12 2 STA T . 221 7PUBLIC LA W 11 0– 2 46—J U NE 1 8, 2008 (3)adviseth e S e cr etar yonp o l icies , re gu lations, processes, b udget, and actions pertaining to ho m eland security .SEC.14 11 2 . AGRI C ULT URAL B I O SECURIT Y CO M MU N ICATION CENTER. (a) ESTABLI S HMEN T. —T he Secretary shall establish a commu - nication center w ithin the D epartment to— ( 1 ) collect and disseminate in f ormation and prepare for an agricultural disease emergency, agroterrorist act, or other threat to agricultural biosecurity
and ( 2 ) coordinate activities described in paragraph (1) among agencies and offices within the Department. (b) R ELATI O NTOE X ISTIN G D H S C OMM U NI C ATION S Y STEMS.— (1) CONSISTENCY AN D COO R DINATION.—The communication center established under subsection (a) shall, to the ma x imum extent practicable, share and coordinate the dissemination of timely information with the Department of Homeland Security and other communication systems of appropriate F ederal departments and agencies. (2) AV OIDING REDUNDANCIES.— P aragraph (1) shall not be construed to impede, conflict with, or duplicate the communica- tions activities performed by the Secretary of Homeland Secu- rity under any provision of law. (c) AUTHORI Z ATION O F A P PROPRIATIONS.—There is authori z ed to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section for each of fiscal years 2 0 0 8 through 2012. SEC. 1411 3 . ASSISTANCE TO BUIL D LOCAL CA P ACITY IN AGRICUL - TURAL BIOSECURITY PLANNING , PREPAREDNESS, AND RESPONSE. (a) ADVANCED TRAINING PROGRAMS.— (1) G RANT ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary shall establish a competitive grant program to support the development and expansion of advanced training programs in agricultural bio- security planning and response for food science professionals and veterinarians. (2) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are author- ized to be appropriated to the Secretary such sums as may be necessary to carry out this subsection for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012. (b) ASSESSMENT OF RESPONSE CAPABILITY.— (1) GRANT AND LOAN ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary shall establish a competitive grant and low-interest loan assistance program to assist States in assessing agricultural disease response capability. (2) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is author- ized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $ 2 5 ,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012. CHAPTER2—O THER PRO VIS IO N S SEC. 14121. RESEARC H AND DE V ELOPMENT O F AGRICULTURAL COUNTERMEASURES. (a) GRANT PROGRAM.— (1) COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM.—The Secretary shall establish a competitive grant program to encourage basic and applied research and the development of q ualified agricultural countermeasures. 7USC8921. 7 USC 891 3 . 7 USC 8912.
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