---
kind: "section"
citation: "6 U.S.C. § 321k"
title: "6"
title_heading: "Domestic Security"
number: "321k"
heading: "Model standards and guidelines for critical infrastructure workers"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/6/321k"
units:
  - "Chapter 1 — Homeland Security Organization"
  - "Subchapter V — National Emergency Management"
---

# §321k. Model standards and guidelines for critical infrastructure workers

- (a) **In general—** Not later than 12 months after August 3, 2007, and in coordination with appropriate national professional organizations, Federal, [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17), local, and [tribal government](/usc/6/311.md?p=13) [agencies](/usc/6/311.md?p=2), and private-sector and nongovernmental [entities](/usc/6/301c.md?p=2), the [Administrator](/usc/6/311.md?p=1) shall establish model standards and guidelines for [credentialing](/usc/6/311.md?p=4) [critical infrastructure](/usc/6/101.md?p=4) workers that may be used by a [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) to credential [critical infrastructure](/usc/6/101.md?p=4) workers that may respond to a natural disaster, [act of terrorism](/usc/6/444.md?p=2-A), or other man-made disaster.
- (b) **Distribution and assistance—** The [Administrator](/usc/6/311.md?p=1) shall provide the standards developed under [subsection (a)](#a), including detailed written guidance, to [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17), local, and [tribal governments](/usc/6/311.md?p=13), and provide expertise and technical assistance to aid such governments with [credentialing](/usc/6/311.md?p=4) [critical infrastructure](/usc/6/101.md?p=4) workers that may respond to a natural disaster, [act of terrorism](/usc/6/444.md?p=2-A), or other manmade disaster.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 107–296, title V, § 522, as added Pub. L. 110–53, title IV, § 409(a), Aug. 3, 2007, 121 Stat. 305.)