text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Building Security Act of 2003''.
  
  SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
  
      Congress finds that--
              (1) The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, resulted 
          in unprecedented death and destruction, and 2 of the worst 
          building disasters in human history;
              (2) the war on terror is ongoing, and threats to American 
          targets, such as large buildings in the United States, are 
          substantial;
              (3) there are approximately 500 skyscrapers in the United 
          States that are regularly occupied by at least 5000 people, in 
          addition to millions of smaller buildings that see high levels 
          of traffic;
              (4) most buildings have not been built to the standard 
          needed to meet extreme threats, necessitating technological 
          improvements in every aspect of construction, including 
          structural elements, fireproofing, and facade integrity;
              (5) to advance homeland security, the Federal Government is 
          obligated to ensure that building and construction standards 
          are as high as practicable, and that building owners have the 
          resources needed to meet these standards;
              (6) the Federal Government, in its efforts to protect the 
          American people, is responsible for promoting research and 
          development by the public and private sectors that will provide 
          the technical basis for improved building and fire codes, 
          standards, practices, and materials;
              (7) the National Institute of Standards and Technology is 
          in a unique position to work with the appropriate standards-
          developing organizations to help the United States respond to 
          these new challenges, due to--
                      (A) the building and fire expertise in its 
                  laboratories and quality program;
                      (B) its long history of working cooperatively with 
                  the construction and standards industries;
                      (C) its strong influence on national standards; and
                      (D) its involvement in the assessment of the World 
                  Trade Center collapse;
              (8) efforts to pursue innovation and provide practical 
          guidance and tools to building owners, designers, and 
          contractors are necessary to ensure that new materials and 
          practices are widely accepted and used;
              (9) it is in the national interest for the National 
          Institute of Standards and Technology to--
                      (A) accelerate its efforts in helping industry 
                  develop the higher building and construction standards 
                  that are necessary to heighten the safety of all 
                  Americans; and
                      (B) identify the most effective ways to ensure that 
                  these new standards are implemented in both existing 
                  and new structures;
              (10) as of January 2003, 2,000,000 private security 
          officers throughout the Nation are responsible for ensuring the 
          security of building occupants and must be able to effectively 
          respond to evacuations, crime, terrorist threats, emergencies, 
          and accidents;
              (11) many of these private security officers are not 
          adequately prepared to best assist uniformed services, building 
          tenants, workers, and the public in the event of a natural 
          disaster or terrorism;
              (12) the job turnover rate within the private security 
          industry is as high as 300 percent per year;
              (13) a recent study found that more than \1/2\ of the 
          States are--
                      (A) failing to set standards for the training and 
                  screening of private security officers; and
                      (B) not providing adequate oversight of the private 
                  security industry;
              (14) without proper guidelines and standards, the private 
          security industry cannot adequately provide the security 
          necessary in the current global environment;
              (15) the Federal Government, in its efforts to protect the 
          American people, is responsible for enabling a proper review of 
          the private security industry and developing a means of 
          ensuring the industry's improvement; and
              (16) it is in the national interest for the Department of 
          Homeland Security to create a private security review task 
          force, comprised of industry, union, government, and law 
          enforcement leaders, to help establish strong guidelines and 
          incentives for States, and to provide the needed structure for 
          training and workforce stability.
  
  SEC. 3. HOMELAND SECURITY BUILDING AND FIRE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
                PROGRAM.
  
      (a) Establishment.--
              (1) In general.--The Director of the National Institute of 
          Standards and Technology (referred to in this section as the 
          ``Director'') shall establish a research and development 
          program to--
                      (A) provide the measurements and analysis for 
                  improved building and fire codes, standards, and 
                  practices; and
                      (B) generate findings and recommendations that can 
                  be used to develop improved building and fire codes, 
                  and higher construction standards in the United States.
              (2) Consultation.--In carrying out this section, the 
          Director shall--
                      (A) consult, as appropriate, with the various units 
                  of the National Institute of Standards and Technology 
                  (referred to in this section as the ``Institute''), 
                  including the Building and Fire Research Laboratory;
                      (B) build upon ongoing efforts of the Institute and 
                  of the private sector; and
                      (C) involve consortia that include government and 
                  industry.
      (b) Research Activities.--
              (1) Scientific research.--The Director shall work with 
          industry, trade associations, professional societies, and 
          others to conduct experimentation, analysis, testing, 
          verification, and demonstration of improved tools and practices 
          that identify--
                      (A) improved construction methods and materials 
                  relevant to structural fire safety;
                      (B) mitigation of progressive collapse;
                      (C) building and ventilation vulnerability 
                  reduction tools;
                      (D) equipment standards for first responders; and
                      (E) other ways to reduce the impact of extreme 
                  threats to the safety of buildings, their occupants, 
                  and emergency responders.
              (2) Policy research.--The Director shall work with 
          industry, trade associations, professional societies, and 
          others to complete a study of the best methods to ensure full 
          implementation and encourage full compliance with the standards 
          developed in paragraph (1), including--
                      (A) tax incentives;
                      (B) grants to States that adopt those standards; 
                  and
                      (C) other appropriate means.
      (c) Dissemination and Technical Assistance Program.--The Director 
  shall oversee a dissemination and technical assistance program 
  (referred to in this section as the ``DTAP'') to assist with the 
  immediate dissemination and implementation of the practices, standards, 
  and codes developed by the Institute under subsection (b)(1).
      (d) Publication of Studies.--The Director shall ensure that the 
  results and recommendations of the Institute under subsection (b) are 
  promptly published for use by the public and private sectors.
      (e) Reports.--
              (1) Initial report.--Not later than 60 days after the date 
          of enactment of this Act, the Director shall submit, to the 
          Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
          Senate and the Committee on Science of the House of 
          Representatives, a report detailing the Institute's proposed 
          schedule of studies and results, with anticipated dates of 
          implementation.
              (2) Annual progress reports.--Not later than 1 year after 
          the date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the 
          Director shall submit a progress report to the committees 
          described under paragraph (1), which summarizes the Institute's 
          activities and determinations under subsection (b).
      (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
  appropriated to carry out this section, the following sums:
              (1) $13,000,000 for fiscal year 2004.
              (2) $9,000,000 for fiscal year 2005.
              (3) $9,000,000 for fiscal year 2006.
              (4) $9,000,000 for fiscal year 2007.
  
  SEC. 4. PRIVATE SECURITY INDUSTRY TASK FORCE.
  
      (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of the Department of Homeland 
  Security (referred to in this section as the ``Secretary'') shall 
  establish a Private Security Industry Task Force (referred to in this 
  section as the ``Task Force'') to--
              (1) examine the limitations in training, screening, 
          standard-setting, retention, and oversight practice in the 
          private security industry;
              (2) develop structural guidelines and standards of quality 
          for the private security industry; and
              (3) determine the best way to help States to implement such 
          standards and guidelines in a timely and efficient manner.
      (b) Membership.--The Task Force shall be composed of 25 members, 
  including members representing--
              (1) private security employers;
              (2) private security employees;
              (3) the private insurance industry;
              (4) the risk consulting industry;
              (5) institutional investors;
              (6) public safety and emergency management professionals;
              (7) building owners and managers;
              (8) commercial building tenants;
              (9) trainers of private security officers;
              (10) police officers;
              (11) firefighters;
              (12) the Office of Employment and Training Administration 
          of the Department of Labor;
              (13) the Office of Justice Programs of the Department of 
          Justice;
              (14) the Department of Homeland Security; and
              (15) State agencies involved in homeland security from 
          different regions of the United States.
      (c) Chair.--
              (1) Appointment.--The Secretary shall appoint a Chair for 
          the Task Force from within the Department of Homeland Security.
              (2) Responsibilities.--The Chair shall oversee all meetings 
          of, and communications from, the Task Force.
      (d) Authorized Activities.--In carrying out the provisions of this 
  Act, the Chair and other members of the Task Force may conduct research 
  and coordinate and consult with industry, trade associations, 
  professional societies, and institutions of higher learning, and other 
  appropriate organizations to--
              (1) examine the limitations in training, screening, 
          standard-setting, retention, and oversight practice in the 
          private security industry;
              (2) develop structural guidelines and standards of quality 
          for the private security industry; and
              (3) determine the best way to help States to implement such 
          standards and guidelines in a timely and efficient manner.
      (e) Semi-Annual Reports.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
  enactment of this Act, and every 180 days thereafter, the Chair shall 
  submit a report on the Task Force's activities and determinations under 
  subsection (c)(2) to--
              (1) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 
          of the Senate;
              (2) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate;
              (3) the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the 
          House of Representatives; and
              (4) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of 
          Representatives.
      (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
  appropriated $500,000 for each of the fiscal years 2004 and 2005 to 
  carry out this section.
target: Building Security Act of 2003 - Requires the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology to establish a research and development program to provide for improved building and fire codes, standards, and practices. Requires the Director to: (1) work with industry, trade associations, and professional societies to research construction, material, and equipment standards and practices to reduce the impact of extreme threats to the safety of buildings, their occupants, and emergency responders and to study the best methods (such as tax incentives or grants) for ensuring full implementation of and compliance with such standards and practices; and (2) oversee a program for dissemination and implementation of such practices and standards.Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish a Private Security Industry Task Force to: (1) examine the limitations in training, screening, standard-setting, retention, and oversight practice in the private security industry; and (2) develop structural guidelines and standards of quality for the industry and determine the best way to help States implement them.
feat_title: A bill to authorize the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop improvements in building and fire codes, standards, and practices to reduce the impact of terrorist and other extreme threats to the safety of buildings, their occupants, and emergency responders, and to authorize the Department of Homeland Security to form a task force to recommend ways to strengthen standards in the private security industry, stabilize the workforce, and create a safer environment for commercial building and industrial facility occupants.