Short title

This Act may be cited as the

Domestic Explosives Detection Canine Capacity Building Act of 2017

Definitions

In this Act: (1)

Behavioral standards

The term behavioral standards means standards for the evaluation of explosives detection working canines for certain factors, including canine temperament, work drive, suitability for training, environmental factors used in evaluations, and canine familiarity with natural or man-made surfaces or working conditions relevant to the canine’s expected work area. (2)

Medical standards

The term medical standards means standards for the evaluation of explosives detection working canines for certain factors, including canine health, management of heredity health conditions, breeding practices, genetics, pedigree, and long-term health tracking. (3)

Technical standards

The term technical standards means standards for the evaluation of explosives detection working canines for certain factors, including canine search techniques, handler-canine communication, detection testing conditions and logistics, and learned explosive odor libraries.

Domestic capacity development

(a)

In general

Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration, shall establish a working group to determine ways to develop a decentralized domestic canine breeding network to produce high quality explosives detection canines and modernize canine training standards. (b)

Working group composition

The working group established under subsection (a) shall be comprised of representatives from the following: (1)The Transportation Security Administration. (2)The Science and Technology Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security. (3)National domestic canine associations with expertise in breeding and pedigree. (4)Universities with expertise related to explosives detection canines and canine breeding. (5)Domestic canine breeders and vendors. (c)

Preliminary standards and recommendations

Not later than 180 days after the establishment of the working group under subsection (a), such working group shall submit to the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration preliminary behavioral standards, medical standards, and technical standards for the domestic canine breeding network and canine training described in such subsection, including recommendations on how the Transportation Security Administration can engage stakeholders to further the development of such network and training. (d)

Strategy

Not later than 180 days after submission of recommendations to the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration under subsection (c), the Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a strategy for expanding the domestic canine breeding network described in subsection (a), based on such recommendations.

Acquiring baseline capacity

(a)

In general

Not later than 270 days after the submission of recommendations to the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration under section 3, the Administrator shall issue baseline behavioral standards for explosives detection canines. (b)

Standards

The baseline behavioral standards issued pursuant to subsection (a), and the preliminary medical standards and technical standards issued pursuant to section 3, shall be incorporated into all statements of work for the Transportation Security Administration explosive detection canine contracts and reflect the detection capabilities required to effectively mitigate terrorist threats. Such standards may be revised by the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration, as necessary.

Nonapplicability of Federal Advisory Committee Act

The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the working group established under this Act.