In an emergency situation, communication is critical. In the occurrence of a national emergency, communication between components of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is especially important.
On July 7, President Obama signed the Department of Homeland Security Interoperable Communications Act. According to the Committee on Homeland Security, the act requires the Under Secretary for Management of the Department of Homeland Security to ensure that interoperable communications are maintained within components of the department.
According to Homeland Security Today magazine, Homeland Security must also write and submit a plan to Congress that details how the group will achieve department-wide interoperable communications.
The act was introduced by Democratic Rep. Donald Payne of New Jersey on March 24, 2014, as an amendment to the Homeland Security Act of 2002. Payne is a ranking member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications.
"This is a great victory for New Jersey and for our entire nation," Payne said in a statement. "The law sets up the Department of Homeland Security to finally achieve department-wide interoperable communications, a necessity for ensuring the safety of DHS personnel and the communities they serve. I thank President Obama for swiftly signing the DHS Interoperable Communications Act into law."
According to Payne's official website, the bill was proposed in response to Homeland Security's lack of a robust and comprehensive strategy for communication. A 2015 follow-up to a 2012 audit found that plans for corrective actions had not been finalized and there was no timetable for finalization to occur, leaving the department unprepared for emergencies.