SEC. . JOINT INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE.

(a) ESTABLISHMENT- The Secretary may establish and operate a permanent Joint Interagency Homeland Security Task Force composed of representatives from military and civilian agencies of the United States Government for the purposes of anticipating terrorist threats against the United States and taking appropriate actions to prevent harm to the United States.

(b) STRUCTURE- It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary should model the Joint Interagency Homeland Security Task Force on the approach taken by the Joint Interagency Task Forces for drug interdiction at Key West, Florida and Alameda, California, to the maximum extent feasible and appropriate.

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15. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE RUSH OF ILLINOIS, OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

At the end of subtitle G of title VII add the following:

SEC. 7 . OFFICE FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT COORDINATION.

(a) ESTABLISHMENT- There is established within the Office of the Secretary the Office for State and Local Government Coordination, to oversee and coordinate departmental programs for and relationships with State and local governments.

(b) RESPONSIBILITIES- The Office established under subsection (a) shall--

(1) coordinate the activities of the Department relating to state and local government;

(2) assess, and advocate for, the resources needed by State and local government to implement the national strategy for combating terrorism;

(3) provide State and local government with regular information, research, and technical support to assist local efforts at securing the homeland; and

(4) develop a process for receiving meaningful input from State and local government to assist the development of the national strategy for combating terrorism and other homeland security activities.

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16. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE SHAYS OF CONNECTICUT, OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

At the end of subtitle G of title VII insert the following:

SEC. 7 . REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.

(a) BIENNIAL REPORTS- Every 2 years the Secretary shall submit to Congress--

(1) a report assessing the resources and requirements of executive agencies relating to border security and emergency preparedness issues;

(2) a report certifying the preparedness of the United States to prevent, protect against, and respond to natural disasters, cyber attacks, and incidents involving weapons of mass destruction; and

(3) a report assessing the emergency preparedness of each State, including an assessment of each State's coordination with the Department with respect to the responsibilities specified in section 501.

(b) ADDITIONAL REPORT- Not later than 1 year after the effective date of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report--

(1) assessing the progress of the Department in--

(A) implementing this Act; and

(B) ensuring the core functions of each entity transferred to the Department are maintained and strengthened; and

(2) recommending any conforming changes in law necessary as a result of the enactment and implementation of this Act.

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17. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE SHAYS OF CONNECTICUT, OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 20 MINUTES

Page 189, after line 7, insert the following (and redesignate succeeding sections and references thereto accordingly):

SEC. 762. LABOR-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS.

(a) LIMITATION ON EXCLUSIONARY AUTHORITY-

(1) IN GENERAL- No agency or subdivision of an agency which is transferred to the Department pursuant to this Act shall be excluded from the coverage of chapter 71 of title 5, United States Code, as a result of any order issued under section 7103(b)(1) of such title 5 after June 18, 2002, unless--

(A) the mission and responsibilities of the agency (or subdivision) materially change; and

(B) a majority of the employees within such agency (or subdivision) have as their primary duty intelligence, counterintelligence, or investigative work directly related to terrorism investigation.

(2) EXCLUSIONS ALLOWABLE- Nothing in paragraph (1) shall affect the effectiveness of any order to the extent that such order excludes any portion of an agency or subdivision of an agency as to which--

(A) recognition as an appropriate unit has never been conferred for purposes of chapter 71 of such title 5; or

(B) any such recognition has been revoked or otherwise terminated as a result of a determination under subsection (b)(1).

(b) PROVISIONS RELATING TO BARGAINING UNITS-

(1) LIMITATION RELATING TO APPROPRIATE UNITS- Each unit which is recognized as an appropriate unit for purposes of chapter 71 of title 5, United States Code, as of the day before the effective date of this Act (and any subdivision of any such unit) shall, if such unit (or subdivision) is transferred to the Department pursuant to this Act, continue to be so recognized for such purposes, unless--

(A) the mission and responsibilities of such unit (or subdivision) materially change; and

(B) a majority of the employees within such unit (or subdivision) have as their primary duty intelligence, counterintelligence, or investigative work directly related to terrorism investigation.

(2) LIMITATION RELATING TO POSITIONS OR EMPLOYEES- No position or employee within a unit (or subdivision of a unit) as to which continued recognition is given in accordance with paragraph (1) shall be excluded from such unit (or subdivision), for purposes of chapter 71 of such title 5, unless the primary job duty of such position or employee--

(A) materially changes; and

(B) consists of intelligence, counterintelligence, or investigative work directly related to terrorism investigation.

In the case of any positions within a unit (or subdivision) which are first established on or after the effective date of this Act and any employees first appointed on or after such date, the preceding sentence shall be applied disregarding subparagraph (A).

(c) HOMELAND SECURITY- Subsections (a), (b), and (d) of this section shall not apply in circumstances where the President determines in writing that such application would have a substantial adverse impact on the Department's ability to protect homeland security.

(d) COORDINATION RULE- No other provision of this Act or of any amendment made by this Act may be construed or applied in a manner so as to limit, supersede, or otherwise affect the provisions of this section, except to the extent that it does so by specific reference to this section.

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