Encouraging The Rapid Deployment Of Advanced Technology To Protect Americans From Terrorism

homeland.house.gov, Jun 30, 2005

Washington, DC —The House today approved legislation that encourages innovations in counterterrorism technology by protecting providers of technologies to mitigate the effects of terrorism from the threat of frivolous litigation. The Department of Homeland Security Authorization Act, H.R. 1817, provides $10.6 million to speed up applications under the Support Anti-Terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies (SAFETY) Act of 2002. This is $5 million more than the level proposed by the President’s budget. Under the SAFETY Act, technology providers may apply to DHS for certification of their products. Once certified, they are provided protection from lawsuits to recover damages caused by terrorists. “This increased funding for the SAFETY Act will speed up deployment of new technologies to protect Americans from terrorism,” said Homeland Security Committee Chairman Christopher Cox (R-CA). “When terrorists kill Americans, the people who have helped us to be prepared shouldn’t get hit with lawsuits. The SAFETY Act, and this money to help implement it, will ensure this doesn’t happen. As a result, we will all be safer.” The SAFETY Act was designed to ensure that the threat of liability does not prevent the deployment of anti-terrorism technologies that could save lives. Since enactment of the SAFETY Act, the pace of DHS evaluations has been slow. Of 201 pre-applications and 90 full applications submitted by anti-terrorism technology producers, DHS has only reached a final determination for 24 of the submitted technologies. Funding the SAFETY Act will make the application process more efficient, thereby encouraging the rapid deployment of advanced technology to protect Americans from terrorism.