S. 3623: Department of Homeland Security Authorization Act of 2008 and 2009

110th Congress · introduced 2008-09-26 · Government Operations and Politics · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S9688-9708)

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2008-09-26 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Lieberman, Joseph I. [ID-CT] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S9688-9708) Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Department of Homeland Security Authorization Act of 2008 and 2009

Plain summary

Department of Homeland Security Authorization Act of 2008 and 2009 - Authorizes appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for FY2008-FY2009. Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to provide for the establishment within DHS of an Under Secretary for Policy. Requires the Secretary of DHS to ensure that DHS develops and maintains the capability to coordinate operations and strategically plan across all of its component organizations. Authorizes the Secretary to establish within DHS an Office of Operations Coordination and Planning. Directs the Secretary to consolidate key headquarters of DHS. Establishes within DHS an Office of International Affairs. Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish a process for the review of proposed investments by DHS and a DHS-wide Acquisition Review Board; (2) establish within DHS's Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization a mentor-protege program; and (3) submit to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the House Committee on Homeland Security an annual report on the exercise of other transaction authority. Requires the Chief Procurement Officer and the Chief Human Capital Officer to develop and deliver to relevant congressional committees a five-year strategic plan for the acquisition workforce. Authorizes the Secretary to convert competitive service positions within the Office of Intelligence and Analysis to, and establish new, excepted service positions. Establishes within DHS an Office of the Chief Learning Officer. Directs the Secretary to establish an open source collection, analysis, and dissemination program within the Office of Intelligence and Analysis. Establishes: (1) within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Cyber Security and Communications a National Cyber Security Division; (2) within DHS a National Cyber Security Center; and (3) the National Cyber Security Private Sector Advisory Board. Directs: (1) the Secretary to perform a comprehensive assessment of the cyber threat to critical infrastructure; and (2) the Under Secretary for Science and Technology to carry out a research and development program to improve the security of information systems. Designates DHS's Chief Medical Officer as Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs. Establishes: (1) in the Directorate of Science and Technology a Test, Evaluation, and Standards Division; and (2) in DHS a Director of Operational Testing. Increases the number of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and support personnel and agriculture specialists. Directs the President, through the Secretary and the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to develop a national planning system that provides common processes across federal departments and agencies for developing plans to prevent, prepare for, protect against, respond to, and recover from natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters. Establishes in DHS a Metropolitan Medical Response System to assist governments in preparing for and responding to mass casualty incidents. Directs the Administrator to establish a Task Force for Emergency Readiness pilot program. Establishes within DHS's Office of Infrastructure Protection an Office for Bombing Prevention. Directs the President to develop and update a national strategy to prevent and prepare for terrorist attacks in the United States using explosives or improvised explosive devices. Authorizes funding for specified personnel levels for the Federal Protective Service.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Department of Homeland Security Authorization Act of 2008 and 2009

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Lieberman, Joseph I. [ID-CT] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Susan M. Collins (R-ME)

Agencies named in this bill

Department of Homeland Security: its federal spending and other bills that name it

Found automatically: the agency's full official name appears in the bill title. A bill can affect agencies it does not name, so this list may be incomplete.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-110s3623.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/110/s>

Record fed-us-cong110-s3623 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong110 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong110