Title 6Domestic SecurityRelease 119-73

§195e Transparency in research and development

Title 6 › Chapter CHAPTER 1— - HOMELAND SECURITY ORGANIZATION › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III— - SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN SUPPORT OF HOMELAND SECURITY › § 195e

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary must keep a detailed, up-to-date list of every classified and unclassified research and development project at the Department, plus task orders for Federally Funded Research and Development Centers and for university centers of excellence when those task orders are not tied to an R&D project. The list must also show the measures the Under Secretary for Science and Technology uses to track projects that have moved from research into real-world use. Projects finished or ended before December 23, 2016 do not have to be included. The list must be refreshed at least once every quarter. The Secretary must give a definition for “research and development.” Beginning January 1, 2017 and each year after, the Secretary must send both classified and unclassified reports to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate. For each project that moves into practice, the Under Secretary must create and follow measures that show how users adopt it, and track those measures for three years when possible. Defined terms (one line each): “all appropriate details” — basic project facts like name, department, summary, money, timeline, partners, goals, and related papers or patents; “classified” — information marked for national security; “controlled unclassified information” — sensitive but unclassified material; “project” — any research or development work run by the Department. Nothing here overrides section 468 of this title.

Full Legal Text

Title 6, §195e

Domestic Security — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)The Secretary shall maintain a detailed list of the following:
(A)Each classified and unclassified research and development project, and all appropriate details for each such project, including the component of the Department responsible for each such project.
(B)Each task order for a Federally Funded Research and Development Center not associated with a research and development project.
(C)Each task order for a University-based center of excellence not associated with a research and development project.
(D)The indicators developed and tracked by the Under Secretary for Science and Technology with respect to transitioned projects pursuant to subsection (c).
(2)Paragraph (1) shall not apply to a project completed or otherwise terminated before December 23, 2016.
(3)The list required under paragraph (1) shall be updated as frequently as possible, but not less frequently than once per quarter.
(4)For purposes of the list required under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall provide a definition for the term “research and development”.
(b)Not later than January 1, 2017, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a classified and unclassified report, as applicable, that lists each ongoing classified and unclassified project at the Department, including all appropriate details of each such project.
(c)(1)For each project that has been transitioned to practice from research and development, the Under Secretary for Science and Technology shall develop and track indicators to demonstrate the uptake of the technology or project among customers or end-users.
(2)To the fullest extent possible, the tracking of a project required under paragraph (1) shall continue for the three-year period beginning on the date on which such project was transitioned to practice from research and development.
(d)In this section:
(1)The term “all appropriate details” means, with respect to a research and development project—
(A)the name of such project, including both classified and unclassified names if applicable;
(B)the name of the component of the Department carrying out such project;
(C)an abstract or summary of such project;
(D)funding levels for such project;
(E)project duration or timeline;
(F)the name of each contractor, grantee, or cooperative agreement partner involved in such project;
(G)expected objectives and milestones for such project; and
(H)to the maximum extent practicable, relevant literature and patents that are associated with such project.
(2)The term “classified” means anything containing—
(A)classified national security information as defined in section 6.1 of Executive Order 13526 (50 U.S.C. 3161 note) or any successor order;
(B)Restricted Data or data that was formerly Restricted Data, as defined in section 2014(y) of title 42;
(C)material classified at the Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) level, as defined in section 3345 of title 50; or
(D)information relating to a special access program, as defined in section 6.1 of Executive Order 13526 (50 U.S.C. 3161 note) or any successor order.
(3)The term “controlled unclassified information” means information described as “Controlled Unclassified Information” under Executive Order 13556 (50 U.S.C. 3501 note) 11 See References in Text note below. or any successor order.
(4)The term “project” means a research or development project, program, or activity administered by the Department, whether ongoing, completed, or otherwise terminated.
(e)Nothing in this section overrides or otherwise affects the requirements specified in section 468 of this title.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Executive Order 13556, referred to in subsec. (d)(3), is set out as a note under section 3501 of Title 44, Public Printing and Documents.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 319 of Pub. L. 107–296 was renumbered section 320 and is classified to section 195f of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

6 U.S.C. § 195e

Title 6Domestic Security

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73