148 
(B) by striking ‘‘subsection (b)(2).’’ and in-
serting ‘‘subsection (b)(2); and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(F) $400,000,000 for fiscal year 2012, ex-
cept that not more than 50 percent of such funds 
may be used for operational costs under sub-
section (b)(2).’’. 
SEC. 527. PRIORITIZATION. 
(a) CRUISE SHIP PASSENGERS AND BORDER CROSS-
INGS.—Section 2007(a)(1) of the Homeland Security Act 
of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 608(a)(1)) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ‘‘(includ-
ing cruise ship passengers)’’ after ‘‘tourist’’; and 
(2) by redesignating subparagraphs (H) through 
(K) as subparagraphs (I) through (L) and inserting 
after subparagraph (G) the following: 
‘‘(H) the number of border crossings at 
land, air, and maritime ports of entry;’’. 
(b) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Section 
2003(b)(2)(A)(i) of such Act (6 U.S.C. 604(a)(2)(A)(i)) is 
amended by striking ‘‘(H) and (K)’’ and inserting ‘‘(I) and 
(L)’’. 
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149 
SEC. 528. TRANSPORTATION SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM 
STUDY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Comptroller General of the 
United States shall conduct a study evaluating the home-
land security impacts of transportation security grant pro-
gram funding levels in States located on the west coast of 
the United States. In carrying out the study, the Comp-
troller General shall review— 
(1) how funding under the grant program has 
been distributed in correlation to locations near crit-
ical infrastructure sectors, eligible metropolitan areas, 
and high risk urban areas in such States; and 
(2) the level of coordination in the disbursements 
of such funds with the risk determinations based on 
State and local entities. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall 
submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report 
on the results of the study required under this section. 
SEC. 529. INTERAGENCY GRANTS WORKING GROUP. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall, in coordina-
tion with relevant Department components and other ap-
propriate Federal departments and agencies, establish an 
interagency working group to better coordinate Federal pre-
paredness grants. 
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150 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.—The working group shall be 
chaired by the Secretary and be composed of the Secretary 
and representatives from the Department of Health and 
Human Services, Department of Transportation, Depart-
ment of Justice, and other Federal agencies as determined 
appropriate by the Secretary. 
(c) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The working group shall— 
(1) meet regularly to coordinate, as appropriate, 
development of grant guidance, application and 
award timelines, monitoring, and assessments; 
(2) seek input from State, local, and tribal offi-
cials involved in grant management in order to in-
form grant processes, allocations, and awards; 
(3) promote coordinated grant timelines; and 
(4) ensure all preparedness grant programs em-
ploy a common Internet Web portal. 
(d) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to the 
appropriate congressional committees a report on the ac-
tivities of the working group. 
Subtitle C—Communications 
SEC. 541. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING INTEROPER-
ABILITY. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
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151 
(1) The National Commission on Terrorist At-
tacks Upon the United States (in this section referred 
to as the ‘‘9/11 Commission’’) determined that the in-
ability of first responders to communicate effectively 
on September 11, 2001 was a critical obstacle to an 
effective multijurisdictional response. 
(2) More than 10 years have passed since the ter-
rorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and many juris-
dictions across the country still experience difficulties 
communicating that may contribute to confusion, 
delays, or added risks when responding to a terrorist 
attack or natural disaster. 
(3) In the years since September 11, 2001, the 
need for a national wireless first responder interoper-
able communications network has remained, but the 
Nation has not yet completed building this vital re-
source for public safety. 
(4) The earthquake that originated in Virginia 
on August 23, 2011, and affected areas throughout the 
East Coast jammed commercial communications and 
data networks, making them incapable of handling 
the mission critical communications needs of first re-
sponders even if provided with priority access. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Congress 
that Federal resources should be allocated to improve first 
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152 
responder interoperable communications and the D Block 
spectrum should be reallocated for the construction of a na-
tional interoperable public safety wireless broadband net-
work as expeditiously as possible. 
SEC. 542. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES WITH RESPECT TO 
POLICY AND GUIDANCE FOR COMMUNICA-
TIONS-RELATED EXPENDITURES WITH GRANT 
FUNDS. 
(a) RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE OF-
FICE OF EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS.—Section 1801(c) 
of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 571(c)) 
is amended by striking ‘‘and’’ after the semicolon at the 
end of paragraph (14), striking the period at the end of 
paragraph (15) and inserting ‘‘; and’’, and adding at the 
end the following: 
‘‘(16) provide guidance on interoperable emer-
gency communications to the Administrator of the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency in accord-
ance with the memorandum of understanding re-
quired under section 1811.’’. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION FOR MEMORANDUM OF UNDER-
STANDING ON EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Title XVIII of the Homeland 
Security Act of 2002 is amended by adding at the end 
the following new section: 
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