Lawmaker seeks $15 million for USCP radio system

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) included $15 million in the Iraq emergency supplemental yesterday that would pave the way for an updated radio communication system for the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP).
   
The radio system, which is more than 20 years old, has limited transmitting range and interoperability. Andy Maybo, chairman of the Capitol Police Labor Committee, recently told the House Appropriations Committee’s legislative branch panel that anyone owning a police scanner can easily listen into police conversations.
   
{mosads}Wasserman Schultz, who is chairwoman of the subcommittee, has held off on allocating funds for new radios because she wanted to ensure that the USCP had its fiscal house in order and had tracked its inventory. Ranking member Zach Wamp (R-Tenn.) has been a vocal supporter of the upgrade.

Wamp was "encouraged that Wasserman Schultz has included money for radios in the latest version of the supplemental," but said that the bill itself is destined to be vetoed by President Bush in its current form.

"The Capitol continues to need interoperable communications and state of the art communications. It doesn't have [them]," Wamp said. "The sooner the better." 

The $15 million will initiate the update, which will take roughly $35 million and three years to complete, according to the USCP. An additional $11 million to maintain the current radio system is still in the budget.