[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 615 Reported in Senate (RS)]
Calendar No. 95
114th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 615
[Report No. 114-53]
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 3, 2015
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security
and Governmental Affairs
May 21, 2015
Reported by Mr. Johnson, with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Under
Secretary for Management of the Department of Homeland Security to take
administrative action to achieve and maintain interoperable
communications capabilities among the components of the Department of
Homeland Security, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``Department of Homeland
Security Interoperable Communications Act'' or the ``DHS Interoperable
Communications Act''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 2. INCLUSION OF INTEROPERABLE COMMUNICATIONS CAPABILITIES
IN RESPONSIBILITIES OF UNDER SECRETARY FOR
MANAGEMENT.</DELETED>
<DELETED> Section 701 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C.
341) is amended--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) in paragraph (4) of subsection (a), by
inserting before the period at the end the following: ``,
including policies and directives to achieve and maintain
interoperable communications among the components of the
Department''; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) by adding at the end the following new
subsection:</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(d) Interoperable Communications Defined.--In this
section, the term `interoperable communications' means the ability of
components of the Department to communicate with each other as
necessary, utilizing information technology systems and radio
communications systems to exchange voice, data, and video in real time,
as necessary, for acts of terrorism, daily operations, planned events,
and emergencies.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 3. STRATEGY.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) In General.--Not later than 120 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary for Management of the
Department of Homeland Security shall submit to the Committee on
Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a strategy,
which shall be updated as necessary, for achieving and maintaining
interoperable communications (as such term is defined in subsection (d)
of section 701 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as added by
section 2 of this Act) among the components of the Department of
Homeland Security, including for daily operations, planned events, and
emergencies, with corresponding milestones, that includes, at a minimum
the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) An assessment of interoperability gaps in
radio communications among the components of the Department, as
of the date of the enactment of this Act.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Information on efforts and activities,
including current and planned policies, directives, and
training, of the Department since November 1, 2012, to achieve
and maintain interoperable communications among the components
of the Department, and planned efforts and activities of the
Department to achieve and maintain such interoperable
communications.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) An assessment of obstacles and challenges to
achieving and maintaining interoperable communications among
the components of the Department.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) Information on, and an assessment of, the
adequacy of mechanisms available to the Under Secretary for
Management to enforce and compel compliance with interoperable
communications policies and directives of the
Department.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (5) Guidance provided to the components of the
Department to implement interoperable communications policies
and directives of the Department.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (6) The total amount of funds expended by the
Department since November 1, 2012, and projected future
expenditures, to achieve interoperable communications,
including on equipment, infrastructure, and
maintenance.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (7) Dates upon which Department-wide
interoperability is projected to be achieved for voice, data,
and video communications, respectively, and interim milestones
that correspond to the achievement of each such mode of
communication.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Supplementary Material.--Together with the strategy
required under subsection (a), the Under Secretary for Management shall
submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs of the Senate information on any intra-agency effort or task
force that has been delegated certain responsibilities by the Under
Secretary relating to achieving and maintaining interoperable
communications among the components of the Department by the dates
referred to in paragraph (9) of subsection (a), and on who, within each
such component, is responsible for implementing policies and directives
issued by the Under Secretary to so achieve and maintain such
interoperable communications.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 4. REPORT.</DELETED>
<DELETED> Not later than 220 days after the date of the enactment of
this Act and biannually thereafter, the Under Secretary for Management
shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs of the Senate a report on the status of efforts, since the
issuance of the strategy required under section 3, to implement such
strategy, including the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) Progress on each interim milestone referred to
in paragraph (9) of subsection (a) toward achieving and
maintaining interoperable communications among the components
of the Department.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Information on any policies, directives,
guidance, and training established by the Under
Secretary.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) An assessment of the level of compliance,
adoption, and participation among the components of the
Department with the policies, directives, guidance, and
training established by the Under Secretary to achieve and
maintain interoperable communications among such
components.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) Information on any additional resources or
authorities needed by the Under Secretary.</DELETED>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Department of Homeland Security
Interoperable Communications Act'' or the ``DHS Interoperable
Communications Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act--
(1) the term ``Department'' means the Department of
Homeland Security;
(2) the term ``interoperable communications'' has the
meaning given that term in section 701(d) of the Homeland
Security Act of 2002, as added by section 3; and
(3) the term ``Under Secretary for Management'' means the
Under Secretary for Management of the Department of Homeland
Security.
SEC. 3. INCLUSION OF INTEROPERABLE COMMUNICATIONS CAPABILITIES IN
RESPONSIBILITIES OF UNDER SECRETARY FOR MANAGEMENT.
Section 701 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 341) is
amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(4), by inserting before the period at
the end the following: ``, including policies and directives to
achieve and maintain interoperable communications among the
components of the Department''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(d) Interoperable Communications Defined.--In this section, the
term `interoperable communications' has the meaning given that term in
section 7303(g) of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act
of 2004 (6 U.S.C. 194(g)).''.
SEC. 4. STRATEGY.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary for Management shall submit
to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives
and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the
Senate a strategy, which shall be updated as necessary, for achieving
and maintaining interoperable communications among the components of
the Department, including for daily operations, planned events, and
emergencies, with corresponding milestones, that includes the
following:
(1) An assessment of interoperability gaps in radio
communications among the components of the Department, as of
the date of enactment of this Act.
(2) Information on efforts and activities, including
current and planned policies, directives, and training, of the
Department since November 1, 2012 to achieve and maintain
interoperable communications among the components of the
Department, and planned efforts and activities of the
Department to achieve and maintain such interoperable
communications.
(3) An assessment of obstacles and challenges to achieving
and maintaining interoperable communications among the
components of the Department.
(4) Information on, and an assessment of, the adequacy of
mechanisms available to the Under Secretary for Management to
enforce and compel compliance with interoperable communications
policies and directives of the Department.
(5) Guidance provided to the components of the Department
to implement interoperable communications policies and
directives of the Department.
(6) The total amount of funds expended by the Department
since November 1, 2012 and projected future expenditures, to
achieve interoperable communications, including on equipment,
infrastructure, and maintenance.
(7) Dates upon which Department-wide interoperability is
projected to be achieved for voice, data, and video
communications, respectively, and interim milestones that
correspond to the achievement of each such mode of
communication.
(b) Supplementary Material.--Together with the strategy required
under subsection (a), the Under Secretary for Management shall submit
to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives
and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the
Senate information on--
(1) any intra-agency effort or task force that has been
delegated certain responsibilities by the Under Secretary for
Management relating to achieving and maintaining interoperable
communications among the components of the Department by the
dates referred to in subsection (a)(7); and
(2) who, within each such component, is responsible for
implementing policies and directives issued by the Under
Secretary for Management to so achieve and maintain such
interoperable communications.
SEC. 5. REPORT.
Not later than 100 days after the date on which the strategy
required under section 4(a) is submitted, and every 2 years thereafter
for 6 years, the Under Secretary for Management shall submit to the
Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a
report on the status of efforts to implement the strategy required
under section 4(a), including the following:
(1) Progress on each interim milestone referred to in
section 4(a)(7) toward achieving and maintaining interoperable
communications among the components of the Department.
(2) Information on any policies, directives, guidance, and
training established by the Under Secretary for Management.
(3) An assessment of the level of compliance, adoption, and
participation among the components of the Department with the
policies, directives, guidance, and training established by the
Under Secretary for Management to achieve and maintain
interoperable communications among the components.
(4) Information on any additional resources or authorities
needed by the Under Secretary for Management.
SEC. 6. APPLICABILITY.
Sections 4 and 5 shall only apply with respect to the interoperable
communications capabilities within the Department and components of the
Department to communicate within the Department.
Calendar No. 95
114th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 615
[Report No. 114-53]
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Under
Secretary for Management of the Department of Homeland Security to take
administrative action to achieve and maintain interoperable
communications capabilities among the components of the Department of
Homeland Security, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
May 21, 2015
Reported with an amendment