Transcripts For CSPAN2 Senators Receive Update On Emergency

Will come to order. The update on first net and this exciting effort to deploy the nationwide interoperable Public Safety Broadband Network. Im glad to convene a hearing and an accord tuesday a attendants from a good friend ended 2012 bin that to lead the development of that Public Safety Broadband Network. With those communication failures in the other National Emergencies including Hurricane Katrina it with those Reliable Communications network to support the essential work. So with those firstsp responders across multiple jurisdictions to provide lifesaving Emergency Services. In to establish the broad base and network. And how it intended to meet the needs of each state of the regular Access Network. In with reliable coverage and into a number of murders of the subcommittee. Subcommi so those with user fees would be affordably priced to First Responders since the time much has happened to open the innovation and test lab with those new applications to be used by c First Responders. In march they formally selected at t to maintain the network over the next 25 years. Irstnet last month first that issued the pleiads that detailed the deployment proposal for Access Network in other jurisdictions. And now reviewing these plans and at t before they are issued in the fall. To develop for word to each of these actions i am eager to learn about first net to the build out plan for at t and of those assets to maximize coverage general areas with state taxpayer dollars. Of the witnesses will also address the development of a subscription pricing planse and how those are developed with the states. Likewi i look forward to hearing about the resiliency of the network from potential cyberthreats Natural Disasters and the others. Additionally im interested how first net and at t will incorporate feedback before those initial plans are finalized the development of this nationwide by mail and networking is a challenge to ensure the First Responderseir can fulfill the mission to save lives. So the courage of ourf nations First Responderson thel put their lives of space every day. To be across the nation to protect our families and, neighborhoods and families and i will kamal love of o witnesses today. We have this system Professor University of Mississippi Medical Center and the director of the gao and chief executive officer of first net in Senior Vice President from at t i recognize my friend and drinking river. In 2012 we made an important commitment to Public Safety and after Hurricane Katrina the First Responders face those glaring problems could not communicate with one another in the emergency and these could be solved with the nationwide interoperable Public Safety communication network. Making a solution a reality. A Police Officer can run a background check pitchers of the suspect to access federal lawenforcement database Emergency Personnel will not be completed in competing with those usersey wi to have priority with Public Safety specifications with competitive devices to specify Public Safety applications. It is a huge task the first time we have done anything like this we now have a vendor, at t going beyond what first net envisioned to be three months ahead of schedule and many are in the review process hoping theyll learn the value of this network many of us represent areas of this country they already suffer from lack of adequate access so it is critical they address this challenge headon for every First Responder. So to have a responsibility that allstates in territories arthur all aspects of this problem the rigid each state made its final decision bin theiran partners can begin in earnest to build the networkthe that they started to the community in the accord to the testimony. This reflects the importance of this topic andy interest of americans in this exciting new chapter. If it is all right going from one end of the table to another mr. Brown you are tgnized ago first. And with a whole with security in virginias efforts to insure First Responders have those capabilities necessary to respond. E govern this was the first date in the nation and with the Public Safety subscribers with the benefit with no cost of the commonwealth so with that portion of the and Public Safety Broadband Network that that will promote competition in the marketplace to reduce costs didnt drive innovation. That at no cost and risks associated was not feasible. And with interoperable ability with the geography of infrastructure requires robust will win security program. Hurri from terrorism to hurricanes. Ave live since the attacks 7eleven to develop the policy lesitions needed so that Lessons Learned with interoperable communication and that hurt implemented. So to assist at the pentagon in arlington. And those that have been instrumental to be engaged through Law Enforcement or emergency management. R homela with our staff director and our state point of contact have been instrumental to review the documents of the stakeholders. Ized as and then to be the innovation for Public Safety. Head was the past president both of these have one tost their expertise for go there for virginias decision to opted now was based off of first our reach liberation and now with at t. We will maximize of benefit of the commonwealth community. That is adequate coverage especially those in the rural community. In ruth that Mission Critical voice of those capabilities of 2019 to adequately protect men and women in uniform. N that marks another significant step forward of the broadband capabilities but the work continues. Provide window collectively with at t coming back to congress we realize the ultimate goaly cc of communication with reliable the works for Public Safety fake you again in the live for to answeringan your questions. Thank you now from this is a Medical Center jackson your recognize. Members of the subcommittee think for the opportunity to testify for first at with these challenges specifically in the arena is serving as say medical director that Umbrella Organization looking a research and as you may know id like many other states those challenges with chronic diseases in the location of providers as this day progresses for word. The integration of a reliable Broadband Network is vital to make things happen in mississippi we cannot currently do. One of the leading states of telemedicine for a number ofdi years and after Hurricane Katrina a has nearly 30,000 users to revolutionize the way we Practice Medicine in mississippi. In with his medical care and in 2010 to over they the broad band data we believe it is of vital next step to integrate health care. Evelopment id with the deployment of that system many lessons on how to deploy in develop a system for Public Safety. Tnet hs first that has the potential to meet these needs. Many dont have a capacity of Rural America wary we need that most but not to have coverage in the middle of nowhere chronic medical disease or with the same lovell of care which of those same discussions we believe the person that is vital Going Forward. As president s are rolling out with the entire network and from the medical perspective to haveblic saf communications with priority h service we have embarked to improve health care one example is the agreement r the grant where we are actively engaged in collecting data. And now to be too old to have innovation tulip get the ability to take the same data over a wireless system. So inclosing appreciate the opportunity to talk about medicine Going Forward it is of vital link in this is one of the ways we do it. Ttee in we hope this committee will help first net become what we all need with a vast area that is currently underserved. Ta support not do take issue but i challenge you that these events have the same impact on Rural America almost weekly a three car accident with those same resources. So that true possibility is of Public Safety officials in to push them. And with that traditional Public Safety rule and with those things we could not to enforce neck could allow us to do that. Next three years from the gao director. Did i pronounce your name correctly . Yes you did. Your recognize. Thinks for the opportunity in that first in which were publicly releasing today the were based on a new report with those efforts. Please read the report in its entirety. [laughter] i think you do want to go to lunch. It talks about insurer opera ability challenges in with those clients with the contractor is in the recommended it fully explore those tribal stakeholder concerns in person that agreed with the recommendations so establishing their broad period network was reliable and irreverent interoperable. It ended march 2017 at t would build and operate and maintain the network. Given the scope of the network so those they have key efforts for those proposal awarding the contract to at t it would be responsible for the development and production in the was state and local and stakeholders. And then to be set aside to engage him. S gao the seven expressed some concern that first met not had engaged braver idea of mechanisms. And then to represent through those key decisionel cokers. And with that state part of contact and then to reach a consensus where possible. But first that could improve those relations with their needs. And with that interoperable in the. In then to coverage of rural areas to insure the resilience to manage that framework for the identity then access management. As to test though devices the majority of stakeholders contacted but many noted the of the uncertainty that remains. First met established offices including management and oversight in those with experience to assume full responsibility in the esture. And then to see the contractors performance. In then to perform those functions not yet have we conducted long term. But as a result and then to have sufficient resources with those responsibilitiess over time with those adequate resources is the key practice for executing the with that assessment first and it is is in a better position with that risk that it assumes in the future. We will be involved in a few minutes. Next with at t glad to have you with us. In with that Senior Vice President guy currently in then to design and execute at t was honored to be chosen that is the of mission of the of a special opportunity bin to demonstrate that commitment to Public Safety in then that Interoperable Network to give First Responders to effectively communicate to collaborate across jurisdictions. The at t is dedicated so with those several hundred employees and as they hire people across of a country but overall to extend 40 billion over the lifetime of a contract with that nationwide interoperable highspeed Global Network to provide First Responders in with all other users with that network congestion. Nd it with the telecommunications platform with 180 billion includingre the Wireless Network reaching negative of the u. S. Population and at t will support First Responders with day dedicated Security Operations center. It with that application and ecosystem and what they select for their unique needs. One of those important resources they bring to bear is that National Disaster Recovery Team in with those field exercises in Disaster Recovery employment to rebuff to decades with Recovery Engineering Software Applications so fulltime volunteer Disaster Response team members. Bers it will increase the Disaster Recovery feet but first net is not just ross ecology audiences of the technological promises. Will con that will involve the First Responder network up possibilities include traffic conditions so the cameras for police and firefighters. A or with those drones or robots. So these efforts are expected to creightonn thousand jobs as well as publicprivate infrastructure investment. With a new nationwide Interoperable Network if they build they will come im happy to report as of today virginia wyoming arkansas and iowa. So those that will opted ise in the future with those that were maintaining thee standalone network. States is territories that often provide those access to the competitive rates enabled by at t enabled us by the First Responder authority. Bers o thinks having me here i look forward to addressing any questions you have. In terms of the ceo ofms first net. Much of you are recognized. In numbers of the subcommittee thank you for inviting me this is the second time to appear representing and the men and women to Public Safety. And what might and should be the of the future of the Broadband Network. Today th one of tangible progress of the delivery of the state plan. And after that first met network. For everything that they do. They are Mission Critical surveying the citizens of the United States we never lost focus to deliver the best possible the work to protect our communities and families to put themselveses in harms way is. First met accomplishes the of a great deal since i last testified. Into continue that our reach with more than an outreach events across all 56 states and territories. So to evaluate multipleth proposals to verify this is open and transparent and competitive. To create and deliver those state plans but three a month ahead of schedule and those that have already opted in. Ngress but those with the First Net Network to leverage those private sector resources. And then help to maintain the system. And after vigorous and competitive in bin to be selected on behalf of Public Safety. When w into a hit day one for Public Safety far and above what they have with a firstclass broad ban network so using the existing river structure this was driven by publicfe safety. Bin then more critical day by day in the highlygh connected world. At t will continue to evolve and through the next 25 years. And then still areas where we still need to strive for more. Continuing to strive in other areas that status quoo is not in the vocabulary. Ibal cu tribal compotation is a key part of planning to engage with those strides that adopted at the policy to ensure these responders to have options from the governors. Actually i want to thank the Navajo Nation ultimately that most important action in we have been entrusted by Public Safety to keep us safe and we will ensure that we accomplished with thehe Public Safety deserves with reliability and performance in thank you again for your support of four to answer your questions. Let me just begin by asking to say the gao report was released today. Did either of you get a sneak preview . We did. We work with them hand in hand as they were developingng the report and recommendation. You have seen the draft copy responding to some of those items of those tribal concerns are there any other response he would like to put on the record for this hearing . Absolutely. Has identified the two areas that we needed to focus on longterm staffing the address to that quickly in a full recommendation we have already been doing that but with tribal we have been doing work over the last year to improve our position with the tribal consultation to adopt tribal policies with the Public Safety in rise three committee Revisory Committee and we work with the states andth the tribes that in the states to improve the communications they have the air per for appropriation. I bet you got us meet peak . Is there anything youd like to add . To a