120 STAT. 1442
PUBLIC LAW 109–295—OCT. 4, 2006
‘‘(2) in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and other Federal departments and agencies with responsibility for standards, support the creation of national voluntary consensus standards for interoperable emergency communications; ‘‘(3) establish a comprehensive research, development, testing, and evaluation program for improving interoperable emergency communications; ‘‘(4) establish, in coordination with the Director for Emergency Communications, requirements for interoperable emergency communications capabilities, which shall be nonproprietary where standards for such capabilities exist, for all public safety radio and data communications systems and equipment purchased using homeland security assistance administered by the Department, excluding any alert and warning device, technology, or system; ‘‘(5) carry out the Department’s responsibilities and authorities relating to research, development, testing, evaluation, or standards-related elements of the SAFECOM Program; ‘‘(6) evaluate and assess new technology in real-world environments to achieve interoperable emergency communications capabilities; ‘‘(7) encourage more efficient use of existing resources, including equipment, to achieve interoperable emergency communications capabilities; ‘‘(8) test public safety communications systems that are less prone to failure, support new nonvoice services, use spectrum more efficiently, and cost less than existing systems; ‘‘(9) coordinate with the private sector to develop solutions to improve emergency communications capabilities and achieve interoperable emergency communications capabilities; and ‘‘(10) conduct pilot projects, in coordination with the Director for Emergency Communications, to test and demonstrate technologies, including data and video, that enhance— ‘‘(A) the ability of 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; and ‘‘(B) interoperable emergency communications capabilities. ‘‘(b) COORDINATION.—The Director of the Office for Interoperability and Compatibility shall coordinate with the Director for Emergency Communications with respect to the SAFECOM program. ‘‘(c) SUFFICIENCY OF RESOURCES.—The Secretary shall provide the Office for Interoperability and Compatibility the resources and staff necessary to carry out the responsibilities under this section.’’. (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents in section 1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 101 et seq.) is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 313 the following: ‘‘Sec. 314. Office for Interoperability and Compatibility.’’.
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