(a) Regional Coordination.--The Administrator shall ensure
that--
(1) all recipients of grants administered by the
Department to prevent, prepare for, protect against, or
respond to natural disasters, acts of terrorism, or
other man-made disasters (excluding assistance provided
under section 203, title IV, or title V of the Robert
T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance
Act (42 U.S.C. 5133, 5170 et seq., and 5191 et seq.))
coordinate, as appropriate, their prevention,
preparedness, and protection efforts with neighboring
State, local, and tribal governments; and
(2) all high-risk urban areas and other recipients
of grants administered by the Department to prevent,
prepare for, protect against, or respond to natural
disasters, acts of terrorism, or other man-made
disasters (excluding assistance provided under section
203, title IV, or title V of the Robert T. Stafford
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C.
5133, 5170 et seq., and 5191 et seq.)) that include or
substantially affect parts or all of more than 1 State
coordinate, as appropriate, across State boundaries,
including, where appropriate, through the use of
regional working groups and requirements for regional
plans.
(b) Planning Committees.--
(1) In general.--Any State or high-risk urban area
receiving a grant under section 2003 or 2004 shall
establish a planning committee to assist in preparation
and revision of the State, regional, or local homeland
security plan and to assist in determining effective
funding priorities for grants under sections 2003 and
2004.
(2) Composition.--
(A) In general.--The planning committee
shall include representatives of significant
stakeholders, including--
(i) local and tribal government
officials; and
(ii) emergency response providers,
which shall include representatives of
the fire service, law enforcement,
emergency medical response, and
emergency managers.
(B) Geographic representation.--The members
of the planning committee shall be a
representative group of individuals from the
counties, cities, towns, and Indian tribes
within the State or high-risk urban area,
including, as appropriate, representatives of
rural, high-population, and high-threat
jurisdictions.
(3) Existing planning committees.--Nothing in this
subsection may be construed to require that any State
or high-risk urban area create a planning committee if
that State or high-risk urban area has established and
uses a multijurisdictional planning committee or
commission that meets the requirements of this
subsection.
(c) Interagency Coordination.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 12 months after the
date of enactment of the Implementing Recommendations
of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007, the Secretary
(acting through the Administrator), the Attorney
General, the Secretary of Health and Human Services,
and the heads of other agencies providing assistance to
State, local, and tribal governments for preventing,
preparing for, protecting against, and responding to
natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-
made disasters, shall jointly--
(A) compile a comprehensive list of Federal
grant programs for State, local, and tribal
governments for preventing, preparing for,
protecting against, and responding to natural
disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-
made disasters;
(B) compile the planning, reporting,
application, and other requirements and
guidance for the grant programs described in
subparagraph (A);
(C) develop recommendations, as
appropriate, to--
(i) eliminate redundant and
duplicative requirements for State,
local, and tribal governments,
including onerous application and
ongoing reporting requirements;
(ii) ensure accountability of the
programs to the intended purposes of
such programs;
(iii) coordinate allocation of
grant funds to avoid duplicative or
inconsistent purchases by the
recipients;
(iv) make the programs more
accessible and user friendly to
applicants; and
(v) ensure the programs are
coordinated to enhance the overall
preparedness of the Nation;
(D) submit the information and
recommendations under subparagraphs (A), (B),
and (C) to the appropriate committees of
Congress; and
(E) provide the appropriate committees of
Congress, the Comptroller General, and any
officer or employee of the Government
Accountability Office with full access to any
information collected or reviewed in preparing
the submission under subparagraph (D).
(2) Scope of task.--Nothing in this subsection
shall authorize the elimination, or the alteration of
the purposes, as delineated by statute, regulation, or
guidance, of any grant program that exists on the date
of the enactment of the Implementing Recommendations of
the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007, nor authorize the
review or preparation of proposals on the elimination,
or the alteration of such purposes, of any such grant
program.
(d) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that,
in order to ensure that the Nation is most effectively able to
prevent, prepare for, protect against, and respond to all
hazards, including natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and
other man-made disasters--
(1) the Department should administer a coherent and
coordinated system of both terrorism-focused and all-
hazards grants;
(2) there should be a continuing and appropriate
balance between funding for terrorism-focused and all-
hazards preparedness, as reflected in the
authorizations of appropriations for grants under the
amendments made by titles I and II, as applicable, of
the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission
Act of 2007; and
(3) with respect to terrorism-focused grants, it is
necessary to ensure both that the target capabilities
of the highest risk areas are achieved quickly and that
basic levels of preparedness, as measured by the
attainment of target capabilities, are achieved
nationwide.