[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 123 (Wednesday, September 27, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S10284]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   RECOGNIZING MISSOURI ORGANIZATIONS

 Mr. BOND. Mr. President, I would like to take this opportunity 
to recognize the valuable efforts of the Missouri National Guard, 
Missouri School Boards' Association, and National Guard Bureau as they 
have collaborated to support Missouri's prototypical satellite/wireless 
communications efforts. They have significantly contributed to our 
knowledge and experience in delivering interagency, interoperable 
communications capabilities relevant to both the Nation and Show Me 
state.
  The Missouri School Boards' Association has closely collaborated with 
the National Guard to demonstrate that a limited amount of Federal 
funding can be leveraged to provide for the creation of interagency, 
interoperable, satellite/wireless, disaster response communications 
capability, creating reliable local, State and Federal communications 
infrastructure. This capability can support a number of initiatives, 
including first responder training, distance learning, telemedicine, 
and local law enforcement. It is significant to note that a critical 
component of this demonstration effort is to prove that various 
agencies can leverage common, shared infrastructure, which reduces 
sustainment costs and improves government efficiency. Every indication 
is that this model can successfully support information security and 
network defense requirements.
  Since beginning the Missouri effort, much has already been learned. 
Lessons learned include: interagency interoperability offers an 
opportunity to transform how we communicate and for significant cost 
avoidance, including the reduction of annual recurring costs; 
impediments to interagency interoperability are not because the 
technology is unavailable or because security requirements cannot be 
addressed; and challenges and opportunities related to successful 
interagency communications interoperability exist at all local, State, 
and Federal Government levels.
  The Missouri National Guard has validated the use of affordable 
satellite technology to create reliable, redundant disaster response 
network communications. The National Guard has leveraged existing 
resources and teamed with State and Federal agencies to confirm the 
reliability and capabilities of a planned network. Ongoing activities 
to support these efforts, resourced largely from federal FY05 funds, 
include defining the procurement process related to executing this 
effort; completing a foundational analysis, the development of ``white 
papers,'' to define the precise relevance of the effort; completing 
required Department of Defense accreditation of deployable 
communications capabilities; completing a national survey of 
communications requirements, capabilities, and existing shortfalls to 
confirm that there is a national need for this type of capability; 
providing deployable communications capabilities for testing/
validation. These capabilities will directly support the National 
Guard, as well as legitimize the concept that state government prior to 
and during times of emergency can leverage Guard equipment; and 
providing deployable communications capabilities to be shared with the 
Missouri School Boards' Association in order that the association, 
during nonemergency situations, can validate applications with schools.
  With remaining Federal funds appropriated in fiscal year 2005, the 
Missouri School Boards' Association will also coordinate an effort to 
validate the ability to leverage emerging wireless technologies in a 
defined geographical area in Missouri. This demonstration will also 
validate the relevance of IPTV, Internet protocol television, with 
wireless technologies so that field-based educational opportunities can 
be transmitted ``live'' to school classrooms. From Federal fiscal year 
2006 funds, the Missouri School Boards' Association will coordinate a 
wireless demonstration project in a second defined geographical area in 
Missouri. This project will incorporate lessons learned from the 
initial demonstration project in a defined geographical space.
  Once again, I thank the Missouri National Guard, Missouri School 
Boards' Association, and National Guard Bureau for their work to 
support Missouri's prototypical satellite/wireless communications 
efforts. It is an outstanding example of collaboration.

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