▶ 0:11:11We're considering several bipartisan bills that will improve public safety and communications for first responders here in this country. In december, we held a hearing to look at legislative improvements to public safety communications. This markup will be the next step in advancing the important legislation before us. Important things like upgrading our 911 call centers, improvements to our wireless emergency alerting, and improvements to our outage reporting are crucial improvements that we now look at through a legislative lens.
▶ 0:11:40Alongside my friend representative carter from louisiana, I recently introduced the next generation 911 act. This legislation would establish a grant program at the national telecommunications and information administration, or ntia, for next generation 911 technology. I would also. It would also establish a nationwide next generation 911 cyber security center and a national generation 911 or next generation 911 advisory board upgrading our nation's call centers to 911 technology is crucial for public safety.
▶ 0:12:09This internet protocol based system will open the door for advanced tools for both the public and our first responders to use. This legislation will also enable deployment nationwide, a patchwork of call centers that still have aging, outdated legacy systems, risk of communication, landscape that is uneven and non-interoperable. I've been a long time supporter of 901 deployment nationwide, and I'm proud to lead the legislation that's going to finally make it happen.
▶ 0:12:37I do want to note that while we're taking steps to advance this legislation towards law, we are still working on finding appropriate dollar amount to fund this grant program. It is critical we balance the need to fund this important program while making sure we maintain fiscal responsibility. This markup also includes many of my colleagues bipartisan bills to ensure alerts for natural disasters and potential risks are received in a timely manner. I'm glad to see our subcommittee prioritizing safety and communications for all americans.
▶ 0:13:05Our public safety and law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to help us in our time of need, and we must make sure that they have the best tools to do their jobs and best serve all americans. I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their continued commitment to this issue, and for their work developing these proposals. I look forward to moving these bills through this, through the committee, and onto the house floor so we can deliver results for the american people.
▶ 0:13:31I will now yield five minutes to my friend and colleague, ranking member matsui, for her opening statement. You are recognized. >> thank you very much, Mr. chairman. I appreciate they were marking up bipartisan legislation today to strengthen public safety communications in an emergency. There's no time to waste. Whether it's a parent trying to get help for their child, an older adult needing help after a fall or a wildfire closing in. People deserve absolute confidence that a call to 911 will go through.
▶ 0:14:00That's why today's markup matters. I'm proud to work with congressman bilirakis on two bills before us. I look forward to advancing these bills and others today, and I'm committed to continuing this work to improve public safety as a whole from strengthening, um, resiliency and outage reporting to getting next generation 911 fully funded and deployed. And with that, I yield back. >> thank the gentlelady.
▶ 0:14:28The chair now recognizes the gentleman from kentucky, the chairman of the full committee for his opening statement. >> thank you, Mr. chairman. Thank you for holding this markup. And I will submit most of my texts for it to the record. I really appreciate the opportunity to be here. These are this is a very important hearing, a very important markup. And thanks for bringing this to our to bring this to fruition. And I will yield back. >> great. Thank you. Uh, now recognize the gentleman from new jersey, the ranking member of the full committee for his opening statement.
▶ 0:14:59>> thank you, chairman hudson. I'm pleased the subcommittee is holding this markup of six bills to improve our nation's public safety communications capabilities. Americans make roughly a quarter billion calls to 911 every year. And the proportion of those calls that originate from wireless phones continues to rise as more households abandon landline phone service. And wireless technology continues to progress in its ability to deliver reliable, dispatchable location information to 911 centers.
▶ 0:15:27This trend away from landline service puts more pressure on public safety. Telecommunicators to obtain a close whereabouts from the caller directly. Whether a person calling 911 was not familiar with the area doesn't speak the same language as the dispatcher, or is in a state of distress preventing them from describing their location or emergency.
▶ 0:15:48Is there still significant gaps in our emergency communications capabilities that delay emergency response and put more lives at risk in each of these circumstances, and many others can be improved upon in an end to end next generation. 911 environment. Too many emergency communications centers lack modern communications capabilities, and many communities lack the resources to make these necessary investments without our help.
▶ 0:16:12So I commend you, chairman and representative troy carter, for the leadership in this effort and look forward to supporting its passage. I'm also glad to see two bills led by ranking member matsui and representative bilirakis included in this markup. The emergency reporting act will improve processes at the fcc to assess communications failures caused by natural disasters like hurricanes and wildfires.
▶ 0:16:34This effort is a critical step to ensure that policy makers and regulators are equipped with detailed information to identify trends and inform efforts to address points of vulnerability in preparation for future disasters. The carries law reporting act is an important bill that follows up on legislation that came through this committee and was signed into law in 2018.
▶ 0:16:53The original carries law was prompted by the tragic story of a young child unable to reach 911 during what became a fatal domestic dispute in a hotel room. Because the child was not aware she needed to dial a prefix to place an external call, the victim's daughter did exactly as she was told and correctly dialed 911, but that one digit ultimately left the victim, carl hunt, without access to help when it mattered most.
▶ 0:17:20Kyrie's law requires providers of multi-line telephone systems, which serve entities like office buildings and hotels, to reconfigure their systems to enable callers to simply dial 911 without a prefix to reach emergency assistance. And today, it's evident that providers have yet to fully comply with carrie's law. So the legislation before us will provide congress and the fcc with the tools necessary to track down delinquent providers and ensure they comply with the law so that tragedies like that of carrie hunt don't happen again.
▶ 0:17:52So appreciate the bipartisan cooperation that went into bringing these bills up today and yield back the balance of my time, Mr. chairman. >> thank the gentleman. Uh, the chair would, uh, like to inform the committee that we were going to try to drive through and get through all these before votes are called at 10:00. Uh, so your cooperation, would that be appreciated? Thank you for those abbreviated opening statements. Uh, chair also reminds members that pursuant to the committee rules, all members opening statements will be made part of the record. Are there any further opening statements? Great.
▶ 0:18:21Uh, the chair calls up h.r. 6505 and ask the clerk to report. >> h.r. 6505, a bill to amend the national objection. >> the first reading of the bill is dispensed with, and the bill will be open for amendment at any point so ordered. Does anyone seek to be recognized on the bill? For purposes? Gentleman from california seek recognition.
▶ 0:18:51>> I'd like to, uh, strike the last word, sir. >> you recognize the speak on the bill for five minutes? >> uh, when someone dials 911, they are often experiencing the worst moment of their life. I know that because I'm an emergency physician and answered those 911 calls doing home emergency visits, intubating, resuscitating, putting central lines inside people's homes.
▶ 0:19:13Uh, especially in the city of pittsburgh, where I trained, uh, they expect that their call will go through, that the dispatcher can locate them and understand the situation and send help immediately. Unfortunately, that expectation is not always met, particularly in communities like the coachella valley and imperial valley that I represent in my district. First responders serve vast rural areas, agricultural communities, tribal lands, and remote desert terrain.
▶ 0:19:41During extreme heat events, wildfires, flash floods or medical emergencies. Reliable emergency communications are not a luxury. They're a matter of life or death. Yet many 911 centers in these regions still rely on outdated legacy systems that cannot process modern data, struggle to operate during disasters, and lack interoperability across jurisdictions.
▶ 0:20:09These challenges are compounded by copper wire theft, which has disrupted landline service and further undermined access to emergency assistance and already vulnerable communities across california. More than 440 public safety answering points handle over 28 million 911 calls annually.
▶ 0:20:29Yet many centers in the coachella and imperial valley still rely on outdated legacy systems that cannot process modern data, struggle to operate during disasters, and lack interoperability across jurisdictions. While california has made progress with statewide planning, only about 20 psap are currently taking calls over the next. The new next generation 911 network.
▶ 0:20:55This lag in implementation leaves residents in our district, where long distances and sparse infrastructure already challenged connectivity, facing critical gaps in emergency access. Next generation 911 is essential for imperial and coachella valleys. This is why next gen 911 is so critical for regions like my district.
▶ 0:21:16Ng9 one one enables text, images, video and precise location data to reach dispatchers capabilities that are increasingly essential when callers cannot speak, do not know their exact location, or are relying solely on mobile devices. For rural and desert communities, these tools can significantly improve response times and situational awareness for first responders. However, technology alone will not close these gaps.
▶ 0:21:43Strong federal leadership is needed to ensure that funding, policy and governance structures support full deployment and long term reliability, particularly in rural and underserved areas. Families in imperial and coachella valleys deserve the same reliable access to emergency services as residents of major metropolitan areas.
▶ 0:22:07Satellite enabled connectivity offers a vital opportunity to strengthen emergency communications in areas where traditional networks are limited, ensuring connectivity even during outages and disasters in remote desert and agricultural regions. I understand this bill is yours, Mr. chairman. I fully support it. It's bipartisan.
▶ 0:22:26Uh, and I can tell you that all first responders and the whole continuum of emergency care are in favor of this bill, because it is about time that people can access their 911, and first responders can access people, regardless of where they're at. Uh, this bill will save lives with efficiency. This bill will save lives in reaching the patient sooner. And we'll get them to the cath lab.
▶ 0:22:54We'll get them to the stroke center. We'll get them to the trauma center a lot quicker. And we know in the emergency department and emergency care time is of the essence. And so with this, we need to make sure that everybody in america can access this and nobody's left out. And I'm going to work on making sure that my constituents are, uh, are right there with, uh, with, with getting these resources. Thank you, Mr. chairman. >> thank the gentleman for his passion and for your remarks and support.
▶ 0:23:23Um, is there any further discussion on the bill? Great. The question now occurs on adopting h.r. 6505. All those in favor say aye. Those opposed? No. The ayes have it, and the bill is adopted and forwarded to the full committee. The chair calls up h.r. 2076 and ask the clerk to report.
▶ 0:23:55>> h.r. 2076a bill to require the federal objection. >> the first reading the bill is dispensed with, and the bill will be open for amendment at any point so ordered. Does anyone seek to be recognized on the bill? Great. The question now occurs on adopting h.r. 2076. All those in favor say aye. Those opposed? No.
▶ 0:24:20The ayes have it, and the bill is adopted and forwarded to the full committee. The chair calls up h.r. 5200 and ask the clerk to report. >> h.r. 5200, a bill to direct the federal communications commission. >> without objection, the first reading the bill is dispensed with, and the bill will be open for amendment at any point so ordered. Does anyone seek to be recognized on the bill?
▶ 0:24:52Question now occurs on adopting h.r. 5200. All those in favor say aye and opposed no. The ayes have it. The bill is adopted and forwarded to the full committee. The chair calls up h.r. 5201 and ask the clerk to report. >> h.r. 5201, a bill to direct the federal communications commission to publish a report.
▶ 0:25:19>> without objection, the first reading the bill is dispensed with, and the bill is open for amendment at any point so ordered. Does anyone seek to be recognized on the bill? Question now occurs on adopting h.r. 5201. All those in favor say aye. Those opposed nay. The ayes have it. The bill is adopted and forwarded to the full committee. The chair calls up h.r.
▶ 0:25:477022 and ask the clerk to report. >> h.r. 7022, a bill. >> without objection. The first reading of the bill is dispensed with, and the bill will be open for amendment at any point so ordered. Does anyone seek to be recognized on the bill? For what purpose does the gentleman from texas seek be recognized to talk in support of? 7022? You're recognized for five minutes to speak on the bill. Thank you, Mr. chairman. Um, and I obviously support the bipartisan bill, h.r.
▶ 0:26:147022, the mystic, uh, acts, which I'm proud to lead alongside representatives lizzie fletcher buddy carter and marc veasey. And I want to thank the co-leads for working closely with us to advance this bipartisan legislation. I appreciate their partnership and commitment to strengthening public safety communications, especially for communities that are too often left behind when disasters strike.
▶ 0:26:35During our last public safety hearing, we heard powerful testimony from expert witnesses about the importance of strengthening the wireless emergency alert system and their broadband support for the mystic alerts act. Witnesses emphasize, um, that we are among the most effective tools available to protect the public, but also highlighted that coverage gaps still persist.
▶ 0:26:58They explained that incorporating space based mobile broadband as a mystic alerts act does into the wi system would add redundancy, improve reliability, and help ensure alerts reach families and first responders even in the most challenging circumstances. Today, too many americans lose access to alerts when cellular infrastructure is damaged, overwhelmed or nonexistent, particularly in rural areas, and this bill helps to close that gap by ensuring emergency alerts can still be delivered via satellite when traditional networks fail.
▶ 0:27:26For me, this issue is personal. On july 4th, floods devastating floods swept through central texas, including the area around camp mystic, where two of my daughters were attending camp. When communication systems fail during moments like that, the consequences can be tragic. No family should miss a life saving warning simply because infrastructure went down or service was unavailable.
▶ 0:27:47Uh, there is still work to be done to incorporate technical assistance into this legislation, but moving the mystic alerts act forward is a meaningful step toward modernizing public safety communications, closing dangerous gaps in emergency alert coverage, and ensuring americans can receive critical information when it matters the most. I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan, bipartisan legislation and yield back. Thank the gentleman. Is there any further discussion on the bill?
▶ 0:28:14Uh, for purposes, gentleman from florida seek to recognize. >> uh, to strike the last word. >> gentleman's recognized for five minutes to speak on the bill. >> thank you. Chairman. Central florida's home to many rural areas. Ranches, orange groves, farms, conservation lands, hunting leases. We also have the busiest spaceport in the world at cape canaveral, where we've had over 100 launches this year, 109 to be exact, last year in 2025. And most of those are spacex launching starlink satellites.
▶ 0:28:42Uh, we also saw amazon launch a few of the kuiper belt satellites as well. And so I could appreciate the great bill by rex pflueger, fletcher and others, the mystic alerts act. And I understand the the deep tragedy that this helps to prevent again and can't mystic allowing satellite companies who partner with wireless providers to deliver emergency alerts where cell phone coverage isn't sufficient, is absolutely critical.
▶ 0:29:08We've seen cell phone service down in florida during hurricanes and also in puerto rico. And obviously the the tragedy at camp mystic. So this is a critical step. And I encourage, uh, all wireless companies to consider these wireless satellite partnerships to ensure seamless emergency info in rural areas and other areas during disasters. And I yield back. >> thank the gentleman. Is there any further discussion on the bill? What purpose does the gentleman from georgia seek to recognize. >> move to strike? The last word.
▶ 0:29:38>> gentleman is recognized for five minutes to speak on the bill. >> Mr. chairman, I rise in strong support of the bipartisan mystic alerts act introduced by congressman pfluger. Public safety is one of congress's most serious responsibilities in this bill addresses a clear and urgent gap in our emergency communications system. Like congressman pfluger, my family was directly impacted by the camp mystic flooding and in texas, a tragedy that demonstrated how quickly conditions can change and how devastating the consequences can be when people do not receive timely warnings.
▶ 0:30:07While we have made real progress in delivering wireless emergency alerts, recent disasters have shown that alerts can fail when terrestrial networks are damaged, overloaded or unavailable precisely when people need them the most. The mystic alerts act strengthens our emergency alerting framework by directing the fcc to establish standards and requirements that allow alerts to be delivered via satellite connectivity, ensuring redundancy when traditional networks are down.
▶ 0:30:36By incorporating satellite based capabilities. This bill helps ensure emergency alerts can reach rural communities, disaster zones and other hard to reach areas, improving resilience and saving lives during floods, wildlife, wildfires, hurricanes and other emergencies.
▶ 0:30:53This legislation honors the victims of the camp mystic flood by taking meaningful action to prevent similar tragedies, and by making our emergency communications system more reliable, modern and resilient. I commend congressman pfluger for his leadership and bipartisan approach, and I urge my colleagues to support the mystic alerts act. Thank you, Mr. chairman, I yield back. >> I thank the gentleman. Is there any further discussion on the bill?
▶ 0:31:23Question now occurs on adopting h.r. 7022. All those in favor say aye. Those opposed? No. The ayes have it and the bill is adopted and forwarded to the full committee. The chair calls up h.r. 1519 and asks the clerk to report. >> h.r. 1519a bill.
▶ 0:31:52>> that objection first reading the bill is dispensed with, and the bill will be open for amendment at any point so ordered. Does anyone seek to be recognized on the bill? What purpose does the gentleman from florida seek to be recognized? >> thank you, Mr. chairman. >> uh, gentlelady is recognized for five minutes to speak on the bill. >> thank you, Mr. chairman. I want to begin by saying that as the wife to a first responder, I know better than most that emergency communications in times of crisis are paramount.
▶ 0:32:23This bill is grounded in deep respect for the men and women who rely on our communications systems every single day first responders, law enforcement, firefighters, ems. They are the reason why firstnet exists and why their voices must always remain central. So I want to address some of the concerns that have been raised by members of the public safety community and really clarify their confusion.
▶ 0:32:48This bill does not change any firstnet governance or authorities. It does not take away authority from firstnet board. It does not diminish the role of the public safety advisory committee, and it does not allow ntia to override or delay decisions made by public safety leaders. These protections are intentional. The public safety communications act is about accountability at the federal level, not control over the network.
▶ 0:33:18Today, ntia already has the responsibilities related to firstnet and next gen 911, but those responsibilities are not clearly defined in statute. This bill fixes that by establishing a single, dedicated office of public safety communications within ntia. It is going to be led by a career nonpolitical official, and that ensures continuity, expertise and, importantly, transparency on firstnet.
▶ 0:33:46The bill simply clarifies ntia's existing management and oversight role, including conducting regular audits. Oversight does not mean interference. Nothing in this bill requires firstnet to seek approval before investing, innovating or responding to the needs of our first responders.
▶ 0:34:08And just as important, this bill strengthens federal coordination for next gen 911, ensuring that states have a clear, accountable partner as they modernize their emergency systems. Public safety communications should never be political, fragmented, or unclear. Right now, they are this bill. It fixes that. It keeps public safety in charge, reduces confusion and strengthens accountability where it belongs.
▶ 0:34:35And I appreciate the engagement from our public safety stakeholders and remain committed to the collaboration as we move this bill forward. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and with that, I yield. >> thank the gentlelady. Is there any further discussion on the bill? The question now occurs on adopting h.r. 1519. All those in favor say aye. Those opposed? No. The ayes have it.
▶ 0:35:03The bill is adopted and forwarded to the full committee. Without objection, staff is authorized to make technical and conforming changes to the legislation approved by the committee today. So ordered. Uh, appreciate the committee members for cooperating with getting this important work done. And I have to tell you, as chair of this subcommittee. The fact that we can work together, uh, and accomplish some great things, uh, on behalf of the american people gives me a lot of pride.
▶ 0:35:32Uh, wish everybody a happy weekend, and we'll see you next week. Uh, without objection, the committee stands adjourned.