feb 7, 2007 to Feb 27, 2007, with 13 there on the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-MS | Bennie G. Thompson | Original | Feb 7, 2007 |
| D-NJ | Bill Pascrell, Jr. | Original | Feb 7, 2007 |
| R-PA | Charles W. Dent | Original | Feb 7, 2007 |
| R-CT | Christopher Shays | Original | Feb 7, 2007 |
| R-TN | David Davis | Original | Feb 7, 2007 |
| R-WA | David G. Reichert | Original | Feb 7, 2007 |
| R-KY | Geoff Davis | Original | Feb 7, 2007 |
| D-RI | James R. Langevin | Original | Feb 7, 2007 |
| D-CA | Jane Harman | Original | Feb 7, 2007 |
| D-NY | Michael R. McNulty | Original | Feb 7, 2007 |
| R-TX | Michael T. McCaul | Original | Feb 7, 2007 |
| R-AL | Mike Rogers | Original | Feb 7, 2007 |
| D-TX | Sheila Jackson Lee | Original | Feb 7, 2007 |
| R-IN | Mark E. Souder | Feb 14, 2007 | |
| D-NY | Edolphus Towns | Feb 16, 2007 |
Actions 13
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Aug 3, 2007Provisions of measure incorporated into Title XIX of H.R. 1, P.L. 110-53.
- Feb 28, 2007Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- Feb 27, 2007At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
- Feb 27, 2007Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H1932-1933)
- Feb 27, 2007Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H1909-1914)
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Emergency Management.
- Africa
- Africa (Sub-Saharan)
- Agriculture and Food
- Animal diseases
- Animals
- Australia
- Biological warfare
- Canada
- Communicable diseases
- Communication in science
- Conferences
- Congressional reporting requirements
- Crime and Law Enforcement
- Department of Homeland Security
- East Asia
- Economics and Public Finance
- Education
- Emergency Management
- Engineers
- Europe
- Exchange of persons programs
- Executive reorganization
- Federal aid to education
- Federal aid to research
- Foreign Trade and International Finance
- Government Operations and Politics
- Health
- Higher education
- International Affairs
- International cooperation
- International cooperation in science
- Israel
- Joint ventures
- Laboratories
- Middle East and North Africa
- Oceania
- Plant diseases
- Public health
- Research and development
- Research and development facilities
- Research centers
- Research grants
- Science, Technology, Communications
- Scientific instruments and apparatus
- Scientists
- Singapore
- Technological innovations
- Technology transfer
- Terrorism
- United Kingdom
Text 3
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Feb 28, 2007Referred in Senate
- Feb 27, 2007Engrossed in House
- Feb 7, 2007Introduced in House
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov.
