Bill Clinton: “Despite the fact that there has been progress on the issue of interoperability, such as the transfer of much needed…”

“Despite the fact that there has been progress on the issue of interoperability, such as the transfer of much needed spectrum for first responder communications and the allocation of $1 billion for interoperability grants that passed last year, it is clear that incidents like Hurricane Katrina demonstrate that there remains more work to be done. What I am concerned about is that 5 years after 9/11, I do not believe that there has been the leadership role at the Federal level to give this issue the full attention and high profile that it demands. I believe we need an office at DHS that will be charged with continually analyzing, continually assessing, and continually thinking about how to coordinate not only the Federal agencies that manage and operate communications systems, but the local and State governments, who often have very different ideas of what interoperability means. Additionally, we also need to give that office the resources and authority it needs to carry out its mission. We have ostensibly given the leadership role of one of the most critical issues to emerge from 9/11 and Katrina to the SAFECOM Office within DHS. However, it is my understanding that this office has fewer than 10 full-time employees and for all intents and purposes is buried within the DHS bureaucracy. While I understand that this office is headed and staffed by dedicated professionals, how do we provide the Federal leadership necessary with fewer than 10 people?…”