6 USC 821 - Definitions

Collapse to view only § 821. Definitions

§ 821. Definitions
§ 822. Assessment of global catastrophic risk
§ 823. Report required
§ 824. Enhanced catastrophic incident annex
§ 825. Rules of construction

§ 821. DefinitionsIn this part:

(1) Administrator

(2) Basic needThe term “basic need”—

(A) means any good, service, or activity necessary to protect the health, safety, and general welfare of the civilian population of the United States; and

(B) includes—

(i) food;

(ii) water;

(iii) shelter;

(iv) basic communication services;

(v) basic sanitation and health services; and

(vi) public safety.

(3) Catastrophic incidentThe term “catastrophic incident”—

(A) means any natural or man-made disaster that results in extraordinary levels of casualties or damage, mass evacuations, or disruption severely affecting the population, infrastructure, environment, economy, national morale, or government functions in an area; and

(B) may include an incident—

(i) with a sustained national impact over a prolonged period of time;

(ii) that may rapidly exceed resources available to State and local government and private sector authorities in the impacted area; or

(iii) that may significantly interrupt governmental operations and emergency services to such an extent that national security could be threatened.

(4) Critical infrastructure

(5) Existential risk

(6) Global catastrophic risk

(7) Global catastrophic and existential threats

(8) Indian Tribal government

(9) Local government; State

(10) National exercise program

(11) Secretary

(Pub. L. 117–263, div. G, title LXXIII, § 7302, Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3684.)

§ 822. Assessment of global catastrophic risk

(a) In general

(b) Coordination

When coordinating the assessment under subsection (a), the Secretary and the Administrator shall coordinate with senior designees of—

(1) the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs;

(2) the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy;

(3) the Secretary of State and the Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security;

(4) the Attorney General and the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation;

(5) the Secretary of Energy, the Under Secretary of Energy for Nuclear Security, and the Director of Science;

(6) the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, and the Assistant Secretary of Global Affairs;

(7) the Secretary of Commerce, the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, and the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology;

(8) the Secretary of the Interior and the Director of the United States Geological Survey;

(9) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Assistant Administrator for Water;

(10) the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration;

(11) the Director of the National Science Foundation;

(12) the Secretary of the Treasury;

(13) the Secretary of Defense, the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, and the Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the Army Corps of Engineers;

(14) the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff;

(15) the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development;

(16) the Secretary of Transportation; and

(17) other stakeholders the Secretary and the Administrator determine appropriate.

(Pub. L. 117–263, div. G, title LXXIII, § 7303, Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3685.)

§ 823. Report required

(a) In general

(b) Matters covered

Each report required under subsection (a) shall include—

(1) expert estimates of cumulative global catastrophic and existential risk in the next 30 years, including separate estimates for the likelihood of occurrence and potential consequences;

(2) expert-informed analyses of the risk of the most concerning specific global catastrophic and existential threats, including separate estimates, where reasonably feasible and credible, of each threat for its likelihood of occurrence and its potential consequences, as well as associated uncertainties;

(3) a comprehensive list of potential catastrophic or existential threats, including even those that may have very low likelihood;

(4) technical assessments and lay explanations of the analyzed global catastrophic and existential risks, including their qualitative character and key factors affecting their likelihood of occurrence and potential consequences;

(5) an explanation of any factors that limit the ability of the Secretary to assess the risk both cumulatively and for particular threats, and how those limitations may be overcome through future research or with additional resources, programs, or authorities;

(6) a forecast of if and why global catastrophic and existential risk is likely to increase or decrease significantly in the next 10 years, both qualitatively and quantitatively, as well as a description of associated uncertainties;

(7) proposals for how the Federal Government may more adequately assess global catastrophic and existential risk on an ongoing basis in future years;

(8) recommendations for legislative actions, as appropriate, to support the evaluation and assessment of global catastrophic and existential risk; and

(9) other matters deemed appropriate by the Secretary, in coordination with the Administrator, and based on the input and coordination required under section 822 of this title.

In producing the report required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall—

(1) regularly consult with experts on severe global pandemics, nuclear war, asteroid and comet impacts, supervolcanoes, sudden and severe changes to the climate, and intentional or accidental threats arising from the use and development of emerging technologies; and

(2) share information gained through the consultation required under paragraph (1) with relevant Federal partners listed in section 822(b) of this title.

(Pub. L. 117–263, div. G, title LXXIII, § 7304, Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3686.)

§ 824. Enhanced catastrophic incident annex

(a) In generalThe Secretary, in coordination with the Administrator and the Federal partners listed in section 822(b) of this title, shall supplement each Federal Interagency Operational Plan to include an annex containing a strategy to ensure the health, safety, and general welfare of the civilian population affected by catastrophic incidents by—

(1) providing for the basic needs of the civilian population of the United States that is impacted by catastrophic incidents in the United States;

(2) coordinating response efforts with State, local, and Indian Tribal governments, the private sector, and nonprofit relief organizations;

(3) promoting personal and local readiness and non-reliance on government relief during periods of heightened tension or after catastrophic incidents; and

(4) developing international partnerships with allied nations for the provision of relief services and goods.

(b) Elements of the strategyThe strategy required under subsection (a) shall include a description of—

(1) actions the Federal Government should take to ensure the basic needs of the civilian population of the United States in a catastrophic incident are met;

(2) how the Federal Government should coordinate with non-Federal entities to multiply resources and enhance relief capabilities, including—

(A) State and local governments;

(B) Indian Tribal governments;

(D) State and local disaster relief managers;

(E) State National Guards;

(F) law enforcement and first response entities; and

(G) nonprofit relief services;

(3) actions the Federal Government should take to enhance individual resiliency to the effects of a catastrophic incident, which actions shall include—

(A) readiness alerts to the public during periods of elevated threat;

(B) efforts to enhance domestic supply and availability of critical goods and basic necessities; and

(C) information campaigns to ensure the public is aware of response plans and services that will be activated when necessary;

(4) efforts the Federal Government should undertake and agreements the Federal Government should seek with international allies to enhance the readiness of the United States to provide for the general welfare;

(5) how the strategy will be implemented should multiple levels of critical infrastructure be destroyed or taken offline entirely for an extended period of time; and

(6) the authorities the Federal Government should implicate in responding to a catastrophic incident.

(c) AssumptionsIn designing the strategy under subsection (a), the Secretary, in coordination with the Administrator and the Federal partners listed in section 822(b) of this title, shall account for certain factors to make the strategy operationally viable, including the assumption that—

(1) multiple levels of critical infrastructure have been taken offline or destroyed by catastrophic incidents or the effects of catastrophic incidents;

(2) impacted sectors may include—

(A) the transportation sector;

(B) the communication sector;

(D) the healthcare and public health sector; and

(E) the water and wastewater sector;

(3) State, local, Indian Tribal, and territorial governments have been equally affected or made largely inoperable by catastrophic incidents or the effects of catastrophic incidents;

(4) the emergency has exceeded the response capabilities of State, local, and Indian Tribal governments under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) and other relevant disaster response laws; and

(5) the United States military is sufficiently engaged in armed or cyber conflict with State or non-State adversaries, or is otherwise unable to augment domestic response capabilities in a significant manner due to a catastrophic incident.

(Pub. L. 117–263, div. G, title LXXIII, § 7305, Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3687.)

§ 825. Rules of construction

(a) Administrator

(b) Secretary

(Pub. L. 117–263, div. G, title LXXIII, § 7309, Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3689.)