II 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 191 

To direct the Department of Homeland Security to undertake a study on 

emergency communications. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 26, 2011 

Mr. LIEBERMAN (for himself and Ms. COLLINS) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 

A BILL 

To direct the Department of Homeland Security to undertake 

a study on emergency communications. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Amateur Radio Emer5 gency Communications Enhancement Act of 2011’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) Nearly 700,000 amateur radio operators in 

9 the United States are licensed by the Federal ComVerDate Mar 15 2010 06:08 Feb 01, 2011 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S191.IS S191

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1 munications Commission in the Amateur Radio 

2 Service. 

3 (2) Amateur Radio Service operators provide, 

4 on a volunteer basis, a valuable public service to 

5 their communities, their States, and to the Nation, 

6 especially in the area of national and international 

7 disaster communications. 

8 (3) Emergency and disaster relief communica9 tions services by volunteer Amateur Radio Service 

10 operators have consistently and reliably been pro11 vided before, during, and after floods, hurricanes, 

12 tornadoes, forest fires, earthquakes, blizzards, train 

13 accidents, chemical spills and other disasters. These 

14 communications services include services in connec15 tion with significant incidents, such as— 

16 (A) hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Hugo, and 

17 Andrew; 

18 (B) the relief effort at the World Trade 

19 Center and the Pentagon following the 2001 

20 terrorist attacks; and 

21 (C) the Oklahoma City bombing in April 

22 1995. 

23 (4) Amateur Radio Service has formal agree24 ments for the provision of volunteer emergency com25 munications activities with the Department of 


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1 Homeland Security, the Federal Emergency Man2 agement Agency, the National Weather Service, the 

3 National Communications System, and the Associa4 tion of Public Safety Communications Officials, as 

5 well as with disaster relief organizations, including 

6 the American National Red Cross and the Salvation 

7 Army. 

8 (5) Section 1 of the joint resolution entitled 

9 ‘‘Joint Resolution to recognize the achievements of 

10 radio amateurs, and to establish support for such 

11 amateurs as national policy’’, approved October 22, 

12 1994 (Public Law 103–408), included a finding that 

13 stated: ‘‘Reasonable accommodation should be made 

14 for the effective operation of amateur radio from 

15 residences, private vehicles and public areas, and the 

16 regulation at all levels of government should facili17 tate and encourage amateur radio operations as a 

18 public benefit.’’. 

19 (6) Section 1805(c) of the Homeland Security 

20 Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 757(c)) directs the Regional 

21 Emergency Communications Coordinating Working 

22 Group of the Department of Homeland Security to 

23 coordinate their activities with ham and amateur 

24 radio operators among the 11 other categories of 


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1 emergency organizations such as ambulance services, 

2 law enforcement, and others. 

3 (7) Amateur Radio Service, at no cost to tax4 payers, provides a fertile ground for technical self5 training in modern telecommunications, electronic 

6 technology, and emergency communications tech7 niques and protocols. 

8 (8) There is a strong Federal interest in the ef9 fective performance of Amateur Radio Service sta10 tions, and that performance must be given— 

11 (A) support at all levels of government; 

12 and 

13 (B) protection against unreasonable regu14 lation and impediments to the provision of the 

15 valuable communications provided by such sta16 tions. 

17 SEC. 3. STUDY OF ENHANCED USES OF AMATEUR RADIO IN 

18 EMERGENCY AND DISASTER RELIEF COMMU19 NICATION AND FOR RELIEF OF RESTRIC20 TIONS. 

21 (a) AUTHORITY.—Not later than 180 days after the 

22 date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland 

23 Security shall— 


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1 (1) undertake a study on the uses and capabili2 ties of Amateur Radio Service communications in 

3 emergencies and disaster relief; and 

4 (2) submit a report on the findings of the Sec5 retary to Congress. 

6 (b) SCOPE OF THE STUDY.—The study required by 

7 this section shall— 

8 (1) include a review of the importance of ama9 teur radio emergency communications in furtherance 

10 of homeland security missions relating to disasters, 

11 severe weather, and other threats to lives and prop12 erty in the United States, as well as recommenda13 tions for— 

14 (A) enhancements in the voluntary deploy15 ment of amateur radio licensees in disaster and 

16 emergency communications and disaster relief 

17 efforts; and 

18 (B) improved integration of amateur radio 

19 operators in planning and furtherance of the 

20 Department of Homeland Security initiatives; 

21 and 

22 (2)(A) identify impediments to enhanced Ama23 teur Radio Service communications, such as the ef24 fects of unreasonable or unnecessary private land 


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1 use regulations on residential antenna installations; 

2 and 

3 (B) make recommendations regarding such im4 pediments for consideration by other Federal depart5 ments, agencies, and Congress. 

6 (c) USE OF EXPERTISE AND INFORMATION.—In con7 ducting the study required by this section, the Secretary 

8 of Homeland Security shall utilize the expertise of stake9 holder entities and organizations, including the amateur 

10 radio, emergency response, and disaster communications 

11 communities. 

Æ 


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