Title 6 — Domestic SecurityRelease 119-73

§577 Urban and other high risk area communications capabilities

Title 6 › Chapter CHAPTER 1— - HOMELAND SECURITY ORGANIZATION › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER XIII— - EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS › § 577

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary must provide guidance and help, working with the FCC chair, the Defense Secretary, and State, local, and tribal officials, so areas the Secretary finds at high risk from natural disasters, terrorism, or other man‑made disasters can quickly set up secure, interoperable emergency communications. Those systems must let governments, responders, the private sector, and others communicate in emergencies, access section 485’s Information Sharing Environment, and follow applicable State or Urban Area homeland plans.

Full Legal Text

Title 6, §577

Domestic Security — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary, in consultation with the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission and the Secretary of Defense, and with appropriate State, local, and tribal government officials, shall provide technical guidance, training, and other assistance, as appropriate, to support the rapid establishment of consistent, secure, and effective interoperable emergency communications capabilities in the event of an emergency in urban and other areas determined by the Secretary to be at consistently high levels of risk from natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters.

(b)The interoperable emergency communications capabilities established under subsection (a) shall ensure the ability of all levels of government, emergency response providers, the private sector, and other organizations with emergency response capabilities—

(1)to communicate with each other in the event of an emergency;

(2)to have appropriate and timely access to the Information Sharing Environment described in section 485 of this title; and

(3)to be consistent with any applicable State or Urban Area homeland strategy or plan.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

6 U.S.C. § 577

Title 6 — Domestic Security

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73