Department of Homeland Security Support to Fusion Centers Act of 2015

Department of Homeland Security Support to Fusion Centers Act of 2015

This bill directs the Under Secretary of Intelligence and Analysis of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in coordination with the homeland security advisors of the states, to conduct a needs assessment of DHS personnel assigned to fusion centers established under the Homeland Security Act of 2002. (A fusion center serves as a focal point within the state and local environment for the receipt, analysis, gathering, and sharing of threat-related information between the federal government and state, local, tribal, territorial, and private sector partners.)

The assessment must include information on:

• the current deployment of DHS personnel to each fusion center;
• the roles and responsibilities of Office of Intelligence and Analysis intelligence officers, intelligence analysts, senior reports officers, reports officers, and regional directors deployed to fusion centers;
• federal resources, in addition to personnel, provided to each fusion center;
• whether deploying additional personnel would enhance intelligence and information sharing between DHS and federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial partners;
• fusion centers located in jurisdictions along land and maritime borders of the United States and the degree to which deploying personnel from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Coast Guard to such centers would enhance the integrity and security at such borders; and
• fusion centers located in jurisdictions with large and medium hub airports and the degree to which deploying personnel from the Transportation Security Administration to such centers would enhance aviation security.

The Under Secretary must submit such assessment to specified congressional committees, together with a report on:

• the number of personnel assigned to fusion centers from the Office of Intelligence and Analysis;
• the number of personnel assigned to the National Network of Fusion Centers from components and offices of DHS and the methodology for determining the fusion centers to which such personnel are assigned; and
• an implementation plan for determining how DHS's personnel resources will be allocated to fusion centers in the future.

The Under Secretary, in collaboration with the Chief Security Officer of DHS, shall: (1) establish a program to provide eligibility for access to certain information classified as Top Secret for state and local analysts located in fusion centers, and (2) report on the effects of such program and the cost for providing additional training and providing Top Secret clearances for such analysts.