---
kind: "section"
citation: "6 U.S.C. § 187"
title: "6"
title_heading: "Domestic Security"
number: "187"
heading: "Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/6/187"
units:
  - "Chapter 1 — Homeland Security Organization"
  - "Subchapter III — Science and Technology in Support of Homeland Security"
---

# §187. Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency

- (a) **Definitions—** In this section:
  - (1) **Fund—** The term “[Fund](/usc/6/677a.md?p=5)” means the Acceleration [Fund](/usc/6/677a.md?p=5) for Research and Development of [Homeland](/usc/6/101.md?p=1) Security Technologies established in [subsection (c)](#c).
  - (2) **Homeland security research—** The term “[homeland](/usc/6/101.md?p=1) security research” means research relevant to the detection of, prevention of, protection against, response to, attribution of, and recovery from [homeland](/usc/6/101.md?p=1) security threats, particularly acts of [terrorism](/usc/6/101.md?p=18).
  - (3) **HSARPA—** The term “HSARPA” means the [Homeland](/usc/6/101.md?p=1) Security Advanced Research Projects [Agency](/usc/6/671.md?p=1) established in [subsection (b)](#b).
  - (4) **Under Secretary—** The term “Under [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16)” means the Under [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16) for Science and Technology.
- (b) **Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency—**
  - (1) **Establishment—** There is established the [Homeland](/usc/6/101.md?p=1) Security Advanced Research Projects [Agency](/usc/6/671.md?p=1).
  - (2) **Director—** HSARPA shall be headed by a [Director](/usc/6/677a.md?p=3), who shall be appointed by the [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16). The [Director](/usc/6/677a.md?p=3) shall report to the Under [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16).
  - (3) **Responsibilities—** The [Director](/usc/6/677a.md?p=3) shall administer the [Fund](/usc/6/677a.md?p=5) to award competitive, merit-reviewed grants, cooperative agreements or contracts to public or private [entities](/usc/6/301c.md?p=2), including businesses, federally funded research and development [centers](/usc/6/681.md?p=1), and universities. The [Director](/usc/6/677a.md?p=3) shall administer the [Fund](/usc/6/677a.md?p=5) to—
    - (A) support basic and applied [homeland](/usc/6/101.md?p=1) security research to promote revolutionary changes in technologies that would promote [homeland](/usc/6/101.md?p=1) security;
    - (B) advance the development, testing and evaluation, and deployment of critical [homeland](/usc/6/101.md?p=1) security technologies;
    - (C) accelerate the prototyping and deployment of technologies that would address [homeland](/usc/6/101.md?p=1) security vulnerabilities; and
    - (D) conduct research and development for the purpose of advancing technology for the investigation of child exploitation crimes, including child victim identification, trafficking in persons, and child pornography, and for advanced forensics.
  - (4) **Targeted competitions—** The [Director](/usc/6/677a.md?p=3) may solicit proposals to address specific vulnerabilities identified by the [Director](/usc/6/677a.md?p=3).
  - (5) **Coordination—** The [Director](/usc/6/677a.md?p=3) shall ensure that the activities of HSARPA are coordinated with those of other relevant research [agencies](/usc/6/671.md?p=1), and may run projects jointly with other [agencies](/usc/6/671.md?p=1).
  - (6) **Personnel—** In hiring [personnel](/usc/6/101.md?p=15) for HSARPA, the [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16) shall have the hiring and management authorities described in [section 1101](/usc/6/1101.md)[^1] of the Strom Thurmond National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999 ([5 U.S.C. 3104](/usc/5/3104.md) note; Public Law 105–261). The term of appointments for employees under [subsection (c)(1)](/usc/5/3104.md) of that section may not exceed 5 years before the granting of any extension under [subsection (c)(2)](/usc/5/3104.md) of that section.
  - (7) **Demonstrations—** The [Director](/usc/6/677a.md?p=3), periodically, shall hold [homeland](/usc/6/101.md?p=1) security technology demonstrations to improve contact among technology developers, vendors and acquisition [personnel](/usc/6/101.md?p=15).
- (c) **Fund—**
  - (1) **Establishment—** There is established the Acceleration [Fund](/usc/6/677a.md?p=5) for Research and Development of [Homeland](/usc/6/101.md?p=1) Security Technologies, which shall be administered by the [Director](/usc/6/677a.md?p=3) of HSARPA.
  - (2) **Authorization of appropriations—** There are authorized to be appropriated $500,000,000 to the [Fund](/usc/6/677a.md?p=5) for fiscal year 2003 and such sums as may be necessary thereafter.
  - (3) **Coast Guard—** Of the [funds](/usc/6/677a.md?p=5) authorized to be appropriated under [paragraph (2)](#c-2), not less than 10 percent of such [funds](/usc/6/677a.md?p=5) for each fiscal year through fiscal year 2005 shall be authorized only for the Under [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16), through joint agreement with the Commandant of the Coast Guard, to carry out research and development of improved ports, waterways and coastal security surveillance and perimeter protection capabilities for the purpose of minimizing the possibility that Coast Guard cutters, aircraft, helicopters, and [personnel](/usc/6/101.md?p=15) will be diverted from non-[homeland](/usc/6/101.md?p=1) security missions to the ports, waterways and coastal security mission.

## Footnotes

[^1]: See References in Text note below.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 107–296, title III, § 307, Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2168; Pub. L. 114–22, title III, § 302(c), formerly § 302(d), May 29, 2015, 129 Stat. 255; renumbered § 302(d), Pub. L. 115–392, § 23(c)(2), Dec. 21, 2018, 132 Stat. 5264.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

Section 1101 of the Strom Thurmond National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999, referred to in subsec. (b)(6), is section 1101 of Pub. L. 105–261, which was formerly set out as a note under section 3104 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title XI, § 1121(b), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2452. See section 4092 of Title 10, Armed Forces.

### Amendments

2015—Subsec. (b)(3)(D). Pub. L. 114–22 added subpar. (D).