Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

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Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, today, I rise to introduce the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System, IPAWS, Modernization Act of 2012. I am pleased to be joined by Senators Lieberman, Scott Brown, Akaka, and Carper in introducing this bill. It will ensure that more people receive life-saving information in more parts of America, more of the time, through current and future technologies.

Effective communication with the public before, during, and after a disaster is vitally important and can literally mean the difference between life and death. Since the 1950's, the U.S. Government has had a system in place to ensure that citizens can be warned in times of crisis. This system can also be used for local authorities to warn citizens of impending severe weather or other hazards to public safety.

Most people know the Emergency Alert System, EAS, as the crawling text on their television screens, and although this system remains the backbone of our national alerting capability, times have changed, and so must the way we communicate with the public during times of crisis.

This bill will strengthen the IPAWS system and ensure that as many Americans as possible receive these alerts in a timely and useful manner. The bill ensures that the integrated public alert and warning system incorporates multiple communications technologies, including new technologies such as smart phones and social networking sites;

The bill is designed to adapt to and incorporate future technologies;

The bill is designed to provide alerts to the largest portion of the affected population, including remote areas;

The bill promotes local and regional public and private partnerships; and

The bill provides redundant alert mechanisms in order to reach the greatest number of people possible.

The bill also requires the FEMA Administrator to ensure the inclusion of those with disabilities in the alert and warning system; ensure that the system is included in future exercises conducted through DHS's National Exercise Program, including the annual National Level Exercises; and requires FEMA to coordinate with DHS's National Terrorism Advisory System office. The bill provides for periodic nationwide tests of the system, and establishes a training program to instruct federal, state, tribal and local government officials in system use.

The bill also establishes an IPAWS Advisory Committee composed of federal, State and local representatives, as well as members who represent relevant industry groups and a consumer/privacy advocate. The committee would meet at least once a year and issue a yearly report on improvements to IPAWS. The bill also states that the administrator may not transmit a message from the President that does not relate to a natural disaster, act of terrorism, other man-made disaster, or other hazard to public safety.

This bill has been endorsed by the National Emergency Management Association, NEMA, the National Association of Broadcasters, NAB, the National Federation of the Blind, and the Hearing Loss Association of America. Additionally, we have received a letter of support from the CEOs of all 50 State broadcast trade associations.

I look forward to working with all of my colleagues to pass this bill and have it signed into law.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that letters of support be printed in the Record.

There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the RECORD,

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