Congressman Steve Rothman (D-NJ) and House Homeland Security Chairman Peter King (R-NY) have introduced a new bill to fund communications equipment for first responders – the Help Emergency Responders Operate Emergency Systems (HEROES) Act. The act will ensure that First Responders have the communications equipment to do their jobs and that the already overburdened local taxpayers do not have to unfairly pay for an unfunded federal mandate.

The HEROES Act is designed to address the vulnerability of the nation’s emergency communication networks by setting up a DHS-administered grant program for local municipalities to apply for funding for essential communications equipment that the federal government requires them to upgrade.

According to Rothman and King, the HEROES Act of 2011 will establish a $400 million DHS-administered Narrowbanding Compliance Assistance Program to assist first responders in meeting the January 1, 2013 narrowband mandate.

The act advocates for using the sale of federally-owned spectrum to pay for the competitive grant program. It will also reallocate the D block to public safety and provide funding for the construction of a national interoperable public safety wireless broadband network 

"Immediately following the horrific September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the capacity of our nation's radio and communications networks was overwhelmed,” said Congressman Rothman, in a release. “This not only meant despair for individuals looking for family members, this also meant that First Responders were not able to coordinate or communicate their efforts to save lives and respond as effectively. We must make sure that never happens again.”

In 2004, the Federal Communication Commission (FCC (News - Alert)) issued a federal mandate known as the "Narrowband Mandate” that forces all First Responders to upgrade their communications equipment and spectrum licenses by January 1, 2013 to avoid the communications pitfalls in the aftermath of 9/11.

This issue was highlighted by the "Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007," which included provisions to aid states and local governments in complying with the 2013 deadline. However, the funding for the FCC mandate and elements of the 9/11 Commission Act has been drastically reduced because of budget cuts and in some cases these programs have been eliminated.

Congressman Rothman feels that this unfunded federal mandate will force already overburdened local taxpayers to finance these essential upgrades for our local First Responders. This will create an adverse impact on more than 18,000 police departments, more than 26,000 fire departments, and millions of First Responders across the country.

The bipartisan HEROES Act will provide much needed assistance for the first responders as they approach the January 1, 2013, narrowbanding deadline, said Chairman King. “More importantly, this legislation reaffirms my commitment to reallocating the D Block to public safety for the development of a national interoperable public safety wireless broadband network.”

In July, Rothman offered an amendment to the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies 2012 Appropriations Bill to provide $85 million in much needed aid for the nation's first responders and local taxpayers. The amendment failed to pass due to the opposition of the Republican majority of the subcommittee.