[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 196 (Wednesday, October 11, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59803-59804]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-16833]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Office of the Secretary


Designation of Manager, National Communications System

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Department of Homeland Security.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary of Homeland Security announces the designation 
of the Under Secretary for Preparedness, Directorate for Preparedness, 
as the Manager, National Communications System (NCS).

DATES: The designation of the Manager, National Communications System, 
is effective August 15, 2006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Marilyn Witcher, Chief, Industry, 
Government, and External Affairs, National Communications System, 
telephone (703) 235-5515, e-mail: [email protected] or write the 
Deputy Manager, National Communications System, PREP/CS&T/NCS/N5, Mail 
Stop 8500, Department of Homeland Security, 245 Murray Lane, Building 
410, Washington, DC 20528-8500.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This designation is issued in accordance 
with section 1(e)(1) of Executive Order 12472 of April 3, 1984, as 
amended by section 46 of Executive Order 13286 of February 28, 2003. It 
supersedes the designation to the Assistant Secretary of Homeland 
Security for Infrastructure Protection.
    The NCS consists of the telecommunications assets of the entities 
represented on the NCS Committee of Principals and an administrative 
structure consisting of the Executive Agent, the NCS Committee of 
Principals, and the Manager. The mission of the NCS is to assist the 
President, the National Security Council, the Homeland Security 
Council, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, 
and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget in:
    (1) The exercise of designated telecommunications functions and 
responsibilities; and
    (2) The coordination of the planning for and provision of national 
security and emergency preparedness communications for the Federal 
Government under all circumstances, including crisis or emergency, 
attack, recovery, and reconstitution.
    As stated in Section 1(g) of Executive Order 12472 of April 3, 
1984, as amended, the Manager, NCS, shall develop for consideration by 
the NCS Committee of Principals and the Executive Agent:
    (1) A recommended evolutionary telecommunications architecture 
designed to meet current and future Federal Government national 
security and emergency preparedness telecommunications requirements;
    (2) Plans and procedures for the management, allocation, and use,

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including the establishment of priorities or preferences, of federally 
owned or leased telecommunications assets under all conditions of 
crisis or emergency;
    (3) Plans, procedures, and standards for minimizing or removing 
technical impediments to the interoperability of government-owned and/
or commercially-provided telecommunications systems;
    (4) Test and exercise programs and procedures for the evaluation of 
the capability of the Nation's telecommunications resources to meet 
national security or emergency preparedness telecommunications 
requirements; and
    (5) Alternative mechanisms for funding, through the budget review 
process, national security or emergency preparedness telecommunications 
initiatives that benefit multiple Federal departments, agencies, or 
entities. Those mechanisms recommended by the NCS Committee of 
Principals and the Executive Agent shall be submitted to the Director 
of the Office of Management and Budget.
    The Manager shall also:
    (1) Implement and administer any approved plans or programs as 
assigned, including any system of priorities and preferences for the 
provision of communications service, in consultation with the NCS 
Committee of Principals and the Federal Communications Commission, to 
the extent practicable or otherwise required by law or regulation;
    (2) Chair the NCS Committee of Principals and provide staff support 
and technical assistance thereto;
    (3) Serve as a focal point for joint industry-government planning, 
including the dissemination of technical information, concerning the 
national security or emergency preparedness telecommunications 
requirements of the Federal Government;
    (4) Conduct technical studies or analyses, and examine research and 
development programs, for the purpose of identifying, for consideration 
by the NCS Committee of Principals and the Executive Agent, improved 
approaches that may assist Federal entities in fulfilling national 
security or emergency preparedness telecommunications objectives;
    (5) Pursuant to the Federal Standardization Program of the General 
Services Administration, and in consultation with other appropriate 
entities of the Federal Government including the NCS Committee of 
Principals, manage the Federal Telecommunications Standards Program, 
ensuring wherever feasible that existing or evolving industry, 
national, and international standards are used as the basis for Federal 
telecommunications standards; and
    (6) Provide such reports and perform such other duties as are from 
time to time assigned by the President or his authorized designee, the 
Executive Agent, or the NCS Committee of Principals. Any such 
assignments of responsibility to, or reports made by, the Manager shall 
be transmitted through the Executive Agent.
    Designation: In accordance with section 1(e)(1) of Executive Order 
12472 of April 3, 1984, as amended by section 46 of Executive Order 
13286 of February 28, 2003, and as the designated Executive Agent for 
the National Communications System, Department of Homeland Security, I 
designate the position Under Secretary for Preparedness, Directorate 
for Preparedness, as the Manager, National Communications System. This 
designation supersedes the prior designation to the Assistant Secretary 
of Homeland Security for Infrastructure Protection.

    Dated: September 28, 2006.
Michael Chertoff,
Secretary of Homeland Security.
 [FR Doc. E6-16833 Filed 10-10-06; 8:45 am]
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