Dave,
This is great news, of course.
Congratulations to all involved.
Please educate me on the following
step(s). Provided the bill is referred to the House homeland security
committee, what action would we want them to take? Specifically, how
would their action relate or not relate to HR 2160?
I notice the bill states ARRL has formal
agreements “. . . with disaster relief agencies,
including the American National Red Cross . . .” Unless
I was sleeping at the switch, I believe this remains unfortunately incorrect.
What is the likelihood the inclusion of ANRC could prove embarrassing to us?
Tnx,
Jim
Jim Weaver,
K8JE
E-mail: k8je@zoomtown.com; Tel. 459-1661
From: Sumner, Dave,
K1ZZ [mailto:dsumner@arrl.org]
Sent: Tuesday, December 15, 2009
11:58 AM
To: arrl-odv
Subject: [arrl-odv:18322] S.1755
Passage
Here’s
the relevant excerpt from the Congressional Record on yesterday’s passage
of S.1755 in the Senate.
Dave
·
·
AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS ENHANCEMENT ACT OF
2009 -- (Senate - December 14, 2009)
[Page: S13201]
---
Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr.
President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate
consideration of Calendar No. 224, S. 1755.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The
clerk will report the bill by title.
The legislative clerk read
as follows:
A bill (S. 1755) to direct
the Department of Homeland Security to undertake a study on emergency
communications.
There being no objection,
the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr.
President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read a third time and
passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table with no intervening
action or debate, and any statements related to the bill be printed in the Record.
The PRESIDING OFFICER.
Without objection, it is so ordered.
The bill (S. 1755) was
ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, was read the third time, and
passed, as follows:
S. 1755
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as
the ``Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Enhancement Act of 2009''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the
following:
(1) Nearly 700,000
amateurs radio operators in the
(2) Amateur Radio Service
operators provide, on a volunteer basis, a valuable public sector service to
their communities, their States, and to the Nation, especially in the area of
national and international disaster communications.
(3) Emergency and
disaster relief communications services by volunteer Amateur Radio Service
operators have consistently and reliably been provided before, during, and
after floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, forest fires, earthquakes, blizzards,
train accidents, chemical spills and other disasters. These communications
services include services in connection with significant examples, such as--
(A) hurricanes Katrina,
Rita, Hugo, and Andrew;
(B) the relief effort at
the
(C) the
(4) Amateur Radio Service
has formal agreements for the provision of volunteer emergency communications
activities with the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Emergency
Management Agency, the National Weather Service, the National Communications
System, and the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials, as well
as with disaster relief agencies, including the American National Red Cross and
the Salvation Army.
(5) Section 1 of the
joint resolution entitled ``Joint Resolution to recognize the achievements of
radio amateurs, and to establish support for such amateurs as national
policy'', approved October 22, 1994 (Public Law 103-408), included a finding
that stated: ``Reasonable accommodation should be made for the effective
operation of amateur radio from residences, private vehicles and public areas,
and the regulation at all levels of government should facilitate and encourage
amateur radio operations as a public benefit.''.
(6) Section 1805(c) of
the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 757(c)) directs the Regional
Emergency Communications Coordinating Working Group of the Department of
Homeland Security to coordinate their activities with ham and amateur radio
operators among the 11 other emergency organizations such as ambulance
services, law enforcement, and others.
(7) Amateur Radio
Service, at no cost to taxpayers, provides a fertile ground for technical
self-training in modern telecommunications, electronic technology, and
emergency communications techniques and protocols.
(8) There is a strong
Federal interest in the effective performance of Amateur Radio Service
stations, and that performance must be given--
(A) support at all levels
of government; and
(B) protection against
unreasonable regulation and impediments to the provision of the valuable
communications provided by such stations.
SEC. 3. STUDY OF ENHANCED USES OF AMATEUR RADIO IN EMERGENCY AND DISASTER
RELIEF COMMUNICATION AND FOR RELIEF OF RESTRICTIONS.
(a) Authority.--Not
later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of
Homeland Security shall--
(1) undertake a study on
the uses and capabilities of Amateur Radio Service communications in
emergencies and disaster relief; and
(2) submit a report on
the findings of the Secretary to Congress.
(b) Scope of the Study.--The
study required by this section shall--
(1) include a review of
the importance of amateur radio emergency communications in furtherance of
homeland security missions relating to disasters, severe weather, and other
threats to lives and property in the United States, as well as recommendations for--
(A) enhancements in the
voluntary deployment of amateur radio licensees in disaster and emergency
communications and disaster relief efforts; and
(B) improved integration
of amateur radio operators in planning and furtherance of the Department of
Homeland Security initiatives; and
(2)(A) identify
impediments to enhanced Amateur Radio Service communications, such as the
effects of unreasonable or unnecessary private land use regulations on
residential antenna installations; and
(B) make recommendations
regarding such impediments for consideration by other Federal departments,
agencies, and Congress.
(c) Use of Expertise
and Information.--In conducting the study required
by this section, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall utilize the expertise
of stakeholder entities and organizations, including the amateur radio,
emergency response, and disaster communications communities.
END