Securing the Cities Improvement Act

This bill updates DHS’s Securing the Cities program, which helps detect nuclear or radiological materials to prevent attacks in U.S. cities. It lets DHS choose which places can participate based on their readiness and local risk, not just whether FEMA previously labeled them as “high-risk urban areas”. DHS must also set clear goals, track spending and results, and share how the program is doing.

Within two years of the law taking effect, DHS has to report to Congress on who’s in the program, the goals it set, how it’s performing, and any planned changes.

• Who is affected: DHS’s Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction office, and cities or other jurisdictions that may join the program.
• What changes: Eligibility is based on a place’s capability, capacity, and its specific threat and vulnerability; DHS must set and track performance metrics and milestones, and monitor expenditures .
• When: A report to Congress is due within two years of enactment.