---
kind: "section"
citation: "6 U.S.C. § 321d"
title: "6"
title_heading: "Domestic Security"
number: "321d"
heading: "National Operations Center"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/6/321d"
units:
  - "Chapter 1 — Homeland Security Organization"
  - "Subchapter V — National Emergency Management"
---

# §321d. National Operations Center

- (a) **Definition—** In this section, the term “situational awareness” means information gathered from a variety of sources that, when communicated to [emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) managers, decision makers, and other appropriate officials, can form the basis for [incident](/usc/6/677a.md?p=6) management decisionmaking and steady-[state](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) activity.
- (b) **Establishment—** The National Operations [Center](/usc/6/681.md?p=1) is the principal operations [center](/usc/6/681.md?p=1) for the [Department](/usc/6/101.md?p=5) and shall—
  - (1) provide situational awareness and a common operating picture for the entire Federal Government, and for [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17), local, tribal, and territorial governments, the private sector, and international partners as appropriate, for events, threats, and [incidents](/usc/6/677a.md?p=6) involving a natural disaster, [act of terrorism](/usc/6/444.md?p=2-A), or other man-made disaster;
  - (2) ensure that critical [terrorism](/usc/6/101.md?p=18) and disaster-related information reaches government decision-makers; and
  - (3) enter into agreements with other Federal operations [centers](/usc/6/681.md?p=1) and other [homeland](/usc/6/101.md?p=1) security partners, as appropriate, to facilitate the sharing of information.
- (c) **State and local emergency responder representation—**
  - (1) **Establishment of positions—** The [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16) shall establish a position, on a rotating basis, for a representative of [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) and local [emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) responders at the National Operations [Center](/usc/6/681.md?p=1) established under [subsection (b)](#b) to ensure the effective sharing of information between the Federal Government and [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) and local [emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) response services.
  - (2) **Management—** The [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16) shall manage the position established pursuant to [paragraph (1)](#c-1) in accordance with such rules, regulations, and practices as govern other similar rotating positions at the National Operations [Center](/usc/6/681.md?p=1).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 107–296, title V, § 515, as added Pub. L. 109–295, title VI, § 611(13), Oct. 4, 2006, 120 Stat. 1409; amended Pub. L. 110–376, § 8, Oct. 8, 2008, 122 Stat. 4060; Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title XIX, § 1909, Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2681.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2016—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 114–328, § 1909(1), substituted “emergency managers, decision makers, and other appropriate officials” for “emergency managers and decision makers” and inserted “and steady-state activity” before period at end.

Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 114–328, § 1909(2)(A), substituted “tribal, and territorial governments, the private sector, and international partners” for “and tribal governments” and “for events, threats, and incidents involving” for “in the event of” and struck out “and” at end.

Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 114–328, § 1909(2)(B), substituted “; and” for period at end.

Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 114–328, § 1909(2)(C), added par. (3).

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 114–328, § 1909(4)(A), substituted “emergency responder” for “fire service” in heading.

Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 114–328, § 1909(4)(B), added par. (1) and struck out former par. (1). Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “The Secretary shall, in consultation with the Administrator of the United States Fire Administration, establish a fire service position at the National Operations Center established under subsection (b) to ensure the effective sharing of information between the Federal Government and State and local fire services.”

Subsec. (c)(2), (3). Pub. L. 114–328, § 1909(4)(C), (D), redesignated par. (3) as (2) and struck out former par. (2). Prior to amendment, text of par. (2) read as follows: “The Secretary shall designate, on a rotating basis, a State or local fire service official for the position described in paragraph (1).”

2008—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 110–376 added subsec. (c).