A new bill introduced in Congress authorizes
the Department of Homeland Security to set up a network of FEMA camp
facilities to be used to house U.S. citizens in the event of a national
emergency.
The National
Emergency Centers Act or HR 645 mandates the establishment of "national
emergency centers" to be located on military installations for
the purpose of to providing "temporary housing, medical, and humanitarian
assistance to individuals and families dislocated due to an emergency
or major disaster," according to the bill.
The legislation also states that the
camps will be used to "provide centralized locations to improve
the coordination of preparedness, response, and recovery efforts of
government, private, and not-for-profit entities and faith-based organizations".
Ominously, the bill also states that
the camps can be used to "meet other appropriate needs, as determined
by the Secretary of Homeland Security," an open ended mandate which
many fear could mean the forced detention of American citizens in the
event of widespread rioting after a national emergency or total economic
collapse.
Many credible forecasters have predicted
riots and rebellions in America that will dwarf those already witnessed
in countries like Iceland and Greece.
The bill mandates that six separate
facilities be established in different Federal Emergency Management
Agency Regions (FEMA) throughout the country.
The camps will double up as "command
and control" centers that will also house a "24/7 operations
watch center" as well as training facilities for Federal, State,
and local first responders.
The bill also contains language that
will authorize camps to be established within closed or already operating
military bases around the country.
The language of the preamble to the
agreement veils the program with talk of temporary migrant holding centers,
but it is made clear that the camps would also be used "as the
development of a plan to react to a national emergency."
As far back as 2002, FEMA sought bids
from major real estate and engineering firms to construct
giant internment facilities in the case of a chemical, biological
or nuclear attack or a natural disaster.
A much discussed and circulated report,
the Pentagon's
Civilian Inmate Labor Program, was more recently updated and the
revision details a "template for developing agreements" between
the Army and corrections facilities for the use of civilian inmate labor
on Army installations."
Alex Jones has attended numerous military
urban warfare training
drills across the US where role players were used to simulate arresting
American citizens and taking them to internment camps.
National Emergency Centers Establishment
Act (Introduced in House)
HR 645 IH
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 645
To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security
to establish national emergency centers on military installations.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 22, 2009
Mr. HASTINGS of Florida introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,
and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to
be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
concerned
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Homeland Security
to establish national emergency centers on military installations.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `National Emergency
Centers Establishment Act'.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL EMERGENCY CENTERS.
(a) In General- In accordance with the requirements
of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall establish not
fewer than 6 national emergency centers on military installations.
(b) Purpose of National Emergency Centers-
The purpose of a national emergency center shall be to use existing
infrastructure--
(1) to provide temporary housing, medical,
and humanitarian assistance to individuals and families dislocated
due to an emergency or major disaster;
(2) to provide centralized locations for
the purposes of training and ensuring the coordination of Federal,
State, and local first responders;
(3) to provide centralized locations to improve
the coordination of preparedness, response, and recovery efforts of
government, private, and not-for-profit entities and faith-based organizations;
and
(4) to meet other appropriate needs, as determined
by the Secretary of Homeland Security.
SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF MILITARY INSTALLATIONS AS
NATIONAL EMERGENCY CENTERS.
(a) In General- Not later than 60 days after
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security,
in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall designate not fewer
than 6 military installations as sites for the establishment of national
emergency centers.
(b) Minimum Requirements- A site designated
as a national emergency center shall be--
(1) capable of meeting for an extended period
of time the housing, health, transportation, education, public works,
humanitarian and other transition needs of a large number of individuals
affected by an emergency or major disaster;
(2) environmentally safe and shall not pose
a health risk to individuals who may use the center;
(3) capable of being scaled up or down to
accommodate major disaster preparedness and response drills, operations,
and procedures;
(4) capable of housing existing permanent
structures necessary to meet training and first responders coordination
requirements during nondisaster periods;
(5) capable of hosting the infrastructure
necessary to rapidly adjust to temporary housing, medical, and humanitarian
assistance needs;
(6) required to consist of a complete operations
command center, including 2 state-of-the art command and control centers
that will comprise a 24/7 operations watch center as follows:
(A) one of the command and control centers
shall be in full ready mode; and
(B) the other shall be used daily for training;
and
(7) easily accessible at all times and be
able to facilitate handicapped and medical facilities, including during
an emergency or major disaster.
(c) Location of National Emergency Centers-
There shall be established not fewer than one national emergency center
in each of the following areas:
(1) The area consisting of Federal Emergency
Management Agency Regions I, II, and III.
(2) The area consisting of Federal Emergency
Management Agency Region IV.
(3) The area consisting of Federal Emergency
Management Agency Regions V and VII.
(4) The area consisting of Federal Emergency
Management Agency Region VI.
(5) The area consisting of Federal Emergency
Management Agency Regions VIII and X.
(6) The area consisting of Federal Emergency
Management Agency Region IX.
(d) Preference for Designation of Closed Military
Installations- Wherever possible, the Secretary of Homeland Security,
in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall designate a closed
military installation as a site for a national emergency center. If
the Secretaries of Homeland Security and Defense jointly determine that
there is not a sufficient number of closed military installations that
meet the requirements of subsections (b) and (c), the Secretaries shall
jointly designate portions of existing military installations other
than closed military installations as national emergency centers.
(e) Transfer of Control of Closed Military
Installations- If a closed military installation is designated as a
national emergency center, not later than 180 days after the date of
designation, the Secretary of Defense shall transfer to the Secretary
of Homeland Security administrative jurisdiction over such closed military
installation.
(f) Cooperative Agreement for Joint Use of
Existing Military Installations- If an existing military installation
other than a closed military installation is designated as a national
emergency center, not later than 180 days after the date of designation,
the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of Defense shall
enter into a cooperative agreement to provide for the establishment
of the national emergency center.
(g) Reports-
(1) PRELIMINARY REPORT- Not later than 90
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of
Homeland Security, acting jointly with the Secretary of Defense, shall
submit to Congress a report that contains for each designated site--
(A) an outline of the reasons why the site
was selected;
(B) an outline of the need to construct,
repair, or update any existing infrastructure at the site;
(C) an outline of the need to conduct any
necessary environmental clean-up at the site;
(D) an outline of preliminary plans for
the transfer of control of the site from the Secretary of Defense
to the Secretary of Homeland Security, if necessary under subsection
(e); and
(E) an outline of preliminary plans for
entering into a cooperative agreement for the establishment of a
national emergency center at the site, if necessary under subsection
(f).
(2) UPDATE REPORT- Not later than 120 days
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland
Security, acting jointly with the Secretary of Defense, shall submit
to Congress a report that contains for each designated site--
(A) an update on the information contained
in the report as required by paragraph (1);
(B) an outline of the progress made toward
the transfer of control of the site, if necessary under subsection
(e);
(C) an outline of the progress made toward
entering a cooperative agreement for the establishment of a national
emergency center at the site, if necessary under subsection (f);
and
(D) recommendations regarding any authorizations
and appropriations that may be necessary to provide for the establishment
of a national emergency center at the site.
(3) FINAL REPORT- Not later than 1 year after
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security,
acting jointly with the Secretary of Defense, shall submit to Congress
a report that contains for each designated site--
(A) finalized information detailing the
transfer of control of the site, if necessary under subsection (e);
(B) the finalized cooperative agreement
for the establishment of a national emergency center at the site,
if necessary under subsection (f); and
(C) any additional information pertinent
to the establishment of a national emergency center at the site.
(4) ADDITIONAL REPORTS- The Secretary of
Homeland Security, acting jointly with the Secretary of Defense, may
submit to Congress additional reports as necessary to provide updates
on steps being taken to meet the requirements of this Act.
SEC. 4. LIMITATIONS ON STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION.
This Act does not affect--
(1) the authority of the Federal Government
to provide emergency or major disaster assistance or to implement
any disaster mitigation and response program, including any program
authorized by the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.); or
(2) the authority of a State or local government
to respond to an emergency.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There is authorized to be appropriated $180,000,000
for each of fiscal years 2009 and 2010 to carry out this Act. Such funds
shall remain available until expended.
SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act, the following definitions apply:
(1) CLOSED MILITARY INSTALLATION- The term
`closed military installation' means a military installation, or portion
thereof, approved for closure or realignment under the Defense Base
Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 (part A of title XXIX of Public
Law 101-510; 10 U.S.C. 2687 note) that meet all, or 2 out of the 3
following requirements:
(A) Is located in close proximity to a
transportation corridor.
(B) Is located in a State with a high level
or threat of disaster related activities.
(C) Is located near a major metropolitan
center.
(2) EMERGENCY- The term `emergency' has the
meaning given such term in section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122).
(3) MAJOR DISASTER- The term `major disaster'
has the meaning given such term in section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122).
(4) MILITARY INSTALLATION- The term `military
installation' has the meaning given such term in section 2910 of the
Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 (part A of title
XXIX of Public Law 101-510; 10 U.S.C. 2687 note).
