
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 50USC2315]

 
                   TITLE 50--WAR AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
 
         CHAPTER 40--DEFENSE AGAINST WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION
 
                   SUBCHAPTER I--DOMESTIC PREPAREDNESS
 
Sec. 2315. Testing of preparedness for emergencies involving 
        nuclear, radiological, chemical, and biological weapons
        

(a) Emergencies involving chemical or biological weapons

    (1) The Secretary of Defense shall develop and carry out a program 
for testing and improving the responses of Federal, State, and local 
agencies to emergencies involving biological weapons and related 
materials and emergencies involving chemical weapons and related 
materials.
    (2) The program shall include exercises to be carried out during 
each of five successive fiscal years beginning with fiscal year 1997.
    (3) In developing and carrying out the program, the Secretary shall 
coordinate with the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the 
Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Secretary of 
Energy, and the heads of any other Federal, State, and local government 
agencies that have an expertise or responsibilities relevant to 
emergencies described in paragraph (1).

(b) Emergencies involving nuclear and radiological weapons

    (1) The Secretary of Energy shall develop and carry out a program 
for testing and improving the responses of Federal, State, and local 
agencies to emergencies involving nuclear and radiological weapons and 
related materials.
    (2) The program shall include exercises to be carried out during 
each of five successive fiscal years beginning with fiscal year 1997.
    (3) In developing and carrying out the program, the Secretary shall 
coordinate with the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the 
Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Secretary of 
Defense, and the heads of any other Federal, State, and local government 
agencies that have an expertise or responsibilities relevant to 
emergencies described in paragraph (1).

(c) Annual revisions of programs

    The official responsible for carrying out a program developed under 
subsection (a) or (b) of this section shall revise the program not later 
than June 1 in each fiscal year covered by the program. The revisions 
shall include adjustments that the official determines necessary or 
appropriate on the basis of the lessons learned from the exercise or 
exercises carried out under the program in the fiscal year, including 
lessons learned regarding coordination problems and equipment 
deficiencies.

(d) Option to transfer responsibility

    (1) The President may designate the head of an agency outside the 
Department of Defense to assume the responsibility for carrying out the 
program developed under subsection (a) of this section beginning on or 
after October 1, 1999, and relieve the Secretary of Defense of that 
responsibility upon the assumption of the responsibility by the 
designated official.
    (2) The President may designate the head of an agency outside the 
Department of Energy to assume the responsibility for carrying out the 
program developed under subsection (b) of this section beginning on or 
after October 1, 1999, and relieve the Secretary of Energy of that 
responsibility upon the assumption of the responsibility by the 
designated official.

(e) Funding

    Of the total amount authorized to be appropriated under section 
301,\1\ $15,000,000 is available for the development and execution of 
the programs required by this section, including the participation of 
State and local agencies in exercises carried out under the programs.
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    \1\ See References in Text note below.
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(Pub. L. 104-201, div. A, title XIV, Sec. 1415, Sept. 23, 1996, 110 
Stat. 2720.)

                       References in Text

    Section 301, referred to in subsec. (e), is section 301 of Pub. L. 
104-201, div. A, title III, Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2475, which is not 
classified to the Code.
