The House passed the Department of Homeland Security...
The House passed the Department of Homeland Security Interoperable Communications Act (HR 4289) in a vote of 393-0 Tuesday. Its sponsor, Rep. Donald Payne, D-N.J., introduced it in March and House Homeland Security Chairman Mike McCaul, R-Texas, and Emergency Preparedness…
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and Communications Subcommittee Chairman Susan Brooks, R-Ind., also backed it as co-sponsors. The legislation would “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,” said the bill’s report (http://1.usa.gov/1zpWNvk). The report underscores the need for DHS radio communication to be interoperable, including the exchange of voice, data and video. “The Committee is disappointed that the Department has spent $430 million on communications capabilities without effectuating the changes within practices in the components [of the department] to achieve interoperability,” it said. “The [Homeland Security] Committee believes that to advance interoperability goals at the Department, there needs to be leadership at the highest level and that implementation of interoperability-related directives by components should be mandatory, not voluntary.” DHS would have to come up with a better communications strategy for its agencies within 120 days of the bill’s enactment. The legislation has not yet been introduced and advanced in the Senate.