II 

Calendar No. 224 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1755 

[Report No. 111–105] 

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

emergency communications. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

OCTOBER 6, 2009 

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 

DECEMBER 10, 2009 

Reported by Mr. LIEBERMAN, without amendment 

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 2009’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

2 Congress finds the following: 

3 (1) Nearly 700,000 amateurs radio operators in 

4 the United States are licensed by the Federal Com5 munications Commission in the Amateur Radio 

6 Service. 

7 (2) Amateur Radio Service operators provide, 

8 on a volunteer basis, a valuable public sector service 

9 to their communities, their States, and to the Na10 tion, especially in the area of national and inter11 national disaster communications. 

12 (3) Emergency and disaster relief communica13 tions services by volunteer Amateur Radio Service 

14 operators have consistently and reliably been pro15 vided before, during, and after floods, hurricanes, 

16 tornadoes, forest fires, earthquakes, blizzards, train 

17 accidents, chemical spills and other disasters. These 

18 communications services include services in connec19 tion with significant examples, such as— 

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

21 Andrew; 

22 (B) the relief effort at the World Trade 

23 Center and the Pentagon following the 2001 

24 terrorist attacks; and 

25 (C) the Oklahoma City bombing in April 

26 1995. 


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1 (4) Amateur Radio Service has formal agree2 ments for the provision of volunteer emergency com3 munications activities with the Department of 

4 Homeland Security, the Federal Emergency Man5 agement Agency, the National Weather Service, the 

6 National Communications System, and the Associa7 tion of Public Safety Communications Officials, as 

8 well as with disaster relief agencies, including the 

9 American National Red Cross and the Salvation 

10 Army. 

11 (5) Section 1 of the joint resolution entitled 

12 ‘‘Joint Resolution to recognize the achievements of 

13 radio amateurs, and to establish support for such 

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

15 1994 (Public Law 103–408), included a finding that 

16 stated: ‘‘Reasonable accommodation should be made 

17 for the effective operation of amateur radio from 

18 residences, private vehicles and public areas, and the 

19 regulation at all levels of government should facili20 tate and encourage amateur radio operations as a 

21 public benefit.’’. 

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

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

24 Emergency Communications Coordinating Working 

25 Group of the Department of Homeland Security to 


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1 coordinate their activities with ham and amateur 

2 radio operators among the 11 other emergency orga3 nizations such as ambulance services, law enforce4 ment, and others. 

5 (7) Amateur Radio Service, at no cost to tax6 payers, provides a fertile ground for technical self7 training in modern telecommunications, electronic 

8 technology, and emergency communications tech9 niques and protocols. 

10 (8) There is a strong Federal interest in the ef11 fective performance of Amateur Radio Service sta12 tions, and that performance must be given— 

13 (A) support at all levels of government; 

14 and 

15 (B) protection against unreasonable regu16 lation and impediments to the provision of the 

17 valuable communications provided by such sta18 tions. 

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

20 EMERGENCY AND DISASTER RELIEF COMMU21 NICATION AND FOR RELIEF OF RESTRIC22 TIONS. 

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

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

25 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. 


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Calendar No. 224 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1755 

[Report No. 111–105] 

A BILL 

To direct the Department of Homeland Security to 

undertake a study on emergency communications. 

DECEMBER 10, 2009 

Reported without amendment 


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