(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)
Department of Homeland Security Interoperable Communications Act or the DHS Interoperable Communications Act - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to include among the responsibilities of the Under Secretary for Management responsibilities with respect to policies and directives to achieve and maintain interoperable communications among the components of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Requires such Under Secretary to submit to the House and Senate homeland security committees a strategy, which shall be updated as necessary, for achieving and maintaining interoperable communications, including for daily operations, planned events, and emergencies, with corresponding milestones, that includes:
Directs the Under Secretary to submit information on any intra-agency effort or task force that has been delegated responsibilities by the Under Secretary relating to achieving and maintaining interoperable communications within a specified time frame, and on who, within each component, is responsible for implementing policies and directives issued by the Under Secretary to achieve and maintain interoperable communications.
Directs the Under Secretary to report on the status of efforts since the issuance of the strategy to implement such strategy, including: (1) progress on each interim milestone; (2) information on any policies, directives, guidance, and training established by the Under Secretary; (3) an assessment of the level of compliance, adoption, and participation among the DHS components with the policies, directives, guidance, and training established by the Under Secretary; and (4) information on any additional resources or authorities needed by the Under Secretary.
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4289 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4289
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.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 24, 2014
Mr. Payne (for himself and Mrs. Brooks of Indiana) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland
Security
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
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,
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. 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 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
(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(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.''.
SEC. 3. STRATEGY.
(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:
(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.
(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 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.
SEC. 4. REPORT.
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:
(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.
(2) Information on any policies, directives, guidance, and
training established by the Under Secretary.
(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.
(4) Information on any additional resources or authorities
needed by the Under Secretary.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response and Communications.
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote .
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
Reported by the Committee on Homeland Security. H. Rept. 113-484.
Reported by the Committee on Homeland Security. H. Rept. 113-484.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 360.
Mrs. Brooks (IN) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5856-5859)
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DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 4289.
At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H5861)
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 393 - 0 (Roll no. 370).(text: CR H5857)
Roll Call #370 (House)On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 393 - 0 (Roll no. 370). (text: CR H5857)
Roll Call #370 (House)Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.