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Chairmen Inouye and Stevens Introduce Measure to Improve Emergency Communications

January 24, 2007 - Press Release From U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation (Original Release)

The Interoperable Emergency Communications Act will provide the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) more guidance on the award of $1 billion in interoperable emergency communications grants to police, firemen, and emergency medical personnel

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Commerce Committee Chairmen Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii) and Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) today introduced the "Interoperable Emergency Communications Act," to provide the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) more guidance on the award of $1 billion in interoperable emergency communications grants to police, firemen, and emergency medical personnel. This legislation does not interfere with the September 30, 2007 deadline set by Congress for distribution of the $1 billion of interoperable communications grants. The September 30, 2007 deadline was mandated by Section 4 of the Call Home Act (P.L. 109-459), which was enacted on December 22, 2006.

"Every day we hear about potential threats against our nation and it will not be long until we are again in the midst of hurricane season," said Sen. Inouye. "The Congress must act quickly to give our first responders the tools they need to effectively do their jobs."

"This legislation will provide further guidance to the Department of Commerce, working in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security, as it prepares to award $1 billion in much needed funds before the end of the year," said Senator Stevens. "This bill is a continuation of the important public safety efforts that the Committee advanced during the last Congress."

The bill would also allow up to $100 million of the expedited $1 billion be used to establish technology reserves that would assist emergency response agencies in pre-positioning communications equipment in states or regional facilities that can be quickly activated in the event of a major emergency or natural disaster.

More About S 385 IS, Interoperable Emergency Communications Act (Introduced in Senate)

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