Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 118.djvu/3874

 118 STAT. 3844 PUBLIC LAW 108–458—DEC. 17, 2004 evaluation with regard to public safety interoperable communications; (H) establish coordinated guidance for Federal grant programs for public safety interoperable communications; (I) provide technical assistance to State and local public safety agencies regarding planning, acquisition strategies, interoperability architectures, training, and other functions necessary to achieve public safety communications inter- operability; (J) develop and disseminate best practices to improve public safety communications interoperability; and (K) develop appropriate performance measures and milestones to systematically measure the Nation’s progress toward achieving public safety communications interoper- ability, including the development of national voluntary consensus standards. (2) OFFICE FOR INTEROPERABILITY AND COMPATIBILITY.— (A) ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE.—The Secretary may establish an Office for Interoperability and Compatibility within the Directorate of Science and Technology to carry out this subsection. (B) FUNCTIONS.—If the Secretary establishes such office, the Secretary shall, through such office— (i) carry out Department of Homeland Security responsibilities and authorities relating to the SAFECOM Program; and (ii) carry out section 510 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as added by subsection (d). (3) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are author- ized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this subsection— (A) $22,105,000 for fiscal year 2005; (B) $22,768,000 for fiscal year 2006; (C) $23,451,000 for fiscal year 2007; (D) $24,155,000 for fiscal year 2008; and (E) $24,879,000 for fiscal year 2009. (b) REPORT.—Not later than 120 days after the date of enact- ment of this Act, the Secretary shall report to the Congress on Department of Homeland Security plans for accelerating the development of national voluntary consensus standards for public safety interoperable communications, a schedule of milestones for such development, and achievements of such development. (c) INTERNATIONAL INTEROPERABILITY.—Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the President shall establish a mechanism for coordinating cross-border interoper- ability issues between— (1) the United States and Canada; and (2) the United States and Mexico. (d) HIGH RISK AREA COMMUNICATIONS CAPABILITIES.—Title V of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 311 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: ‘‘SEC. 510. URBAN AND OTHER HIGH RISK AREA COMMUNICATIONS CAPABILITIES. ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consultation with the Fed- eral Communications Commission and the Secretary of Defense, and with appropriate governors, mayors, and other State and local 6 USC 321. Deadline. President. Canada. Mexico. VerDate 11-MAY-2000 13:54 Nov 10, 2005 Jkt 029194 PO 00000 Frm 00378 Fmt 6580 Sfmt 6581 C:\STATUTES\2004\29194PT4.001 APPS10 PsN: 29194PT4

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