Allowing Funding For The Interoperable Emergency Communications Grant Program

Floor Speech

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Mr. WELCH. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Representative HARMAN for introducing legislation to provide additional time for states to utilize federal grants made available through the Public Safety Interoperable Communications Grant Program, PSIC. I am proud to be a sponsor of this legislation and commend her for her ongoing leadership on this critical issue.

The PSIC grant program funds state projects that provide public safety personnel with interoperable communications equipment and training for system users. The Act appropriated $1 billion for the program from the proceeds of the auction of analog spectrum reclaimed by the digital television transition.

In our current fiscal environment, public safety needs this assistance more than ever.

Unfortunately, under current law, funding for these critical interoperability projects will expire in September 2010.

Given the enormous importance of interoperable public safety communications during times of crisis, we need to allow states the time and funds necessary to complete projects already underway or in planning stages. If adopted, Representative HARMAN'S legislation will provide this necessary time.

S. 1694 represents the best approach to this problem because (1) it minimizes the regulatory burden on public safety; (2) it creates incentives for public safety to act quickly and (3) it protects public money. More specifically:

The proposed legislation allows all States an automatic one-year extension. This will reduce the regulatory burden on states associated with individual extension requests. Some states may not need more than a year and they can avoid filing an extension request altogether.

The automatic one-year extension also incentivizes States that are on track for completion to complete work rapidly so they do not have to go through the extension request process.

But those States that need more than one year to complete projects will have the flexibility to request an additional year if the head of NTIA determines that their circumstances warrant an extension.

The criteria enumerated in the proposed legislation will ensure that the Assistant Secretary's decisions are based on a complete evaluation of the extension request. This discretion allows the Assistant Secretary to protect public money and ill-advised or mismanaged projects may not be eligible for continued funding.

S. 1694 has widespread support. A number of organizations, including the National Governor's Association and the Association of Public Communications Officers, APCO, ave all expressed support for Representative HARMAN'S bill.

Representative HARMAN'S bill is identical to a bipartisan measure introduced in the Senate by Senators ROCKEFELLER and HUTCHISON. If we pass this bill today we have a decent chance of making this extension happen in time for public safety to plan and budget accordingly.

One of the painful lessons our nation learned in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11 from the response to Hurricane Katrina was how critical it is for first responders to be able to communicate seamlessly with one another when responding to an emergency. This is as true in a city like LA as a rural state like Vermont, where emergency personnel are sparse in many parts of the state and it is often necessary for multiple jurisdictions to work together when responding to a call. If we are going to ask our first responders to put their lives on the line and work together to protect us, we must provide them with the tools they need to do their jobs effectively.

I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in supporting this important legislation.

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