IB 
Union Calendar No. 360 
113TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4289 
[Report No. 113–484] 
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 
MARCH 24, 2014 
Mr. PAYNE (for himself and Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security 
Additional sponsor: Mr. MCCAUL 
JUNE 19, 2014 
Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union 
and ordered to be printed 
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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. 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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 
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real time, as necessary, for acts of terrorism, daily oper-
ations, planned events, and emergencies.’’. 
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-
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nications among the components of the Department, 
and planned efforts and activities of the Department 
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. 
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Union Calendar No. 360 
113TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4289 
[Report No. 113–484] 
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 capabilities among 
the components of the Department of Homeland 
Security, and for other purposes. 
JUNE 19, 2014 
Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
State of the Union and ordered to be printed 
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