In the Senate of the United States, 
June 11, 2015. 
Resolved, That the bill from the House of Representa-
tives (H.R. 615) entitled ‘‘An Act 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 interoper-
able communications capabilities among the components of 
the Department of Homeland Security, and for other pur-
poses.’’, do pass with the following 
AMENDMENT: 
Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert: 
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. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act— 
(1) the term ‘‘Department’’ means the Depart-
ment of Homeland Security;
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(2) the term ‘‘interoperable communications’’ has 
the meaning given that term in section 701(d) of the 
Homeland Security Act of 2002, as added by section 
3; and 
(3) the term ‘‘Under Secretary for Management’’ 
means the Under Secretary for Management of the 
Department of Homeland Security. 
SEC. 3. 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 subsection (a)(4), by inserting before the 
period at the end the following: ‘‘, including policies 
and directives to achieve and maintain interoperable 
communications among the components of the Depart-
ment’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(d) INTEROPERABLE COMMUNICATIONS DEFINED.— 
In this section, the term ‘interoperable communications’ has 
the meaning given that term in section 7303(g) of the Intel-
ligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (6 
U.S.C. 194(g)).’’.
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SEC. 4. STRATEGY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary for Man-
agement shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Secu-
rity of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate 
a strategy, which shall be updated as necessary, for achiev-
ing and maintaining interoperable communications among 
the components of the Department, including for daily oper-
ations, planned events, and emergencies, with cor-
responding milestones, that includes the following: 
(1) An assessment of interoperability gaps in 
radio communications among the components of the 
Department, as of the date of 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 communica-
tions among the components of the Department, and 
planned efforts and activities of the Department to 
achieve and maintain such interoperable communica-
tions. 
(3) An assessment of obstacles and challenges to 
achieving and maintaining interoperable communica-
tions among the components of the Department.
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(4) Information on, and an assessment of, the 
adequacy of mechanisms available to the Under Sec-
retary for Management to enforce and compel compli-
ance 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 fu-
ture 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 achievement of each 
such mode of communication. 
(b) SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL.—Together with the 
strategy required under subsection (a), the Under Secretary 
for Management shall submit to the Committee on Home-
land Security of the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of 
the Senate information on—
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(1) any intra-agency effort or task force that has 
been delegated certain responsibilities by the Under 
Secretary for Management relating to achieving and 
maintaining interoperable communications among 
the components of the Department by the dates re-
ferred to in subsection (a)(7); and 
(2) who, within each such component, is respon-
sible for implementing policies and directives issued 
by the Under Secretary for Management to so achieve 
and maintain such interoperable communications. 
SEC. 5. REPORT. 
Not later than 100 days after the date on which the 
strategy required under section 4(a) is submitted, and every 
2 years thereafter for 6 years, the Under Secretary for Man-
agement shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Secu-
rity of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate 
a report on the status of efforts to implement the strategy 
required under section 4(a), including the following: 
(1) Progress on each interim milestone referred 
to in section 4(a)(7) toward achieving and maintain-
ing interoperable communications among the compo-
nents of the Department.
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(2) Information on any policies, directives, guid-
ance, and training established by the Under Secretary 
for Management. 
(3) An assessment of the level of compliance, 
adoption, and participation among the components of 
the Department with the policies, directives, guidance, 
and training established by the Under Secretary for 
Management to achieve and maintain interoperable 
communications among the components. 
(4) Information on any additional resources or 
authorities needed by the Under Secretary for Man-
agement. 
SEC. 6. APPLICABILITY. 
Sections 4 and 5 shall only apply with respect to the 
interoperable communications capabilities within the De-
partment and components of the Department to commu-
nicate within the Department. 
Attest: 
Secretary.