§573 — Title 6 Domestic Security | U.S. Code

Summary

Not later than 1 year after October 4, 2006, and at least every 5 years after that, the Secretary of Homeland Security, through the Assistant Director for Emergency Communications, must assess how well Federal, State, local, and tribal governments can keep communicating during natural disasters, terrorism, and other man-made disasters. The assessment must say what communications capabilities are needed, what interoperable capabilities are needed for specific events, what capabilities currently exist, where gaps remain, and must include a national inventory. That inventory, completed by the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of Commerce, and the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, must list for each Federal department and agency the channels and frequencies they use, the names used for them, and the types of systems and equipment used, and must list interoperable systems used by public safety agencies. The baseline assessment may include a classified annex and may use earlier or ongoing studies. Not later than 1 year after October 4, 2006, and every 2 years after that, the Secretary must report to Congress on progress. The report must summarize the latest assessment, say how much interoperability has been achieved and what gaps remain, evaluate the ability to communicate in major disasters or if local/regional communications fail, list best practices, and evaluate whether the Department (alone or with the Department of Defense) should develop a mobile, Army Signal Corps–style communications capability for disaster sites.

Title 6, §573

Domestic Security — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Not later than 1 year after October 4, 2006, and not less than every 5 years thereafter, the Secretary, acting through the Assistant Director for Emergency Communications, shall conduct an assessment of Federal, State, local, and tribal governments that—

(1)defines the range of capabilities needed by emergency response providers and relevant government officials to continue to communicate in the event of natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters;

(2)defines the range of interoperable emergency communications capabilities needed for specific events;

(3)assesses the current available capabilities to meet such communications needs;

(4)identifies the gap between such current capabilities and defined requirements; and

(5)includes a national interoperable emergency communications inventory to be completed by the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of Commerce, and the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission that—

(A)identifies for each Federal department and agency—

(i)the channels and frequencies used;

(ii)the nomenclature used to refer to each channel or frequency used; and

(iii)the types of communications systems and equipment used; and

(B)identifies the interoperable emergency communications systems in use by public safety agencies in the United States.

(b)The baseline assessment under this section may include a classified annex including information provided under subsection (a)(5)(A).

(c)In conducting the baseline assessment under this section, the Secretary may incorporate findings from assessments conducted before, or ongoing on, October 4, 2006.

(d)Not later than one year after October 4, 2006, and biennially thereafter, the Secretary, acting through the Assistant Director for Emergency Communications, shall submit to Congress a report on the progress of the Department in achieving the goals of, and carrying out its responsibilities under, this subchapter, including—

(1)a description of the findings of the most recent baseline assessment conducted under subsection (a);

(2)a determination of the degree to which interoperable emergency communications capabilities have been attained to date and the gaps that remain for interoperability to be achieved;

(3)an evaluation of the ability to continue to communicate and to provide and maintain interoperable emergency communications by emergency managers, emergency response providers, and relevant government officials in the event of—

(A)natural disasters, acts of terrorism, or other man-made disasters, including Incidents of National Significance declared by the Secretary under the National Response Plan; and

(B)a catastrophic loss of local and regional communications services;

(4)a list of best practices relating to the ability to continue to communicate and to provide and maintain interoperable emergency communications in the event of natural disasters, acts of terrorism, or other man-made disasters; and

(A)11 So in original. Probably should be “(5)”. an evaluation of the feasibility and desirability of the Department developing, on its own or in conjunction with the Department of Defense, a mobile communications capability, modeled on the Army Signal Corps, that could be deployed to support emergency communications at the site of natural disasters, acts of terrorism, or other man-made disasters.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Another section 1803 of Pub. L. 107–296 was renumbered section 1903 and is classified to section 593 of this title.

Amendments

2018—Subsecs. (a), (d). Pub. L. 115–278 substituted “Assistant Director for Emergency Communications” for “Director for Emergency Communications” in introductory provisions.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Reference to the Assistant Director for Emergency Communications deemed to be a reference to the Executive Assistant Director for Emergency Communications, see section 571(g) of this title, enacted Jan. 1, 2021.

§573 Assessments and Reports