[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Pages 9354-9355]
[From the U.S. 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.

     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

[[Page 9355]]

     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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