I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 615 
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Under Secretary 
for Management of the Department of Homeland Security to take admin-
istrative action to achieve and maintain interoperable communications 
capabilities among the components of the Department of Homeland Secu-
rity, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 28, 2015 
Mr. PAYNE (for himself, Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana, Mr. THOMPSON of Mis-
sissippi, and Mr. MCCAUL) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Homeland Security 
A BILL 
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require 
the Under Secretary for Management of the Department 
of Homeland Security to take administrative action to 
achieve and maintain interoperable communications capa-
bilities among the components of the Department of 
Homeland Security, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Department of Home-
land Security Interoperable Communications Act’’ or the 
‘‘DHS Interoperable Communications Act’’. 
SEC. 2. INCLUSION OF INTEROPERABLE COMMUNICATIONS 
CAPABILITIES 
IN 
RESPONSIBILITIES 
OF 
UNDER SECRETARY FOR MANAGEMENT. 
Section 701 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 
(6 U.S.C. 341) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (4) of subsection (a), by in-
serting before the period at the end the following: ‘‘, 
including policies and directives to achieve and main-
tain interoperable communications among the com-
ponents of the Department’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(d) 
INTEROPERABLE
COMMUNICATIONS
DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘interoperable commu-
nications’ means the ability of components of the Depart-
ment to communicate with each other as necessary, uti-
lizing information technology systems and radio commu-
nications systems to exchange voice, data, and video in 
real time, as necessary, for acts of terrorism, daily oper-
ations, planned events, and emergencies.’’. 
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SEC. 3. STRATEGY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 120 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary 
for Management of the Department of Homeland Security 
shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of 
the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Sen-
ate a strategy, which shall be updated as necessary, for 
achieving and maintaining interoperable communications 
(as such term is defined in subsection (d) of section 701 
of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as added by section 
2 of this Act) among the components of the Department 
of Homeland Security, including for daily operations, 
planned events, and emergencies, with corresponding mile-
stones, that includes, at a minimum the following: 
(1) An assessment of interoperability gaps in 
radio communications among the components of the 
Department, as of the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
(2) Information on efforts and activities, includ-
ing current and planned policies, directives, and 
training, of the Department since November 1, 
2012, to achieve and maintain interoperable commu-
nications among the components of the Department, 
and planned efforts and activities of the Department 
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to achieve and maintain such interoperable commu-
nications. 
(3) An assessment of obstacles and challenges 
to achieving and maintaining interoperable commu-
nications among the components of the Department. 
(4) Information on, and an assessment of, the 
adequacy of mechanisms available to the Under Sec-
retary for Management to enforce and compel com-
pliance with interoperable communications policies 
and directives of the Department. 
(5) Guidance provided to the components of the 
Department to implement interoperable communica-
tions policies and directives of the Department. 
(6) The total amount of funds expended by the 
Department since November 1, 2012, and projected 
future expenditures, to achieve interoperable commu-
nications, including on equipment, infrastructure, 
and maintenance. 
(7) Dates upon which Department-wide inter-
operability is projected to be achieved for voice, 
data, and video communications, respectively, and 
interim milestones that correspond to the achieve-
ment of each such mode of communication. 
(b) SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL.—Together with the 
strategy required under subsection (a), the Under Sec-
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retary for Management shall submit to the Committee on 
Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs of the Senate information on any intra-agency ef-
fort or task force that has been delegated certain respon-
sibilities by the Under Secretary relating to achieving and 
maintaining interoperable communications among the 
components of the Department by the dates referred to 
in paragraph (9) of subsection (a), and on who, within 
each such component, is responsible for implementing poli-
cies and directives issued by the Under Secretary to so 
achieve and maintain such interoperable communications. 
SEC. 4. REPORT. 
Not later than 220 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act and biannually thereafter, the Under Sec-
retary for Management shall submit to the Committee on 
Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs of the Senate a report on the status of efforts, 
since the issuance of the strategy required under section 
3, to implement such strategy, including the following: 
(1) Progress on each interim milestone referred 
to in paragraph (9) of subsection (a) toward achiev-
ing and maintaining interoperable communications 
among the components of the Department. 
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(2) Information on any policies, directives, 
guidance, and training established by the Under Sec-
retary. 
(3) An assessment of the level of compliance, 
adoption, and participation among the components 
of the Department with the policies, directives, guid-
ance, and training established by the Under Sec-
retary to achieve and maintain interoperable commu-
nications among such components. 
(4) Information on any additional resources or 
authorities needed by the Under Secretary. 
Æ 
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