Emergency Communications Bill Gets First Post-Katrina Markup
The first Hurricane Katrina-related measure addressing interoperability issues to get a full committee mark-up (S-1725) Thurs. passed the Senate Homeland Security & Govt. Affairs Committee with little debate and was reported to the full Senate. Introduced jointly by Chmn. Collins (R-Me.) and Sen. Lieberman (D-Conn.), the bill covers interoperability and the larger issue of “operability” -- the need for systems that can survive disaster -- by providing $400 million in grants to states and creating a new Homeland Security Dept. (DHS) office to work on the issues.
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The question of interoperability was “put before us as a matter of urgency” by the 9/11 Commission report, Lieberman said when introducing the bill: “But we saw something beyond that in Hurricane Katrina. There was a failure of first responders to communicate because of the extraordinary impact of the storm, which wiped out just about every means of communication… At times, Gulf Coast officials were reduced to using runners, a communications approach that takes us back, at least metaphorically, to ancient Greece.” Collins said the bill “builds on previous legislation that we've introduced, but also reflects on Katrina by not just looking at compatibility, but also at sustainability of communications equipment.”
The bill would: (1) Create a DHS Office for Emergency Communications, Interoperability & Compatibility (ECIC), replacing the Office of Interoperability & Compatibility. (2) Order DHS to set up a program to answer policy and technology questions regarding sustainable emergency communications and interoperability. (3) Direct DHS to run at least 2 projects to develop and test emergency communication systems. (4) Set up a grant program to help states find short- and long-term emergency communications solutions. Grants would begin at $400 million in 2006 and rise to $1 billion by 2010, for a total of $3.5 billion over 5 years for state and local govts.
An amendment by Sen. Warner (R-Va.) to require “focused simulations and modeling of equipment systems before money is spent,” was approved unanimously. Sen. Levin (D-Mich.) urged another amendment, which unanimously approved, to up R&D on cross-border interoperability issues with Canada and Mexico. Sen. Carper’s (D-Del.) amendment, which would require DHS to inspect interoperable systems already in place in states like O. and Del., passed as well. In discussing systems already at work, Sen. Voinovich (R-O.) referred to Ohio’s Multi- Agency Communications System (MARCS) -- a $217 million network funded by the state and now shared by municipal, county, state and federal public safety agencies and covering 99% of Ohio.
Private industry “knows the answers to these questions,” said Sen. Coburn (R-Okla.). But Coburn said he worries about developing interoperable systems without state-by-state review to learn what’s already in use: “So that any decision made on interoperability doesn’t mean you have to throw everything else away.” Lieberman said the bill “as is” requires such an inventory, plus consultation with industry. Lieberman said DHS should seek enlightenment from the Pentagon: “I bet they would have a lot to say to help us develop communications systems that work in the most adverse of circumstances.” - - Adrianne Kroepsch