---
kind: "section"
citation: "6 U.S.C. § 579"
title: "6"
title_heading: "Domestic Security"
number: "579"
heading: "Interoperable Emergency Communications Grant Program"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/6/579"
units:
  - "Chapter 1 — Homeland Security Organization"
  - "Subchapter XIII — Emergency Communications"
---

# §579. Interoperable Emergency Communications Grant Program

- (a) **Establishment—** The [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16) shall establish the Interoperable [Emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) Communications Grant Program to make grants to [States](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) to carry out initiatives to improve local, tribal, statewide, regional, national and, where appropriate, international interoperable [emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) communications, including communications in collective response to natural disasters, acts of [terrorism](/usc/6/101.md?p=18), and other man-made disasters.
- (b) **Policy—** The Assistant [Director](/usc/6/677a.md?p=3) for [Emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) Communications shall ensure that a grant awarded to a [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) under this section is consistent with the policies established pursuant to the responsibilities and authorities of the [Emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) Communications Division under this subchapter, including ensuring that activities funded by the grant—
  - (1) comply with the statewide plan for that [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) required by [section 194(f) of this title](/usc/6/194.md?p=f); and
  - (2) comply with the National [Emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) Communications Plan under [section 572 of this title](/usc/6/572.md), when completed.
- (c) **Administration—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Administrator](/usc/6/701.md?p=1) of the Federal [Emergency Management](/usc/6/701.md?p=7) [Agency](/usc/6/671.md?p=1) shall administer the Interoperable [Emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) Communications Grant Program pursuant to the responsibilities and authorities of the [Administrator](/usc/6/701.md?p=1) under subchapter V.
  - (2) **Guidance—** In administering the grant program, the [Administrator](/usc/6/701.md?p=1) shall ensure that the use of grants is consistent with guidance established by the Assistant [Director](/usc/6/677a.md?p=3) for [Emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) Communications pursuant to [section 194(a)(1)(H) of this title](/usc/6/194.md?p=a-1-H).
- (d) **Use of funds—** A [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) that receives a grant under this section shall use the grant to implement that [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17)’s Statewide Interoperability Plan required under [section 194(f) of this title](/usc/6/194.md?p=f) and approved under [subsection (e)](#e), and to assist with activities determined by the [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16) to be integral to interoperable [emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) communications.
- (e) **Approval of plans—**
  - (1) **Approval as condition of grant—** Before a [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) may receive a grant under this section, the Assistant [Director](/usc/6/677a.md?p=3) for [Emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) Communications shall approve the [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17)’s Statewide Interoperable Communications Plan required under [section 194(f) of this title](/usc/6/194.md?p=f).
  - (2) **Plan requirements—** In approving a plan under this subsection, the Assistant [Director](/usc/6/677a.md?p=3) for [Emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) Communications shall ensure that the plan—
    - (A) is designed to improve interoperability at the city, county, regional, [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) and interstate level;
    - (B) considers any applicable local or regional plan; and
    - (C) complies, to the maximum extent practicable, with the National [Emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) Communications Plan under [section 572 of this title](/usc/6/572.md).
  - (3) **Approval of revisions—** The Assistant [Director](/usc/6/677a.md?p=3) for [Emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) Communications may approve revisions to a [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17)’s plan if the Assistant [Director](/usc/6/677a.md?p=3) determines that doing so is likely to further interoperability.
- (f) **Limitations on uses of funds—**
  - (1) **In general—** The recipient of a grant under this section may not use the grant—
    - (A) to supplant [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) or local [funds](/usc/6/677a.md?p=5);
    - (B) for any [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) or [local government](/usc/6/101.md?p=13) cost-sharing contribution; or
    - (C) for recreational or social purposes.
  - (2) **Penalties—** In addition to other remedies currently available, the [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16) may take such actions as necessary to ensure that recipients of grant [funds](/usc/6/677a.md?p=5) are using the [funds](/usc/6/677a.md?p=5) for the purpose for which they were intended.
- (g) **Limitations on award of grants—**
  - (1) **National emergency communications plan required—** The [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16) may not award a grant under this section before the date on which the [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16) completes and submits to Congress the National [Emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) Communications Plan required under [section 572 of this title](/usc/6/572.md).
  - (2) **Voluntary consensus standards—** The [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16) may not award a grant to a [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) under this section for the purchase of equipment that does not meet applicable [voluntary](/usc/6/671.md?p=6-A) consensus standards, unless the [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) demonstrates that there are compelling reasons for such purchase.
- (h) **Award of grants—** In approving applications and awarding grants under this section, the [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16) shall consider—
  - (1) the risk posed to each [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) by natural disasters, acts of [terrorism](/usc/6/101.md?p=18), or other manmade disasters, including—
    - (A) the likely need of a jurisdiction within the [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) to respond to such risk in nearby jurisdictions;
    - (B) the degree of threat, vulnerability, and consequences related to [critical infrastructure](/usc/6/101.md?p=4) (from all [critical infrastructure](/usc/6/101.md?p=4) sectors) or [key resources](/usc/6/101.md?p=12) identified by the [Administrator](/usc/6/701.md?p=1) or the [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) [homeland](/usc/6/101.md?p=1) security and [emergency management](/usc/6/701.md?p=7) plans, including threats to, vulnerabilities of, and consequences from damage to [critical infrastructure](/usc/6/101.md?p=4) and [key resources](/usc/6/101.md?p=12) in nearby jurisdictions;
    - (C) the size of the population and density of the population of the [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17), including appropriate consideration of military, tourist, and commuter populations;
    - (D) whether the [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) is on or near an international border;
    - (E) whether the [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) encompasses an economically significant border crossing; and
    - (F) whether the [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) has a coastline bordering an ocean, a major waterway used for interstate commerce, or international waters; and
  - (2) the anticipated effectiveness of the [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17)’s proposed use of grant [funds](/usc/6/677a.md?p=5) to improve interoperability.
- (i) **Opportunity to amend applications—** In considering applications for grants under this section, the [Administrator](/usc/6/701.md?p=1) shall provide applicants with a reasonable opportunity to correct defects in the application, if any, before making final awards.
- (j) **Minimum grant amounts—**
  - (1) **States—** In awarding grants under this section, the [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16) shall ensure that for each fiscal year, except as provided in [paragraph (2)](#j-2), no [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) receives a grant in an amount that is less than the following percentage of the total amount appropriated for grants under this section for that fiscal year:
    - (A) For fiscal year 2008, 0.50 percent.
    - (B) For fiscal year 2009, 0.50 percent.
    - (C) For fiscal year 2010, 0.45 percent.
    - (D) For fiscal year 2011, 0.40 percent.
    - (E) For fiscal year 2012 and each subsequent fiscal year, 0.35 percent.
  - (2) **Territories and possessions—** In awarding grants under this section, the [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16) shall ensure that for each fiscal year, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the Virgin Islands each receive grants in amounts that are not less than 0.08 percent of the total amount appropriated for grants under this section for that fiscal year.
- (k) **Certification—** Each [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) that receives a grant under this section shall certify that the grant is used for the purpose for which the [funds](/usc/6/677a.md?p=5) were intended and in compliance with the [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17)’s approved Statewide Interoperable Communications Plan.
- (l) **State responsibilities—**
  - (1) **Availability of funds to local and tribal governments—** Not later than 45 days after receiving grant [funds](/usc/6/677a.md?p=5), any [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) that receives a grant under this section shall obligate or otherwise make available to local and [tribal governments](/usc/6/701.md?p=16)—
    - (A) not less than 80 percent of the grant [funds](/usc/6/677a.md?p=5);
    - (B) with the consent of local and [tribal governments](/usc/6/701.md?p=16), eligible expenditures having a value of not less than 80 percent of the amount of the grant; or
    - (C) grant [funds](/usc/6/677a.md?p=5) combined with other eligible expenditures having a total value of not less than 80 percent of the amount of the grant.
  - (2) **Allocation of funds—** A [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) that receives a grant under this section shall allocate grant [funds](/usc/6/677a.md?p=5) to [tribal governments](/usc/6/701.md?p=16) in the [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) to assist tribal communities in improving interoperable communications, in a manner consistent with the Statewide Interoperable Communications Plan. A [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) may not impose unreasonable or unduly burdensome requirements on a [tribal government](/usc/6/701.md?p=16) as a condition of providing grant [funds](/usc/6/677a.md?p=5) or resources to the [tribal government](/usc/6/701.md?p=16).
  - (3) **Penalties—** If a [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) violates the requirements of this subsection, in addition to other remedies available to the [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16), the [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16) may terminate or reduce the amount of the grant awarded to that [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) or transfer grant [funds](/usc/6/677a.md?p=5) previously awarded to the [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) directly to the appropriate local or [tribal government](/usc/6/701.md?p=16).
- (m) **Reports—**
  - (1) **Annual reports by State grant recipients—** A [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) that receives a grant under this section shall annually submit to the Assistant [Director](/usc/6/677a.md?p=3) for [Emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) Communications a report on the progress of the [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) in implementing that [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17)’s Statewide Interoperable Communications Plans required under [section 194(f) of this title](/usc/6/194.md?p=f) and achieving interoperability at the city, county, regional, [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17), and interstate levels. The Assistant [Director](/usc/6/677a.md?p=3) shall make the reports publicly available, including by making them available on the Internet website of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security [Agency](/usc/6/671.md?p=1), subject to any redactions that the Assistant [Director](/usc/6/677a.md?p=3) determines are necessary to protect classified or other sensitive information.
  - (2) **Annual reports to Congress—** At least once each year, the Assistant [Director](/usc/6/677a.md?p=3) for [Emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) Communications shall submit to Congress a report on the use of grants awarded under this section and any progress in implementing Statewide Interoperable Communications Plans and improving interoperability at the city, county, regional, [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17), and interstate level, as a result of the award of such grants.
- (n) **Rule of construction—** Nothing in this section shall be construed or interpreted to preclude a [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) from using a grant awarded under this section for interim or long-term Internet Protocol-based interoperable solutions.
- (o) **Authorization of appropriations—** There are authorized to be appropriated for grants under this section—
  - (1) for fiscal year 2008, such sums as may be necessary;
  - (2) for each of fiscal years 2009 through 2012, $400,000,000; and
  - (3) for each subsequent fiscal year, such sums as may be necessary.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 107–296, title XVIII, § 1809, as added Pub. L. 110–53, title III, § 301(a), Aug. 3, 2007, 121 Stat. 296; amended Pub. L. 115–278, § 2(g)(6)(C), Nov. 16, 2018, 132 Stat. 4179.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2018—Pub. L. 115–278, § 2(g)(6)(C)(i), substituted “Assistant Director for Emergency Communications” for “Director of Emergency Communications” wherever appearing.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 115–278, § 2(g)(6)(C)(ii), substituted “Assistant Director for Emergency Communications” for “Director for Emergency Communications” and “Emergency Communications Division” for “Office of Emergency Communications” in introductory provisions.

Subsec. (e)(3). Pub. L. 115–278, § 2(g)(6)(C)(iii), substituted “the Assistant Director” for “the Director”.

Subsec. (m)(1). Pub. L. 115–278, § 2(g)(6)(C)(iv), substituted “The Assistant Director” for “the Director”, “Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency” for “Office of Emergency Communications”, and “the Assistant Director determines” for “the Director determines”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Change of Name

Reference to the Assistant Director for Emergency Communications deemed to be a reference to the Executive Assistant Director for Emergency Communications, see section 571(g) of this title, enacted Jan. 1, 2021.