[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 93 (Thursday, June 11, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4116-S4117]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY INTEROPERABLE COMMUNICATIONS ACT
Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 95, H.R. 615.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
The bill clerk read as follows:
A bill (H.R. 615) 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.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill,
which had been reported from the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs, with an amendment to strike all after the
enacting clause and insert in lieu thereof the following:
H.R. 615
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.
[[Page S4117]]
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.
Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the
committee-reported substitute be agreed to; the bill, as amended, be
read a third time and passed, and the motion to reconsider be
considered made and laid upon the table.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The committee-reported amendment in the nature of a substitute was
agreed to.
The amendment was ordered to be engrossed, and the bill to be read a
third time.
The bill was read the third time.
The bill (H.R. 615), as amended, was passed.
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