208 
transmittal to Congress on or before January 31 each year. The report 
shall describe the activities and recommendations of the Advisory Com-
mittee during the previous year. 
(2) ADDITIONAL REPORTS.—The Advisory Committee may submit to 
the Under Secretary for transmittal to Congress additional reports on 
specific policy matters it considers appropriate. 
(i) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT EXEMPTION.—Section 14 of 
the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the 
Advisory Committee. 
§ 10711. Technology clearinghouse to encourage and sup-
port innovative solutions to enhance homeland se-
curity 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.—The Secretary, acting through the 
Under Secretary for Science and Technology, shall establish and promote 
a program to encourage technological innovation in facilitating the mission 
of the Department (as described in section 10301 of this title). 
(b) ELEMENTS OF PROGRAM.—The program described in subsection (a) 
shall include the following components: 
(1) The establishment of a centralized Federal clearinghouse for in-
formation relating to technologies that would further the mission of the 
Department for dissemination, as appropriate, to Federal, State, and 
local government and private-sector entities for additional review, pur-
chase, or use. 
(2) The issuance of announcements seeking unique and innovative 
technologies to advance the mission of the Department. 
(3) The establishment of a technical assistance team to assist in 
screening, as appropriate, proposals submitted to the Secretary (except 
as provided in subsection (c)(2)) to assess the feasibility, scientific and 
technical merits, and estimated cost of the proposals, as appropriate. 
(4) The provision of guidance, recommendations, and technical as-
sistance, as appropriate, to assist Federal, State, and local government 
and private-sector efforts to evaluate and implement the use of tech-
nologies described in paragraph (1) or (2). 
(5) The provision of information for persons seeking guidance on 
how to pursue proposals to develop or deploy technologies that would 
enhance homeland security, including information relating to Federal 
funding, regulation, or acquisition. 
(c) MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Nothing in this section shall be construed as au-
thorizing the Secretary or the technical assistance team established 
under subsection (b)(3) to set standards for technology to be used by 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
18:05 Jun 12, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00208
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6221
E:\BILLS\H6063.IH
H6063
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
209 
the Department, another executive agency, a State or local government 
entity, or a private-sector entity. 
(2) CERTAIN PROPOSALS.—The technical assistance team established 
under subsection (b)(3) shall not consider or evaluate proposals sub-
mitted in response to a solicitation for offers for a pending procure-
ment or for a specific agency requirement. 
(3) COORDINATION.—In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall 
coordinate with the Technical Support Working Group (organized 
under the April 1982 National Security Decision Directive Numbered 
30). 
§ 10712. Enhancement of public safety communications 
interoperability 
(a) DEFINITION OF INTEROPERABLE COMMUNICATIONS.—In this section, 
the term ‘‘interoperable communications’’ means the ability of emergency 
response providers and relevant Federal, State, and local government agen-
cies to communicate with each other as necessary, through a dedicated pub-
lic safety network utilizing information technology systems and radio com-
munications systems, and to exchange voice, data, and video with one an-
other on demand, in real time, as necessary. 
(b) COORDINATION OF PUBLIC SAFETY INTEROPERABLE COMMUNICA-
TIONS PROGRAMS.— 
(1) PROGRAM.—The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of 
Commerce and the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commis-
sion, shall establish a program to enhance public safety interoperable 
communications at all levels of government. The program shall— 
(A) establish a comprehensive national approach to achieving 
public safety interoperable communications; 
(B) coordinate with other Federal agencies in carrying out sub-
paragraph (A); 
(C) develop, in consultation with other appropriate Federal 
agencies and State and local authorities, appropriate minimum ca-
pabilities for communications interoperability for Federal, State, 
and local public safety agencies; 
(D) accelerate, in consultation with other Federal agencies, in-
cluding the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the 
private sector, and nationally recognized standards organizations 
as appropriate, the development of national voluntary consensus 
standards for public safety interoperable communications, recog-
nizing— 
(i) the value, life cycle, and technical capabilities of existing 
communications infrastructure; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
18:05 Jun 12, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00209
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6221
E:\BILLS\H6063.IH
H6063
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
210 
(ii) the need for cross-border interoperability between 
States and nations; 
(iii) the unique needs of small, rural communities; and 
(iv) the interoperability needs for daily operations and cata-
strophic events; 
(E) encourage the development and implementation of flexible 
and open architectures incorporating, where possible, technologies 
that currently are commercially available, with appropriate levels 
of security, for short-term and long-term solutions to public safety 
communications interoperability; 
(F) assist other Federal agencies in identifying priorities for re-
search, development, testing, and evaluation with regard to public 
safety interoperable communications; 
(G) identify priorities in the Department for research, develop-
ment, and testing and evaluation with regard to public safety 
interoperable communications; 
(H) establish coordinated guidance for Federal grant programs 
for public safety interoperable communications; 
(I) provide technical assistance to State and local public safety 
agencies regarding planning, acquisition strategies, interoperability 
architectures, training, and other functions necessary to achieve 
public safety communications interoperability; 
(J) develop and disseminate best practices to improve public 
safety communications interoperability; and 
(K) develop appropriate performance measures and milestones 
to systematically measure the Nation’s progress toward achieving 
public safety communications interoperability, including the devel-
opment of national voluntary consensus standards. 
(2) OFFICE FOR INTEROPERABILITY AND COMPATIBILITY.— 
(A) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary may establish an Office 
for Interoperability and Compatibility in the Directorate of Science 
and Technology to carry out this subsection. 
(B) FUNCTIONS.—If the Secretary establishes an office, the 
Secretary shall, through the office, carry out Department respon-
sibilities and authorities relating to the SAFECOM Program. 
(c) INTERNATIONAL INTEROPERABILITY.—The President shall establish a 
mechanism for coordinating cross-border interoperability issues between— 
(1) the United States and Canada; and 
(2) the United States and Mexico. 
(d) MULTIYEAR INTEROPERABILITY GRANTS.— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
18:05 Jun 12, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00210
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6221
E:\BILLS\H6063.IH
H6063
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
211 
(1) MULTIYEAR COMMITMENTS.—In awarding grants to a State, re-
gion, local government, or Indian tribe for the purposes of enhancing 
interoperable communications capabilities for emergency response pro-
viders, the Secretary may commit to obligate Federal assistance beyond 
the current fiscal year, subject to the limitations and restrictions in this 
subsection. 
(2) RESTRICTIONS.— 
(A) TIME
LIMIT.—No multiyear interoperability commitment 
may exceed 3 years in duration. 
(B) AMOUNT OF COMMITTED FUNDS.—The total amount of as-
sistance the Secretary has committed to obligate for a future fiscal 
year under paragraph (1) may not exceed $150,000,000. 
(3) LETTERS OF INTENT.— 
(A) ISSUANCE.—Under paragraph (1), the Secretary may issue 
a letter of intent to an applicant committing to obligate from fu-
ture budget authority an amount, not more than the Federal Gov-
ernment’s share of the project’s cost, for an interoperability com-
munications project (including interest costs and costs of formu-
lating the project). 
(B) SCHEDULE.—A letter of intent under this paragraph shall 
establish a schedule under which the Secretary will reimburse the 
applicant for the Federal Government’s share of the project’s 
costs, as amounts become available, if the applicant, after the Sec-
retary issues the letter, carries out the project before receiving 
amounts under a grant issued by the Secretary. 
(C) NOTICE TO SECRETARY.—An applicant that is issued a let-
ter of intent under this subsection shall notify the Secretary of the 
applicant’s intent to carry out a project pursuant to the letter be-
fore the project begins. 
(D) NOTICE TO CONGRESS.—The Secretary shall transmit a 
written notification to Congress no later than 3 days before the 
issuance of a letter of intent under this section. 
(E) LIMITATIONS.—A letter of intent issued under this section 
is not an obligation of the Government under section 1501 of title 
31, and is not deemed to be an administrative commitment for fi-
nancing. An obligation or administrative commitment may be 
made only as amounts are provided in authorization and appro-
priations laws. 
(F) STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this subsection 
shall be construed— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
18:05 Jun 12, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00211
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6221
E:\BILLS\H6063.IH
H6063
pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS