6 U.S.C. § 124i — Homeland Security Information Sharing Fellows Program

(a) Establishment. The Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis and in consultation with the Chief Human Capital Officer, must establish a fellowship program with two purposes. First, detailing state, local, and tribal law enforcement officers and intelligence analysts to the Department (following the detail rules in subchapter VI of chapter 33 of title 5) so they can work inside the Office of Intelligence and Analysis and become familiar with the Department's and other federal agencies' relevant missions and capabilities, and with the Office of Intelligence and Analysis's role, programs, products, and personnel. Second, promoting information sharing between the Department and state, local, and tribal officers and analysts by assigning fellows to: serve as a point of contact in the Department for state, local, and tribal information requirements; identify information within the information sharing environment — including homeland security, terrorism, and weapons of mass destruction information — that would interest state, local, and tribal law enforcement officers, intelligence analysts, and other emergency response providers; assist Department analysts in preparing and disseminating products from that information tailored to state, local, and tribal law enforcement officers and analysts, designed to help prepare for and thwart acts of terrorism; and assist Department analysts in preparing similar products tailored to state, local, and tribal emergency response providers, and help disseminate them through proper Department channels. The program is called the "Homeland Security Information Sharing Fellows Program." (b) Eligibility. To be selected as an Information Sharing Fellow, an individual must: have homeland-security-related responsibilities; be eligible for an appropriate security clearance; have a valid need for access to classified information, as determined by the Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis; be an employee of an "eligible entity"; and have completed privacy and civil liberties training developed with the Privacy Officer and the Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, in consultation with the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board established under section 2000ee of title 42. An "eligible entity" means: a state, local, or regional fusion center; a state or local law enforcement or other government entity serving a major metropolitan area, suburban area, or rural area (as the Secretary determines); a state or local law enforcement or other government entity with port, border, or agricultural responsibilities (as the Secretary determines); a tribal law enforcement or other authority; or any other entity the Secretary determines is appropriate. (c) Optional participation. No state, local, or tribal law enforcement or other government entity is required to participate in the Homeland Security Information Sharing Fellows Program. (d) Procedures for nomination and selection. The Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis must establish procedures for nominating and selecting individuals to participate in the program. Two limitations apply: the Under Secretary must select law enforcement officers and intelligence analysts representing a broad cross-section of state, local, and tribal agencies, and must ensure the number of fellows selected does not impede the activities of the Office of Intelligence and Analysis.