S.Amdt. 4062

This amendment aims to add a new section to the bill (H.R. 4016) to establish a Federal Clearinghouse on Safety and Security Best Practices for Nonprofit Organizations, Faith-based Organizations, and Houses of Worship within the Department of Homeland Security.

Purpose and Goals

The primary goals of the Clearinghouse are to:

• Educate and publish online recommendations and best practices for safety and security.
• Provide a central resource for information on Federal grant programs available to these organizations.

Key Changes and Additions

• Evidence-Based Standards: The Secretary will develop tiers to categorize best practices based on the strength of the evidence (such as experimental or quasi-experimental studies) supporting their effectiveness.
• Comprehensive Resources: The Clearinghouse will identify areas of concern, provide checklists, facility hardening advice, and resources for incident response and recovery from threats like terrorist attacks or natural disasters.
• Grant Assistance: It will maintain a comprehensive index of eligible Federal grants, provide direct links to applications, and offer a designated point of contact to help organizations navigate the process.
• Coordination and Reporting: The Secretary must notify various state and federal officials about the Clearinghouse and submit a report to Congress every three years. Additionally, the Comptroller General will report on the state of Federal grants for these organizations.
• Duration: This section of the bill is set to sunset 4 years after it is enacted.