§321q — Title 6 Domestic Security | U.S. Code

Summary

The Secretary must run a program, through the Assistant Secretary for the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office, to coordinate DHS efforts to protect U.S. food, farms, and animal health from terrorism and other major threats. The program must oversee DHS work under Homeland Security Presidential Directive 9, bring together veterinary public health, food defense, and agricultural security activities, lead policy on food and animal incidents and on preparing for and responding to agricultural terrorism, work with other DHS parts (including U.S. Customs and Border Protection) on food and import screening, and coordinate with other federal agencies. The Secretary may add other needed activities. Nothing here changes the authority of the Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Title 6, §321q

Domestic Security — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary, acting through the Assistant Secretary for the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office, shall carry out a program to coordinate the Department’s efforts related to defending the food, agriculture, and veterinary systems of the United States against terrorism and other high-consequence events that pose a high risk to homeland security.

(b)The coordination program required by subsection (a) shall include, at a minimum, the following:

(1)Providing oversight and management of the Department’s responsibilities pursuant to Homeland Security Presidential Directive 9–Defense of United States Agriculture and Food.

(2)Providing oversight and integration of the Department’s activities related to veterinary public health, food defense, and agricultural security.

(3)Leading the Department’s policy initiatives relating to food, animal, and agricultural incidents, and the impact of such incidents on animal and public health.

(4)Leading the Department’s policy initiatives relating to overall domestic preparedness for and collective response to agricultural terrorism.

(5)Coordinating with other Department components, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection, as appropriate, on activities related to food and agriculture security and screening procedures for domestic and imported products.

(6)Coordinating with appropriate Federal departments and agencies.

(7)Other activities as determined necessary by the Secretary.

(c)Nothing in this section may be construed as altering or superseding the authority of the Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2018—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 115–387 substituted “the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office,” for “Health Affairs,”.

§321q Coordination of Department of Homeland Security Efforts Related to Food, Agriculture, and Veterinary Defense Against Terrorism

Summary

Title 6, §321q

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Citations & Metadata