Secretary, acting through the Under
Secretary for Science and Technology, shall carry out the
responsibilities under section 302(4) through both extramural
and intramural programs.
(b) Extramural Programs.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the
Under Secretary for Science and Technology, shall
operate extramural research, development,
demonstration, testing, and evaluation programs so as
to--
(A) ensure that colleges, universities,
private research institutes, and companies (and
consortia thereof) from as many areas of the
United States as practicable participate;
(B) ensure that the research funded is of
high quality, as determined through merit
review processes developed under section
302(14); and
(C) distribute funds through grants,
cooperative agreements, and contracts.
(2) University-based centers for homeland
security.--
(A) Designation.--The Secretary, acting
through the Under Secretary for Science and
Technology, shall designate a university-based
center or several university-based centers for
homeland security. The purpose of the center or
these centers shall be to establish a
coordinated, university-based system to enhance
the Nation's homeland security.
(B) Criteria for designation.--Criteria for
the designation of colleges or universities as
a center for homeland security, shall include,
but are not limited to, demonstrated expertise
in--
(i) The training of first
responders.
(ii) Responding to incidents
involving weapons of mass destruction
and biological warfare.
(iii) Emergency and diagnostic
medical services.
(iv) Chemical, biological,
radiological, and nuclear
countermeasures or detection.
(v) Animal and plant health and
diagnosti