Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Committee Chairman Susan Collins, D-Maine, and Ranking
Member Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., have introduced
legislation to upgrade first responder communication
systems with $400 million in grant money to states and
communities in the first year and establish a new office
in DHS.
Co-sponsored by Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., Carl Levin,
D-Mich., and Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, the “Assure
Emergency and Interoperable Communications for First
Responders Act of 2005,” would also gradually increase
funding over the next five years “to assist in the
sustainability and compatibility of communications systems.”
“The bill – will help ensure that our first responders
have effective and interoperable communications systems,
which are critical during any emergency,” Collins said.
Lieberman added that Hurricane Katrina not only highlighted
problems with interoperability, but whether emergency
systems themselves can survive a disaster.
“This bill addresses the challenges of both interoperability
and operability,” he said.
“EICOM,” would establish an Office for Emergency
Communications, Interoperability and Compatibility within
DHS, responsible for handling communication in an emergency.
It also directs the DHS Secretary to set up a research and
development program for policy and technology questions
surrounding emergency communications and interoperability —
and to also set up two pilot projects to develop and test
emergency communications systems.
