109 HR 5852 IH: To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to enhance
U.S. House of Representatives
2006-07-20
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
1.This Act may be cited as the 21st
Century Emergency Communications Act of 2006
.
2.
(a)The Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 101 et seq.)
is amended by adding at the end the following new title:
<enum>XVIII</enum><header>Emergency
Communications</header>
<section id="H6C38E49D51124FC3B5EE0786B9563040"><enum>1801.</enum><header>Office of
Emergency Communications</header>
<subsection id="HABFBAD21F0D64D77852F84DD3BE4CD76"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>There is in the Department an Office of Emergency
Communications.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H380530C5E0D54188B5F1A13D82402F94"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Assistant
Secretary</header><text>The head of the office shall be the Assistant Secretary
for Emergency Communications.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H5295F7C9B84E454B8570842D57003D06"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Responsibilities</header><text>The
Assistant Secretary for Emergency Communications shall—</text>
<paragraph id="HF13C8E2A082641D889F8AF41FDEEA683"><enum>(1)</enum><text>assist the
Secretary in developing and implementing the program described in section
7303(a)(1) of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (6
U.S.C. 194(a)(1)), except as provided in section 314;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H810CCA87BF81409EBABC95DF007C8FDC"><enum>(2)</enum><text>administer the
Department’s responsibilities and authorities relating to the SAFECOM Program,
excluding elements related to research, development, testing, and evaluation
and standards;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H3C8738585BE042BDBB305CEFA0BEC2FC"><enum>(3)</enum><text>administer the
Department’s responsibilities and authorities relating to the Integrated
Wireless Network program;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H410E6CA85AC44952A38EA54F82C067AF"><enum>(4)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">coordinate, as appropriate, regarding the
administration of the National Communications System;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HB8283138B13B44ABB1D2B4B1E5675BD8"><enum>(5)</enum><text>conduct extensive,
nationwide outreach and foster the development of interoperable emergency
communications capabilities by State, regional, local, and tribal governments
and public safety agencies;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H874432839BB94F238C9F64FB64FFF333"><enum>(6)</enum><text>provide technical
assistance to State, regional, local, and tribal officials with respect to use
of interoperable emergency communications capabilities;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H652F4869ABBB483C96422D51BA94AFAC"><enum>(7)</enum><text>facilitate the
creation of Regional Emergency Communications Coordination Working Groups under
section 1805;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H3A19620FB6C54A548C59C1DCB01C1989"><enum>(8)</enum><text>promote the
development of best practices with respect to use of interoperable emergency
communications capabilities for incident response and facilitate the sharing of
information on such best practices (including from governments abroad) for
achieving, maintaining, and enhancing interoperable emergency communications
capabilities for such response;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HF165F28811C849BF9006766B76B1F61B"><enum>(9)</enum><text>coordinate the
establishment of a national response capability with initial and ongoing
planning, implementation, and training for the deployment of backup
communications services in the event of a catastrophic loss of local and
regional emergency communications services;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H222D3B4A27E24264B28E051B3BB606D6"><enum>(10)</enum><text>assist the
President, the National Security Council, the Homeland Security Council, and
the Director of the Office of Management and Budget in ensuring the operability
of the telecommunications functions and responsibilities of the Federal
Government, excluding spectrum management;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HCC5C36F852284B7C81CE82E7D701BEF6"><enum>(11)</enum><text>establish, in
coordination with the Director of the Office of Interoperability and
Compatibility, requirements for total and nonproprietary interoperable
emergency communications capabilities for all public safety radio and data
communications systems and equipment purchased using homeland security
assistance administered by the Department;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H54B6476A9C6D48FDB0596D00AFA54B5D"><enum>(12)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">review, in consultation with the Assistant
Secretary for Grants and Training, all interoperable emergency communications
plans of Federal, State, local, and tribal governments, including Statewide and
tactical interoperability plans, developed pursuant to homeland security
assistance administered by the Department, but excluding spectrum allocation
and management related to such plans.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H76C4D852A6504A3C98E1ACBA83051B11"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Performance of
previously transferred functions</header><text>There is transferred to the
Secretary the authority to administer, through the Assistant Secretary for
Emergency Communications, the following:</text>
<paragraph id="HDBAE336180414F4AB033C549030063E7"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The SAFECOM Program, excluding elements
related to research, development, testing, and evaluation and standards.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H1546A19E00DD46128141404FDFE03F"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The responsibilities of the Chief
Information Officer related to the implementation of the Integrated Wireless
Network.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HE6DA2A2A91EC422F978536F681F9360"><enum>(3)</enum><text>The Interoperable
Communications Technical Assistance Program.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H760A776CE7E1469800839589BAEA668D"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Coordination</header><text>The
Assistant Secretary shall coordinate, as appropriate, with the Director of the
Office for Interoperability and Compatibility with respect to the
responsibilities described in section 314.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H46F31788FA924F7289887C68AA93568"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Sufficiency of
resources plan</header>
<paragraph id="H705D20809A2243490014DBAEB933F608"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Report</header><text>Not
later than days 60 days after the enactment of this section, the Secretary
shall submit to Congress a report on the resources and staff necessary to carry
out the responsibilities under this subtitle.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HA24487709DDA4606A59C6CDAAF2FB428"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Comptroller
General review</header><text>The Comptroller General shall review the validity
of the report submitted by the Secretary under paragraph (1). Not later than
30 days after the date on which such report is submitted, the Comptroller
General shall submit to Congress a report containing the findings of such
review.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H37F32DECE1BA44EE84B5D770030CD7" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>1802.</enum><header>National Emergency
Communications Report</header>
<subsection id="HBD67B8D480E14E52A32649F83C18981C"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretary, acting
through the Assistant Secretary for Emergency Communications, shall, not later
than one year after the completion of the baseline assessment under section
1803, and in cooperation with State, local, and tribal governments, Federal
departments and agencies, emergency response providers, emergency support
responders, and the private sector, develop a National Emergency Communications
Report to provide recommendations regarding how the United States can
accelerate the deployment of interoperable emergency communications
nationwide.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H2643E9C99C5A491DBCE05EF93D1271C"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Contents</header><text>The
report shall—</text>
<paragraph id="H77618FA19A654DA4A8F5AAF3B6F380E9"><enum>(1)</enum><text>include a national
interoperable emergency communications inventory to be completed by the
Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of Commerce, and the Chairman of
the Federal Communications Commission that—</text>
<subparagraph id="H255B1868C76E4AFFAF94431B2C418F11"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">identifies for each Federal department and
agency—</text>
<clause id="HE626CA2AB84343168CE04BEF7F46E32B"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the channels and
frequencies used;</text>
</clause><clause id="HC6A87F208C9C47309903919181CD007D"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the nomenclature
used to refer to each channel or frequency used; and</text>
</clause><clause id="H57A0CCFC4F434A6399C0BCE5C41DE5C"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>the types of
communications system and equipment used;</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HF2BE1152C63E4A48B00024D4AE1441D4"><enum>(B)</enum><text>identifies the
interoperable emergency communications systems in use for public safety systems
in the United States; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H3225BE452B344561A9DD58879099493D"><enum>(C)</enum><text>provides a listing
of public safety mutual aid channels in operation and their ability to connect
to an interoperable communications system;</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H7BE64512E52B4A15A947F2E739DA5C4B"><enum>(2)</enum><text>recommend, in
consultation with the Federal Communications Commission and the National
Institute of Standards and Technology, a process for expediting national
voluntary consensus-based emergency communications equipment standards for the
purchase and use by public safety agencies of interoperable emergency
communications equipment and technologies;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HDDCEF4A34AE74C668628A31FCA3EC500"><enum>(3)</enum><text>identify the
appropriate interoperable emergency communications capabilities necessary for
Federal, State, local, and tribal governments to operate at all threat
levels;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H8F90461255B24DC988F9BC02A3FB733D"><enum>(4)</enum><text>recommend both
short-term and long-term solutions for deploying Federal, State, local, and
tribal interoperable emergency communications systems nationwide, including
through the provision of existing and emerging technologies that facilitate
operability, interoperability, coordination, and integration among existing
emergency communications systems;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HA686AE6C51F146738F1BFC48770011E9"><enum>(5)</enum><text>identify how
Federal Government departments and agencies that respond to acts of terrorism,
natural disasters, and other emergencies can work effectively with State,
local, and tribal governments, in all States, and with other entities;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H715CF38AFA124BFEB5C18B72BDF125C5"><enum>(6)</enum><text>include
recommendations to identify and overcome obstacles to deploying interoperable
emergency communications nationwide; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HFB20A5CEA4CC449CB9B87E1E0035B322"><enum>(7)</enum><text>recommend goals
and timeframes for the deployment of an emergency, command-level communications
system based on new and existing equipment across the United States and develop
a timetable for deploying interoperable emergency communications systems
nationwide.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H062C750E83EA4B3FA662B639992857D3" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>1803.</enum><header>Assessments and
reports</header>
<subsection id="H7A1F8A167D254B40BDD81168264619C"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Baseline
operability and interoperability assessment</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than one year after the date of
the enactment of this section and not less than every 5 years thereafter, the
Secretary, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Emergency Communications,
shall conduct an assessment of Federal, State, local, and tribal governments,
to—</text>
<paragraph id="H2D953B0481CB4A878C71D5D17D1D015B"><enum>(1)</enum><text>define the range
of operable and interoperable emergency communications capabilities needed for
specific events;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HFE3394B9AF344121B7C57FC3FA0129E3"><enum>(2)</enum><text>assess the current
capabilities to meet such communications needs; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H3D60BF4A9EEB45509170E7FC34812BBE"><enum>(3)</enum><text>identify the gap
between such current capabilities and defined requirements.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H2C59991146AE47F7BD3E8F8DBABE4585"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Progress
reports</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than one
year after the date of enactment of this section and annually thereafter, the
Secretary, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Emergency Communications,
shall submit to Congress a report on the progress of the Department in
implementing and achieving the goals of this subtitle, including—</text>
<paragraph id="HD0B627BBD2454972B3C51B8ECCA94039"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a description of the findings of the most
recent baseline assessment conducted under subsection (a);</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HB7D51D598F404178AC6CC9B6D2A5DF95"><enum>(2)</enum><text>a determination of
the degree to which interoperable emergency communications has been achieved to
date and ascertain the gaps that remains for interoperability to be
achieved;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H0B8E144DA00E4293A7C27374E3F1E790"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">an assessment of the ability of communities
to provide and maintain interoperable emergency communications among emergency
managers, emergency response providers, emergency support providers, and
government officials in the event of acts of terrorism, natural disasters, or
other emergencies, including Incidents of National Significance declared by the
Secretary under the National Response Plan, and where there is substantial
damage to communications infrastructure;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H0472ADE8A88D47CB8685D8CFA5BF701C"><enum>(4)</enum><text>a list of best
practices among communities for providing and maintaining interoperable
emergency communications in the event of acts of terrorism, natural disasters,
or other emergencies; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H948FF837795348418E41B93C93E80207"><enum>(5)</enum><text>an evaluation of
the feasibility and desirability of the Department developing, on its own or in
conjunction with the Department of Defense, a mobile communications capability,
modeled on the Army Signal Corps, that could be deployed to support emergency
communications at the site of acts of terrorism, natural disasters, or other
emergencies.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section id="H03536025D12B469893344C07CB21BC20"><enum>1804.</enum><header>Coordination
of Department emergency communications grant programs</header>
<subsection id="H2ED53970F4B94048871FBEA7F9950079"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Coordination of
grants and standards programs</header><text>The Secretary, acting through
Assistant Secretary for Emergency Communications, shall ensure that grant
guidelines for the use of homeland security assistance administered by the
Department relating to interoperable emergency communications are coordinated
and consistent with the goals and recommendations in the National Emergency
Communications Report under section 1802.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HA1BC2777376A40FDA1C290C49F57686F"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Denial of
eligibility for grants</header>
<paragraph id="H359D56DE31B443D7B6B27286BB37CD9E"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>The Secretary, acting through the Assistant Secretary for
Grants and Planning, and in consultation with the Assistant Secretary for
Emergency Communications, may prohibit any State, local, or tribal government
from using homeland security assistance administered by the Department to
achieve, maintain, or enhance interoperable emergency communications
capabilities, if—</text>
<subparagraph id="H0850D15441AD4523B18B72DDACFB7BF"><enum>(A)</enum><text>such government has
not complied with the requirement to submit a Statewide Interoperable
Communications Plan as required by section 7303(f) of the Intelligence Reform
and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/6/194">6 U.S.C. 194(f)</external-xref>);</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H8145C57425D14BA59DFF2557CD471931"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">such government has proposed to upgrade or
purchase new equipment or systems that do not meet or exceed any applicable
national voluntary consensus standards and has not provided a reasonable
explanation of why such equipment or systems will serve the needs of the
applicant better than equipment or systems that meet or exceed such standards;
and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H808707831FAD42AEABAAC7904BED3C69"><enum>(C)</enum><text>as of the date
that is three years after the date of the enactment of this section, national
voluntary consensus standards for interoperable emergency communications
capabilities have not been developed and promulgated.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H665BBAD22ED64F9EBF74F989D162B18D"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Standards</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretary, in coordination with the
Federal Communications Commission, the National Institute of Standards and
Technology, and other Federal departments and agencies with responsibility for
standards, shall support the development, promulgation, and updating as
necessary of national voluntary consensus standards for interoperable emergency
communications with the goal of having such standards in place to satisfy the
requirements of paragraph (1)(C).</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section id="H82837602AD294272A0EBAD76D55EC5E"><enum>1805.</enum><header>Regional
emergency communications coordination</header>
<subsection id="H9B010B6A904849B28B2C81A2924D2106"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>There is in each Regional Office a Regional Emergency
Communications Coordination Working Group (in this section referred to as an
<quote>RECC Working Group</quote>).</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HA3375CBC8FE148A2A50036D5BDF77F"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Subject matter
experts</header><text>The RECC Working Group shall consist of the
following:</text>
<paragraph id="H8280EFDBA9584BA6A48C28D04B6096A1"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Non-Federal</header><text>Organizations
representing the interests of the following:</text>
<subparagraph id="H87DFB59F7A2B4F4C9090ED7609823BFC"><enum>(A)</enum><text>State
officials.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H9BD18258B7BE4E63835114E54C15EB4B"><enum>(B)</enum><text>Local officials,
including sheriffs.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HC401361228A64680A11BE396FE46BCA7"><enum>(C)</enum><text>State police
departments.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H2E749CE18B364F11B32DE322FD1CB422"><enum>(D)</enum><text>Local police
departments.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H91DEABC6AFEF4FF4B04F6385FC3E9791"><enum>(E)</enum><text>Local fire
departments.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HB26DBDBB687546E99D008046E464C86"><enum>(F)</enum><text>Public safety
answering points (9–1–1 services).</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H8034BD8905E44328A172FBBACAE9B5D"><enum>(G)</enum><text>Communications
equipment vendors (including broadband data service providers).</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H62D8CE5C6AA943A7A59D95A88975F0C3"><enum>(H)</enum><text>Hospitals.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HF1B83AE0448D412698F1069C184273E9"><enum>(I)</enum><text>Public utility
services.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HCC1D8BF8067A484A88CEA930B53459C7"><enum>(J)</enum><text>Local exchange
carriers.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H6CFE9059BE4241888EBEE951C1DEA885"><enum>(K)</enum><text>Local broadcast
media.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H5A0D72CC26F440898CDFAF2DD367654E"><enum>(L)</enum><text>Wireless
carriers.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HD5977A94EAB4434FBEA400CF41863DAE"><enum>(M)</enum><text>Satellite
communications services.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H91FA504C189840008E8364D1BE0888DC"><enum>(N)</enum><text>Emergency
evacuation transit services.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HBE2FEEFA7F1E458588005171FB774350"><enum>(O)</enum><text>Ambulance
services.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H42502F2E7872486DBC6E2D708368F67F"><enum>(P)</enum><text>HAM and amateur
radio operators.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HE3F7253BC3E14232BFF064C28314100"><enum>(Q)</enum><text>State emergency
managers, homeland security directors, or representatives of State
Administrative Agencies.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HE064F7BC462A49A9BDE95EE2103E022E"><enum>(R)</enum><text>Local emergency
managers or homeland security directors.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HADC7205678644FB6B5B77E649BDDA428"><enum>(S)</enum><text>Cable
operators.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H6E5E5EE5B2074DB3AE06A2B14186E832"><enum>(T)</enum><text>Other emergency
response providers or emergency support providers as deemed appropriate.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HB080C8B4734E49EA996800A6BCE08B37"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Federal</header><text>Representatives
from the Department and other Federal departments and agencies with
responsibility for coordinating interoperable emergency communications with or
providing emergency support services to State, local, and tribal
governments.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HC39802A511C44133AFAAE4C57C118077"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Duties</header><text>The
duties of each RECC Working Group shall include—</text>
<paragraph id="HCD73AC048DE74CFA96C77CAC4BFF1366"><enum>(1)</enum><text>assessing the
survivability, sustainability, and interoperability of local emergency
communications systems to meet the goals of the National Emergency
Communications Report;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H35BD3736AD494AF39F9218DD51B12283"><enum>(2)</enum><text>reporting annually
to the Assistant Secretary for Emergency Communications on the status of its
region in building robust and sustainable interoperable voice and data
emergency communications networks and on the progress of the region in meeting
the goals of the National Emergency Communications Report under section 1802
when such Report is complete;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H2690327DD4554401A0E8B83C449746D7"><enum>(3)</enum><text>ensuring a process
for the coordination of the establishment of effective multijurisdictional,
multi-agency emergency communications networks for use during acts of
terrorism, natural disasters, and other emergencies through the expanded use of
emergency management and public safety communications mutual aid agreements;
and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HD8B9A0A70829430E82823DCD18F18210"><enum>(4)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">coordinating the establishment of Federal,
State, local, and tribal support services and networks designed to address the
immediate and critical human needs in responding to acts of terrorism, natural
disasters, and other emergencies.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H615FA15D4E5C4EABAFAA76BA0640DC" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>1806.</enum><header>Emergency
Communications Preparedness Center</header>
<subsection id="H00EFC1CE4A1C4C9EA98C596C75576536"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Establishment</header><text>There
is established the Emergency Communications Preparedness Center (in this
section referred to as the <quote>Center</quote>).</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HBF274ED824254DA5BD30871700FF80BF"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Operation</header>
<paragraph id="H70066B2F6AAA4F2AA3DDA89DDC2BE001"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>The Secretary, the Chairman of the Federal Communications
Commission, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Commerce, the Attorney
General, and the heads of other Federal departments and agencies or their
designees shall jointly operate the Center in accordance with the Memorandum of
Understanding entitled, <quote>Emergency Communications Preparedness Center
(ECPC) Charter</quote>.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H57C16439A0314663B55C3200FB8B8EAB"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Chair</header><text>The
Chair of the Center shall rotate every two years between the Secretary of
Homeland Security, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Commerce, the
Attorney General, and the Chairman of the Federal Communications
Commission.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H8CAE5A2386AB4203AFC2BCF00C4EAED"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Functions</header><text>The
Center shall—</text>
<paragraph id="H23FF60E6607A4FB1BDCEBDEB00A6BF13"><enum>(1)</enum><text>serve as the focal
point for interagency efforts to address operable and interoperable
communications;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H5C4A439951D04488ACABE2D1E248421D"><enum>(2)</enum><text>serve as a
clearinghouse with respect to all relevant information regarding
intergovernmental efforts to achieve nationwide interoperable emergency
communications capabilities;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H271CC8136D9B489F9D226EE724CFB1F7"><enum>(3)</enum><text>ensure cooperation
among the relevant Federal Government departments and agencies to improve
effectiveness in the communication and implementation of the goals recommended
in the National Emergency Communications Report under section 1802, including
specifically by working to avoid duplication, hindrances, and counteractive
efforts among the participating Federal departments and agencies;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HD54482C5CD1147B89303F0C74DE48B13"><enum>(4)</enum><text>prepare and submit
to Congress, on an annual basis, a strategic assessment regarding the efforts
of Federal departments and agencies to implement the National Emergency
Communications Report under section 1802; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H69275E8DF64048B1BF885C70007910A9"><enum>(5)</enum><text>perform such other
functions as are provided in the ECPC Charter under subsection (b)(1).</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H621DD4D0DBA94465A4583D7DC6742686"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Report</header><text>Not
later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section, the Chair
shall transmit to the Congress a report regarding the implementation of this
section, including a description of the staffing and resource needs of the
Center.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="HF4BA21D7EFB74F51A0236EBFC0FEEDBD"><enum>1807.</enum><header>Urban and
other high risk area communications capabilities</header>
<subsection id="H4ED2CBB64C5E4008A433679955DE948D"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>The Secretary, in consultation with the Chairman of the
Federal Communications Commission and the Secretary of Defense, and with
appropriate State, local, and tribal government officials, shall provide
technical guidance, training, and other assistance, as appropriate, to support
the rapid establishment of consistent, secure, and effective interoperable
emergency communications capabilities in the event of an emergency in urban and
other areas determined by the Secretary to be at consistently high levels of
risk from acts of terrorism, natural disasters, and other emergencies.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HA3E951E9F6E448E4839F5DF9D884B3F2"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Minimum
capabilities</header><text>The interoperable emergency communications
capabilities established under subsection (a) shall ensure the ability of all
levels of government, emergency response providers, emergency support
providers, the private sector, and other organizations with emergency response
capabilities—</text>
<paragraph id="HE527E706D31A4FF18103F56459399257"><enum>(1)</enum><text>to communicate
with each other in the event of an emergency;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H7A0814E44A0046D1A472D323C4431C52"><enum>(2)</enum><text>to have
appropriate and timely access to the Information Sharing Environment described
in section 1016 of the National Security Intelligence Reform Act of 2004 (6
U.S.C. 321); and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H1C0CCC8CD3934045ABBC9E539E44C12D"><enum>(3)</enum><text>to be consistent
with any applicable State or Urban Area homeland strategy or plan.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section>.
(b)The table of contents in section 1(b) of such Act is
amended by adding at the end the following:
Title XVIII—Emergency Communications
Sec. 1801. Office of Emergency Communications.
Sec. 1802. National Emergency Communications
Report.
Sec. 1803. Assessments and reports.
Sec. 1804. Coordination of Federal emergency communications
grant programs.
Sec. 1805. Regional emergency communications
coordination.
Sec. 1806. Emergency Communications Preparedness
Center.
Sec. 1807. Urban and other high risk area communications
capabilities.
3.Office of
Interoperability and Compatibility
(a)Title III of the
Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 181 et seq.) is amended by adding at
the end the following:
314.Office of
Interoperability and Compatibility
(a)Clarification of
responsibilitiesThe Director of the Office of Interoperability
and Compatibility shall—
(1)assist the
Secretary in developing and implementing the science and technology aspects of
the program described in subparagraphs (D), (E), (F), and (G) of section
7303(a)(1) of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (6
U.S.C. 194(a)(1));
(2)support the
creation of national voluntary consensus standards for interoperable emergency
communications;
(3)establish a
comprehensive research, development, testing, and evaluation program for
improving interoperable emergency communications;
(4)establish, in
coordination with the Assistant Secretary for Emergency Communications,
requirements for total and nonproprietary interoperable emergency
communications capabilities for all public safety radio and data communications
systems and equipment purchased using homeland security assistance administered
by the Department;
(5)carry out the Department’s responsibilities
and authorities relating to research, development, testing, evaluation, or
standards-related elements of the SAFECOM Program;
(6)evaluate and
assess new technology in real-world environments to achieve interoperable
emergency communications capabilities;
(7)encourage more
efficient use of existing resources, including equipment, to achieve
interoperable emergency communications capabilities;
(8)test public safety
communications systems that are less prone to failure, support new nonvoice
services, use spectrum more efficiently, and cost less than existing systems;
and
(9)coordinate with
the private sector to develop solutions to improve emergency communications
capabilities and achieve interoperable emergency communications
capabilities.
(b)The
Director shall coordinate with the Assistant Secretary for Emergency
Communications with respect to the SAFECOM program.
(c)The Secretary shall provide the Office for
Interoperability and Compatibility the resources and staff necessary to carry
out the responsibilities under this
section.
.
(b)The table of contents in section 1(b) of such Act is
amended by inserting at the end of the items relating to title III the
following:
Sec. 314. Office of Interoperability and
Compatibility.
.
4.Sense of Congress on
the Project 25 conformity assessment projectIt is the sense of Congress that in carrying
out the responsibilities and authorities of the Department of Homeland Security
relating to the SAFECOM Program, the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security
for Emergency Communications and the Director of the Office of Interoperability
and Compatibility should work with the National Institute of Standards and
Technology for the purpose of implementing, as soon as possible, the Project 25
Compliance Assessment Program.