TITLE 6 - US CODE - SUBCHAPTER XIV - DOMESTIC NUCLEAR DETECTION OFFICE

6 USC 591 - Domestic Nuclear Detection Office

(a) Establishment 
There shall be established in the Department a Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (referred to in this subchapter as the Office). The Secretary may request that the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the directors of other Federal agencies, including elements of the Intelligence Community, provide for the reimbursable detail of personnel with relevant expertise to the Office.
(b) Director 
The Office shall be headed by a Director for Domestic Nuclear Detection, who shall be appointed by the President.

6 USC 592 - Mission of Office

(a)  1 Mission 
The Office shall be responsible for coordinating Federal efforts to detect and protect against the unauthorized importation, possession, storage, transportation, development, or use of a nuclear explosive device, fissile material, or radiological material in the United States, and to protect against attack using such devices or materials against the people, territory, or interests of the United States and, to this end, shall
(1) serve as the primary entity of the United States Government to further develop, acquire, and support the deployment of an enhanced domestic system to detect and report on attempts to import, possess, store, transport, develop, or use an unauthorized nuclear explosive device, fissile material, or radiological material in the United States, and improve that system over time;
(2) enhance and coordinate the nuclear detection efforts of Federal, State, local, and tribal governments and the private sector to ensure a managed, coordinated response;
(3) establish, with the approval of the Secretary and in coordination with the Attorney General, the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of Energy, additional protocols and procedures for use within the United States to ensure that the detection of unauthorized nuclear explosive devices, fissile material, or radiological material is promptly reported to the Attorney General, the Secretary, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Energy, and other appropriate officials or their respective designees for appropriate action by law enforcement, military, emergency response, or other authorities;
(4) develop, with the approval of the Secretary and in coordination with the Attorney General, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of Energy, an enhanced global nuclear detection architecture with implementation under which
(A) the Office will be responsible for the implementation of the domestic portion of the global architecture;
(B) the Secretary of Defense will retain responsibility for implementation of Department of Defense requirements within and outside the United States; and
(C) the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of Energy will maintain their respective responsibilities for policy guidance and implementation of the portion of the global architecture outside the United States, which will be implemented consistent with applicable law and relevant international arrangements;
(5) ensure that the expertise necessary to accurately interpret detection data is made available in a timely manner for all technology deployed by the Office to implement the global nuclear detection architecture;
(6) conduct, support, coordinate, and encourage an aggressive, expedited, evolutionary, and transformational program of research and development to generate and improve technologies to detect and prevent the illicit entry, transport, assembly, or potential use within the United States of a nuclear explosive device or fissile or radiological material, and coordinate with the Under Secretary for Science and Technology on basic and advanced or transformational research and development efforts relevant to the mission of both organizations;
(7) carry out a program to test and evaluate technology for detecting a nuclear explosive device and fissile or radiological material, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Energy, as appropriate, and establish performance metrics for evaluating the effectiveness of individual detectors and detection systems in detecting such devices or material
(A) under realistic operational and environmental conditions; and
(B) against realistic adversary tactics and countermeasures;
(8) support and enhance the effective sharing and use of appropriate information generated by the intelligence community, law enforcement agencies, counterterrorism community, other government agencies, and foreign governments, as well as provide appropriate information to such entities;
(9) further enhance and maintain continuous awareness by analyzing information from all Office mission-related detection systems; and
(10) perform other duties as assigned by the Secretary.
[1] So in original. No subsec. (b) has been enacted.

6 USC 592a - Technology research and development investment strategy for nuclear and radiological detection

(a) In general 
Not later than 1 year after October 13, 2006, the Secretary, the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of Defense, and the Director of National Intelligence shall submit to Congress a research and development investment strategy for nuclear and radiological detection.
(b) Contents 
The strategy under subsection (a) shall include
(1) a long term technology roadmap for nuclear and radiological detection applicable to the mission needs of the Department, the Department of Energy, the Department of Defense, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence;
(2) budget requirements necessary to meet the roadmap; and
(3) documentation of how the Department, the Department of Energy, the Department of Defense, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence will execute this strategy.
(c) Initial report 
Not later than 1 year after October 13, 2006, the Secretary shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees on
(1) the impact of this title,[1] and the amendments made by this title, on the responsibilities under section 182 of this title; and
(2) the efforts of the Department to coordinate, integrate, and establish priorities for conducting all basic and applied research, development, testing, and evaluation of technology and systems to detect, prevent, protect, and respond to chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear terrorist attacks.
(d) Annual report 
The Director for Domestic Nuclear Detection and the Under Secretary for Science and Technology shall jointly and annually notify Congress that the strategy and technology road map for nuclear and radiological detection developed under subsections (a) and (b) is consistent with the national policy and strategic plan for identifying priorities, goals, objectives, and policies for coordinating the Federal Governments civilian efforts to identify and develop countermeasures to terrorist threats from weapons of mass destruction that are required under section 182 (2) of this title.
[1] See References in Text note below.

6 USC 593 - Hiring authority

In hiring personnel for the Office, the Secretary shall have the hiring and management authorities provided in section 1101 of the Strom Thurmond National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999 (5 U.S.C. 3104 note ). The term of appointments for employees under subsection (c)(1) of such section may not exceed 5 years before granting any extension under subsection (c)(2) of such section.

6 USC 594 - Testing authority

(a) In general 
The Director shall coordinate with the responsible Federal agency or other entity to facilitate the use by the Office, by its contractors, or by other persons or entities, of existing Government laboratories, centers, ranges, or other testing facilities for the testing of materials, equipment, models, computer software, and other items as may be related to the missions identified in section 592 of this title. Any such use of Government facilities shall be carried out in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations, and contractual provisions, including those governing security, safety, and environmental protection, including, when applicable, the provisions of section 189 of this title. The Office may direct that private sector entities utilizing Government facilities in accordance with this section pay an appropriate fee to the agency that owns or operates those facilities to defray additional costs to the Government resulting from such use.
(b) Confidentiality of test results 
The results of tests performed with services made available shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed outside the Federal Government without the consent of the persons for whom the tests are performed.
(c) Fees 
Fees for services made available under this section shall not exceed the amount necessary to recoup the direct and indirect costs involved, such as direct costs of utilities, contractor support, and salaries of personnel that are incurred by the United States to provide for the testing.
(d) Use of fees 
Fees received for services made available under this section may be credited to the appropriation from which funds were expended to provide such services.

6 USC 595 - Relationship to other Department entities and Federal agencies

The authority of the Director under this subchapter shall not affect the authorities or responsibilities of any officer of the Department or of any officer of any other department or agency of the United States with respect to the command, control, or direction of the functions, personnel, funds, assets, and liabilities of any entity within the Department or any Federal department or agency.

6 USC 596 - Contracting and grant making authorities

The Secretary, acting through the Director for Domestic Nuclear Detection, in carrying out the responsibilities under paragraphs (6) and (7) of section 592 (a) of this title, shall
(1) operate extramural and intramural programs and distribute funds through grants, cooperative agreements, and other transactions and contracts;
(2) ensure that activities under paragraphs (6) and (7) of section 592 (a) of this title include investigations of radiation detection equipment in configurations suitable for deployment at seaports, which may include underwater or water surface detection equipment and detection equipment that can be mounted on cranes and straddle cars used to move shipping containers; and
(3) have the authority to establish or contract with 1 or more federally funded research and development centers to provide independent analysis of homeland security issues and carry out other responsibilities under this subchapter.

6 USC 596a - Joint annual interagency review of global nuclear detection architecture

(a) Annual review 

(1) In general 
The Secretary, the Attorney General, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Energy, and the Director of National Intelligence shall jointly ensure interagency coordination on the development and implementation of the global nuclear detection architecture by ensuring that, not less frequently than once each year
(A) each relevant agency, office, or entity
(i) assesses its involvement, support, and participation in the development, revision, and implementation of the global nuclear detection architecture; and
(ii) examines and evaluates components of the global nuclear detection architecture (including associated strategies and acquisition plans) relating to the operations of that agency, office, or entity, to determine whether such components incorporate and address current threat assessments, scenarios, or intelligence analyses developed by the Director of National Intelligence or other agencies regarding threats relating to nuclear or radiological weapons of mass destruction; and
(B) each agency, office, or entity deploying or operating any nuclear or radiological detection technology under the global nuclear detection architecture
(i) evaluates the deployment and operation of nuclear or radiological detection technologies under the global nuclear detection architecture by that agency, office, or entity;
(ii) identifies performance deficiencies and operational or technical deficiencies in nuclear or radiological detection technologies deployed under the global nuclear detection architecture; and
(iii) assesses the capacity of that agency, office, or entity to implement the responsibilities of that agency, office, or entity under the global nuclear detection architecture.
(2) Technology 
Not less frequently than once each year, the Secretary shall examine and evaluate the development, assessment, and acquisition of radiation detection technologies deployed or implemented in support of the domestic portion of the global nuclear detection architecture.
(b) Annual report on joint interagency review 

(1) In general 
Not later than March 31 of each year, the Secretary, the Attorney General, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Energy, and the Director of National Intelligence, shall jointly submit a report regarding the implementation of this section and the results of the reviews required under subsection (a) to
(A) the President;
(B) the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Armed Services, the Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate; and
(C) the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Armed Services, the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on Homeland Security, and the Committee on Science and Technology of the House of Representatives.
(2) Form 
The annual report submitted under paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form to the maximum extent practicable, but may include a classified annex.
(c) Definition 
In this section, the term global nuclear detection architecture means the global nuclear detection architecture developed under section 592 of this title.