HR-3578 : Still Just a Bill

DHS Science and Technology Reform and Improvement Act of 2015

This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to expand: (1) the role of the Directorate of Science and Technology as the primary research, development, testing, and evaluation arm of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS); and (2) the duties of the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, who is the head of the Directorate, to include:

• enhanced oversight and coordination of all DHS research, development, demonstration, testing, and evaluation activities;
• identification of technologies that address an existing or imminent homeland security capability gap;
• review of DHS conflict of interest policies;
• establishment of a process to define, identify, prioritize, fund, and task the basic and applied homeland security research and development activities of the Directorate; 
• development of a strategy to guide the activities of the Directorate and a five-year research and development plan for its activities;
• establishment and utilization of a system to track the progress of the research, development, testing, and evaluation activities of the Directorate;
• establishment of the Homeland Security Science and Technology Fellows Program to place fellows in relevant scientific or technological fields in DHS components;
• support of cybersecurity research and development; and
• establishment of integrated product teams to identify, coordinate, and align DHS research and development efforts with departmental missions.

The bill also establishes in the Directorate a Test, Evaluation, and Standards Division to establish, review, and update DHS test and evaluation policies.