[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4488 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 638
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4488
[Report No. 117-254]
To establish an interagency committee on global catastrophic risk, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 23, 2022
Mr. Portman (for himself, Mr. Peters, Mr. Cornyn, and Ms. Hassan)
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
December 13, 2022
Reported by Mr. Peters, with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish an interagency committee on global catastrophic risk, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``Global Catastrophic Risk
Management Act of 2022''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.</DELETED>
<DELETED> In this Act:</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) Basic need.--The term ``basic need''--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) means any good, service, or activity
necessary to protect the health, safety, and general
welfare of the civilian population of the United
States; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) includes--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (i) food;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (ii) water;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (iii) shelter;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (iv) basic communication services;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (v) public safety.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Catastrophic incident.--The term
``catastrophic incident'' means an incident, whether caused by
human or natural events, in which multiple levels of United
States critical infrastructure are destroyed, damaged or
interrupted in sufficient magnitude to threaten the health,
safety, or general welfare of the civilian population of the
United States.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) Committee.--The term ``committee'' means the
interagency committee on global catastrophic risk established
under section 3.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) Critical infrastructure.--The term ``critical
infrastructure'' has the meaning given the term in section
1016(e) of the Critical Infrastructure Protection Act of 2001
(42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)).</DELETED>
<DELETED> (5) Existential risk.--The term ``existential
risk'' means the risk of human extinction.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (6) Global catastrophic risk.--The term ``global
catastrophic risk'' means the risk of events or incidents
consequential enough to significantly harm, set back, or
destroy human civilization at the global scale.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (7) Global catastrophic and existential threats.--
The term ``global catastrophic and existential threats'' means
those threats that with varying likelihood can produce
consequences severe enough to result in significant harm or
destruction of human civilization at the global scale, or lead
to human extinction. Examples of global catastrophic and
existential threats include severe global pandemics, nuclear
war, asteroid and comet impacts, supervolcanoes, sudden and
severe changes to the climate, and intentional or accidental
threats arising from the use and development of emerging
technologies.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (8) National exercise.--The term ``national
exercise'' means a national exercise described in section
648(b) of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of
2006 (6 U.S.C. 748(b)).</DELETED>
<DELETED> (9) Tribal government.--The term ``Tribal
government'' means the recognized governing body of any Indian
or Alaska Native Tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village,
community, component band, or component reservation, that is
individually identified (including parenthetically) in the most
recent list published pursuant to section 104 of the Federally
Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C.
5131).</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 3. INTERAGENCY COMMITTEE ON GLOBAL CATASTROPHIC
RISK.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) Establishment.--Not later than 90 days after the date
of enactment of this Act, the President shall establish an interagency
committee on global catastrophic risk.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Membership.--The committee shall include senior
representatives of--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) the Assistant to the President for National
Security Affairs;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) the Director of the Office of Science and
Technology Policy;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) the Director of National Intelligence and the
Director of the National Intelligence Council;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) the Secretary of Homeland Security and the
Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management
Agency;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (5) the Secretary of State and the Under Secretary
of State for Arms Control and International Security;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (6) the Attorney General and the Director of the
Federal Bureau of Investigation;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (7) the Secretary of Energy, the Under Secretary
of Energy for Nuclear Security, and the Director of
Science;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (8) the Secretary of Health and Human Services and
the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and
Response;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (9) the Secretary of Commerce, the Under Secretary
of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, and the Under Secretary
of Commerce for Standards and Technology;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (10) the Secretary of the Interior and the
Director of the United States Geological Survey;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (11) the Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (12) the Administrator of the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (13) the Director of the National Science
Foundation;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (14) the Secretary of the Treasury;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (15) the Chair of the Board of Governors of the
Federal Reserve System;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (16) the Secretary of Defense; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (17) other stakeholders the President determines
appropriate.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (c) Chairmanship.--The committee shall be co-chaired by a
senior representative of the President and the Deputy Administrator of
the Federal Emergency Management Agency for Resilience.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 4. REPORT REQUIRED.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the President, with support from the committee,
shall conduct and submit to Congress a detailed assessment of global
catastrophic and existential risk.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Matters Covered.--The report required under subsection
(a) shall include--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) expert estimates of cumulative global
catastrophic and existential risk in the next 30 years,
including separate estimates for the likelihood of occurrence
and potential consequences;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) expert-informed analyses of the risk of the
most concerning specific global catastrophic and existential
threats, including separate estimates, where reasonably
feasible and credible, of each threat for its likelihood of
occurrence and its potential consequences, as well as
associated uncertainties;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) a comprehensive list of potential catastrophic
or existential threats, including even those that may have very
low likelihood;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) technical assessments and lay explanations of
the analyzed global catastrophic and existential risks,
including their qualitative character and key factors affecting
their likelihood of occurrence and potential
consequences;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (5) an explanation of any factors that limit the
ability of the President to assess the risk both cumulatively
and for particular threats, and how those limitations may be
overcome through future research or with additional resources,
programs, or authorities;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (6) a review of the effectiveness of intelligence
collection, early warning and detection systems, or other
functions and programs necessary to evaluate the risk of
particular global catastrophic and existential threats, if any
exist and as applicable for particular threats;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (7) a forecast of if and why global catastrophic
and existential risk is likely to increase or decrease
significantly in the next 30 years, both qualitatively and
quantitatively, as well as a description of associated
uncertainties;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (8) proposals for how the Federal Government may
more adequately assess global catastrophic and existential risk
on an ongoing basis in future years;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (9) recommendations for legislative actions, as
appropriate, to support the evaluation and assessment of global
catastrophic and existential risk; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (10) other matters deemed appropriate by the
President.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (c) Consultation Requirement.--In producing the report
required under subsection (a), the President shall regularly consult
with experts on global catastrophic and existential risks, including
from non-governmental, academic, and private sector
institutions.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (d) Form.--The report required under subsection (a) shall
be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified
annex.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 5. REPORT ON CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS AND CONTINUITY OF
GOVERNMENT PLANNING.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the
submission of the report required under section 4, the President shall
produce a report on the adequacy of continuity of operations and
continuity of government plans based on the assessed global
catastrophic and existential risk.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Matters Covered.--The report required under subsection
(a) shall include--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) a detailed assessment of the ability of
continuity of government and continuity of operations plans and
programs, as defined by Executive Order 13961, Presidential
Policy Directive-40, or successor policies, to maintain
national essential functions following global catastrophes,
both cumulatively and for particular threats;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) an assessment of the need to revise Executive
Order 13961, Presidential Policy Directive-40, or successor
policies to account for global catastrophic and existential
risk cumulatively or for particular threats;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) a budget proposal for continuity of government
and continuity of operations programs necessary to adequately
maintain national essential functions during global
catastrophes;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) recommendations for legislative actions
necessary to improve continuity of government and continuity of
operations plans and programs; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (5) other matters deemed appropriate by the co-
chairs.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (c) Form.--The report required under subsection (a) shall
be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified
annex.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 6. STRATEGY TO ENSURE THE HEALTH, SAFETY, AND GENERAL
WELFARE OF THE CIVILIAN POPULATION OF THE UNITED
STATES.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the President, with support from the committee,
shall develop and submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a
strategy to--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) provide for the basic needs of the civilian
population of the United States that is impacted by
catastrophic incidents in the United States;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) coordinate response efforts with State and
local governments, the private sector, and nonprofit relief
organizations;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) promote personal and local readiness and non-
reliance on government relief during periods of heightened
tension or after catastrophic incidents; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) develop international partnerships with allied
nations for the provision of relief services and
goods.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Elements of the Strategy.--The strategy developed
under subsection (a) shall include a description of--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) actions the President will take to ensure the
basic needs of the civilian population of the United States in
a catastrophic incident are met;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) how the President will coordinate with non-
Federal entities to multiply resources and enhance relief
capabilities, including--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) State and local governments;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) Tribal governments;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) State disaster relief
agencies;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (D) State and local disaster relief
managers;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (E) State National Guards;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (F) law enforcement and first response
entities; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (G) nonprofit relief services;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) actions the President will take to enhance
individual resiliency to the effects of a catastrophic
incident, which actions shall include--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) readiness alerts to the public during
periods of elevated threat;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) efforts to enhance domestic supply and
availability of critical goods and basic necessities;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) information campaigns to ensure the
public is aware of response plans and services that
will be activated when necessary;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) efforts the President will undertake and
agreements the President will seek with international allies to
enhance the readiness of the United States to provide for the
general welfare;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (5) how the strategic plan will be implemented
should multiple levels of critical infrastructure be destroyed
or taken offline entirely for an extended period of
time;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (6) how the strategic plan will be made
operational within the larger response strategy of the United
States; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (7) the authorities the President would implicate
in responding to a catastrophic incident.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (c) Assumptions.--In designing the strategy under
subsection (a), the President shall account for certain factors to make
the strategy operationally viable, including the assumption that--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) multiple levels of critical infrastructure
have been taken offline or destroyed by catastrophic incidents
or the effects of catastrophic incidents;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) impacted sectors include--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) the transportation sector;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) the communication sector;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) the energy sector;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (D) the healthcare and public health
sector;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (E) the water and wastewater sector;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (F) the financial sector;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) State and local governments have been equally
affected or made largely inoperable by catastrophic incidents
or the effects of catastrophic incidents;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) the emergency has exceeded the response
capabilities of State and local governments under the Robert T.
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42
U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) and other relevant disaster response laws;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (5) the United States military is sufficiently
engaged in armed or cyber conflict with State or non-State
adversaries, or is otherwise unable to augment domestic
response capabilities in a significant manner due to a
catastrophic incident.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (d) Existing Plans.--The President may incorporate
existing contingency plans in the strategy developed under subsection
(a) so long as those contingency plans are amended to be operational in
accordance with the requirements under this section.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (e) Availability.--The strategy developed under subsection
(a) shall be available to the public but may include a classified, or
other restricted, annex to be made available to the appropriate
committees of Congress and appropriate government entities.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 7. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.</DELETED>
<DELETED> Not later than 90 days after the issuance of the strategy
required under section 6, the President shall issue a plan to implement
and operationalize the strategy, which shall include--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) steps the President will take to prepare
implicated entities for mobilization under the strategy;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) specific actions the President will take to--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) ensure the continued readiness of the
United States to implement the strategy;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) educate the public on the strategy and
the role individual citizens should play to ensure the
objectives of the strategy are met;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) ensure the objectives of the strategy
are met; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (D) ensure foreign adversaries are not
able to undermine the operationalization of the
strategy.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 8. NATIONAL RESPONSE EXERCISE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the issuance
of the implementation plan required under section 7, the Department of
Homeland Security shall lead a national exercise, in coordination with
the committee, to test and enhance the operationalization of the
implementation plan.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Requirements.--A national exercise conducted under
this section shall include participation from most or all entities
implicated by the strategy required under section 4,
including:</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) State, local, and Tribal
governments.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Information sharing and analysis
centers.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) Owners and operators of critical
infrastructure.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 9. RECOMMENDATIONS.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) In General.--The President shall provide
recommendations to Congress for--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) actions that should be taken to prepare the
United States to implement the strategy required under section
6, increase readiness, and address preparedness gaps for
responding to the impacts of catastrophic incidents on citizens
of the United States; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) additional authorities that should be
considered for Federal agencies and the President to more
effectively implement the strategy required under section
6.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Inclusion in Reports.--The President may include the
recommendations required under subsection (a) in a report submitted
under section 10.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 10. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.</DELETED>
<DELETED> Not later than 1 year after the date on which Department
of Homeland Security leads the national exercise under section 8, the
President shall submit to Congress a report that includes--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) a description of the efforts of the President
to develop and update the strategy required under section
6;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) a description of the efforts of the President
to develop and update the implementation plan required under
section 7; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) an analysis of the effectiveness and benefit
of the national exercise conducted under section 8.</DELETED>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Global Catastrophic Risk Management
Act of 2022''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Basic need.--The term ``basic need''--
(A) means any good, service, or activity necessary
to protect the health, safety, and general welfare of
the civilian population of the United States; and
(B) includes--
(i) food;
(ii) water;
(iii) shelter;
(iv) basic communication services;
(v) basic sanitation and health services;
and
(vi) public safety.
(2) Catastrophic incident.--The term ``catastrophic
incident''--
(A) means any natural or man-made disaster that
results in extraordinary levels of casualties or
damage, mass evacuations, or disruption severely
affecting the population, infrastructure, environment,
economy, national morale, or government functions in an
area; and
(B) may include an incident--
(i) with a sustained national impact over a
prolonged period of time;
(ii) that may rapidly exceed resources
available to State and local government and
private sector authorities in the impacted
area; or
(iii) that may significantly interrupt
governmental operations and emergency services
to such an extent that national security could
be threatened.
(3) Committee.--The term ``committee'' means the
interagency committee on global catastrophic risk established
under section 3.
(4) Critical infrastructure.--The term ``critical
infrastructure'' has the meaning given the term in section
1016(e) of the Critical Infrastructure Protection Act of 2001
(42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)).
(5) Existential risk.--The term ``existential risk'' means
the potential for an outcome that would result in human
extinction.
(6) Global catastrophic risk.--The term ``global
catastrophic risk'' means the risk of events or incidents
consequential enough to significantly harm, set back, or
destroy human civilization at the global scale.
(7) Global catastrophic and existential threats.--The term
``global catastrophic and existential threats'' means those
threats that with varying likelihood can produce consequences
severe enough to result in significant harm or destruction of
human civilization at the global scale, or lead to human
extinction. Examples of global catastrophic and existential
threats include severe global pandemics, nuclear war, asteroid
and comet impacts, supervolcanoes, sudden and severe changes to
the climate, and intentional or accidental threats arising from
the use and development of emerging technologies.
(8) National exercise program.--The term ``national
exercise program'' means activities carried out to test and
evaluate the national preparedness goal and related plans and
strategies as described in section 648(b) of the Post-Katrina
Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 (6 U.S.C. 748(b)).
(9) Tribal government.--The term ``Tribal government''
means the recognized governing body of any Indian or Alaska
Native Tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, community,
component band, or component reservation, that is individually
identified (including parenthetically) in the most recent list
published pursuant to section 104 of the Federally Recognized
Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 5131).
SEC. 3. INTERAGENCY COMMITTEE ON GLOBAL CATASTROPHIC RISK.
(a) Establishment.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the President shall establish an interagency
committee on global catastrophic risk.
(b) Membership.--The committee shall include senior representatives
of--
(1) the Assistant to the President for National Security
Affairs;
(2) the Director of the Office of Science and Technology
Policy;
(3) the Director of National Intelligence and the Director
of the National Intelligence Council;
(4) the Secretary of Homeland Security and the
Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency;
(5) the Secretary of State and the Under Secretary of State
for Arms Control and International Security;
(6) the Attorney General and the Director of the Federal
Bureau of Investigation;
(7) the Secretary of Energy, the Under Secretary of Energy
for Nuclear Security, and the Director of Science;
(8) the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the
Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, and the
Assistant Secretary of Global Affairs;
(9) the Secretary of Commerce, the Under Secretary of
Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, and the Under Secretary of
Commerce for Standards and Technology;
(10) the Secretary of the Interior and the Director of the
United States Geological Survey;
(11) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection
Agency and the Assistant Administrator for Water;
(12) the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration;
(13) the Director of the National Science Foundation;
(14) the Secretary of the Treasury;
(15) the Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System;
(16) the Secretary of Defense, the Assistant Secretary of
the Army for Civil Works, and the Chief of Engineers and
Commanding General of the Army Corps of Engineers;
(17) the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff;
(18) the Administrator of the United States Agency for
International Development; and
(19) other stakeholders the President determines
appropriate.
(c) Chairmanship.--The committee shall be co-chaired by a senior
representative of the President and the Deputy Administrator of the
Federal Emergency Management Agency for Resilience.
SEC. 4. REPORT REQUIRED.
(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment
of this Act, and every 10 years thereafter, the President, with support
from the committee, shall conduct and submit to Congress a report
containing a detailed assessment of global catastrophic and existential
risk.
(b) Matters Covered.--Each report required under subsection (a)
shall include --
(1) expert estimates of cumulative global catastrophic and
existential risk in the next 30 years, including separate
estimates for the likelihood of occurrence and potential
consequences;
(2) expert-informed analyses of the risk of the most
concerning specific global catastrophic and existential
threats, including separate estimates, where reasonably
feasible and credible, of each threat for its likelihood of
occurrence and its potential consequences, as well as
associated uncertainties;
(3) a comprehensive list of potential catastrophic or
existential threats, including even those that may have very
low likelihood;
(4) technical assessments and lay explanations of the
analyzed global catastrophic and existential risks, including
their qualitative character and key factors affecting their
likelihood of occurrence and potential consequences;
(5) an explanation of any factors that limit the ability of
the President to assess the risk both cumulatively and for
particular threats, and how those limitations may be overcome
through future research or with additional resources, programs,
or authorities;
(6) a review of the effectiveness of intelligence
collection, early warning and detection systems, or other
functions and programs necessary to evaluate the risk of
particular global catastrophic and existential threats, if any
exist and as applicable for particular threats;
(7) a forecast of if and why global catastrophic and
existential risk is likely to increase or decrease
significantly in the next 30 years, both qualitatively and
quantitatively, as well as a description of associated
uncertainties;
(8) proposals for how the Federal Government may more
adequately assess global catastrophic and existential risk on
an ongoing basis in future years;
(9) recommendations for legislative actions, as
appropriate, to support the evaluation and assessment of global
catastrophic and existential risk; and
(10) other matters deemed appropriate by the President.
(c) Consultation Requirement.--In producing the report required
under subsection (a), the President, with support from the committee,
shall regularly consult with experts on global catastrophic and
existential risks, including from non-governmental, academic, and
private sector institutions.
(d) Form.--The report required under subsection (a) shall be
submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.
SEC. 5. REPORT ON CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS AND CONTINUITY OF GOVERNMENT
PLANNING.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the submission of
the report required under section 4, the President, with support from
the committee, shall produce a report on the adequacy of continuity of
operations and continuity of government plans based on the assessed
global catastrophic and existential risk.
(b) Matters Covered.--The report required under subsection (a)
shall include--
(1) a detailed assessment of the ability of continuity of
government and continuity of operations plans and programs, as
defined by Executive Order 13961 (85 Fed. Reg. 79379; relating
to governance and integration of Federal mission resilience),
Presidential Policy Directive-40 (July 15, 2016; relating to
national continuity policy), or successor policies, to maintain
national essential functions following global catastrophes,
both cumulatively and for particular threats;
(2) an assessment of the need to revise Executive Order
13961 (85 Fed. Reg. 79379; relating to governance and
integration of Federal mission resilience), Presidential Policy
Directive-40 (July 15, 2016; relating to national continuity
policy), or successor policies to account for global
catastrophic and existential risk cumulatively or for
particular threats;
(3) an assessment of any technology gaps limiting
mitigation of global catastrophic and existential risks for
continuity of operations and continuity of government plans;
(4) a budget proposal for continuity of government and
continuity of operations programs necessary to adequately
maintain national essential functions during global
catastrophes;
(5) recommendations for legislative actions and technology
development and implementation actions necessary to improve
continuity of government and continuity of operations plans and
programs;
(6) a plan for increased senior leader involvement in
continuity of operations and continuity of government
exercises; and
(7) other matters deemed appropriate by the co-chairs of
the committee.
(c) Form.--The report required under subsection (a) shall be
submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.
SEC. 6. ENHANCED CATASTROPHIC INCIDENT ANNEX.
(a) In General.--The President, with support from the committee,
shall supplement each Federal Interagency Operational Plan to include
an annex containing a strategy to ensure the health, safety, and
general welfare of the civilian population affected by catastrophic
incidents by--
(1) providing for the basic needs of the civilian
population of the United States that is impacted by
catastrophic incidents in the United States;
(2) coordinating response efforts with State and local
governments, the private sector, and nonprofit relief
organizations;
(3) promoting personal and local readiness and non-reliance
on government relief during periods of heightened tension or
after catastrophic incidents; and
(4) developing international partnerships with allied
nations for the provision of relief services and goods.
(b) Elements of the Strategy.--The strategy required under
subsection (a) shall include a description of--
(1) actions the President will take to ensure the basic
needs of the civilian population of the United States in a
catastrophic incident are met;
(2) how the President will coordinate with non-Federal
entities to multiply resources and enhance relief capabilities,
including--
(A) State and local governments;
(B) Tribal governments;
(C) State disaster relief agencies;
(D) State and local disaster relief managers;
(E) State National Guards;
(F) law enforcement and first response entities;
and
(G) nonprofit relief services;
(3) actions the President will take to enhance individual
resiliency to the effects of a catastrophic incident, which
actions shall include--
(A) readiness alerts to the public during periods
of elevated threat;
(B) efforts to enhance domestic supply and
availability of critical goods and basic necessities;
and
(C) information campaigns to ensure the public is
aware of response plans and services that will be
activated when necessary;
(4) efforts the President will undertake and agreements the
President will seek with international allies to enhance the
readiness of the United States to provide for the general
welfare;
(5) how the strategy will be implemented should multiple
levels of critical infrastructure be destroyed or taken offline
entirely for an extended period of time; and
(6) the authorities the President would implicate in
responding to a catastrophic incident.
(c) Assumptions.--In designing the strategy under subsection (a),
the President shall account for certain factors to make the strategy
operationally viable, including the assumption that--
(1) multiple levels of critical infrastructure have been
taken offline or destroyed by catastrophic incidents or the
effects of catastrophic incidents;
(2) impacted sectors may include--
(A) the transportation sector;
(B) the communication sector;
(C) the energy sector;
(D) the healthcare and public health sector;
(E) the water and wastewater sector; and
(F) the financial sector;
(3) State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments have
been equally affected or made largely inoperable by
catastrophic incidents or the effects of catastrophic
incidents;
(4) the emergency has exceeded the response capabilities of
State and local governments under the Robert T. Stafford
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et
seq.) and other relevant disaster response laws; and
(5) the United States military is sufficiently engaged in
armed or cyber conflict with State or non-State adversaries, or
is otherwise unable to augment domestic response capabilities
in a significant manner due to a catastrophic incident.
(d) Existing Plans.--The President may incorporate existing
contingency plans in the strategy developed under subsection (a) so
long as those contingency plans are amended to be operational in
accordance with the requirements under this section.
(e) Availability.--The strategy developed under subsection (a)
shall be available to the public but may include a classified, or other
restricted, annex to be made available to the appropriate committees of
Congress and appropriate government entities.
SEC. 7. VALIDATION OF THE STRATEGY THROUGH AN EXERCISE.
Not later than 1 year after the addition of the annex required
under section 6, the Department of Homeland Security shall lead an
exercise as part of the national exercise program, in coordination with
the committee, to test and enhance the operationalization of the
strategy required under section 6.
SEC. 8. RECOMMENDATIONS.
(a) In General.--The President shall provide recommendations to
Congress for--
(1) actions that should be taken to prepare the United
States to implement the strategy required under section 6,
increase readiness, and address preparedness gaps for
responding to the impacts of catastrophic incidents on citizens
of the United States; and
(2) additional authorities that should be considered for
Federal agencies and the President to more effectively
implement the strategy required under section 6.
(b) Inclusion in Reports.--The President may include the
recommendations required under subsection (a) in a report submitted
under section 9.
SEC. 9. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
Not later than 1 year after the date on which Department of
Homeland Security leads the exercise under section 7, the President
shall submit to Congress a report that includes--
(1) a description of the efforts of the President to
develop and update the strategy required under section 6; and
(2) an after-action report following the conduct of the
exercise described in section 7.
SEC. 10. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to supersede the civilian
emergency management authority of the Administrator of the Federal
Emergency Management Agency under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) or the
Post Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act (6 U.S.C. 701 et seq.).
Calendar No. 638
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4488
[Report No. 117-254]
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A BILL
To establish an interagency committee on global catastrophic risk, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
December 13, 2022
Reported with an amendment