Advanced, Local Emergency Response Telecommunications Parity Act

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1353, the Advanced, Local Emergency Response Telecommunications Parity Act, or the ALERT Parity Act. This bipartisan bill will enhance wireless connectivity in remote and hard-to-reach places to ensure that people can always reach out to emergency services and family during emergencies.

H.R. 1353 will help the Federal Communications Commission utilize satellite technology to deliver emergency connectivity service to remote areas or areas experiencing service outages caused by natural disasters. This is particularly important for rural and Tribal areas that have been particularly devastated by the lack of access to 911 and emergency alerts due to limited wireless coverage.

This bill is needed now because over the last few months many 5G mobile providers and equipment manufacturers have announced partnerships with satellite operators to deliver emergency communication to consumers where wireless coverage is lacking or nonexistent. These efforts are likely to offer tangible benefits to consumers as the partnerships will enable wireless service providers to offer consumers universal coverage and enhance access to emergency services. It is likely that consumer demand for satellite services will grow in the future as wireless carriers and phone manufacturers continue to build this capability into their networks and phones.

This additional layer of protection is also a welcome sign given that the worsening climate crisis is causing more frequent and extreme weather events. Mobile service is essential for receiving emergency alerts with lifesaving information. Resilient communications networks can be the difference between life and death when the unexpected strikes. Satellite systems will be crucial in helping ensure that consumers have the necessary details to navigate through these emergency situations.

To help advance these efforts, H.R. 1353 directs the FCC to issue rules so that satellite providers can offer emergency connectivity services in areas that currently do not have access to such services or areas that have been impacted by a disaster.

The legislation also requires the FCC to annually report to Congress on the instances where satellite providers utilized the rules to provide emergency services and where such providers were denied the opportunity to offer these lifesaving services.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representatives Schrier and Johnson for their bipartisan work on this bill. With this legislation, consumers can rest assured that if they find themselves in an area without service, whether it is because of lack of coverage, the result of natural disaster, or for some other reason, they will continue to have the ability to reach first responders and loved ones during an emergency.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation that unanimously advanced out of the Energy and Commerce Committee last month, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, this is a bipartisan bill that was reported out of our committee unanimously last month, and I would ask everyone to support the legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1353) to direct the Federal Communications Commission to issue rules for the provision of emergency connectivity service, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous materials in the Record on the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1353, the ALERT Parity Act, led by the gentleman from Ohio's Sixth District and the gentlewoman of Washington's Eighth District.

When hurricanes, tornadoes, and other natural disasters strike, connectivity and access to emergency communications is often one of the many critical services that are temporarily knocked out. Access to 911 services and important updates from local authorities sent by text message may be unavailable in dire moments.

While network operators do great work in preparing for, responding to, and improving future preparations for these natural disasters, they are unavoidable. Even the best response may leave Americans trapped without access to emergency services in the aftermath of the event.

However, recent innovations in satellite communications technologies have opened new opportunities to leverage our communications systems to provide emergency communications in times of natural disaster from satellites. Many of these services are designed to be available on Americans' phones seamlessly with no action needed by Americans.

Recent innovative partnership between terrestrial network operators and satellite operators have highlighted the type of possibilities Americans may someday take for granted. Yet, these innovations and partnerships have also demonstrated that novel use of our airwaves, while potentially lifesaving, also need regulatory certainty so that they are reliably available and do not result in harmful interference.

The ALERT Parity Act would establish a process for the FCC to ensure that satellite technology can be used to ensure access to wireless emergency alerts and 911 service remain uninterrupted during times of an emergency in areas that do not have connectivity.

This legislation will be key to ensuring that emergency connectivity services are not authorized using temporary authorities and adequately protect all of the wireless services Americans rely on.

This legislation will also pave the way for U.S. leadership as other countries look to take advantage of the innovation pioneered here in the United States.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1353, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Johnson).

Mr. Speaker, I also urge support of H.R. 1353, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Mr. Latta, for recognizing me.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my legislation, H.R. 1353, the ALERT Parity Act.

This bipartisan legislation would require the Federal Communications Commission to issue rules within 18 months of enactment to establish an application process for any entities seeking to provide wireless emergency alerts for 911 services in unserved areas across America. It also requires the FCC to establish service rules whereby providers of emergency connectivity service may access spectrum held by a licensee, so long as it does not cause interference and they have express written consent from the licensee.

Additionally, the bill requires the FCC to provide an annual report to Congress detailing instances where emergency connectivity service was provided by this process, and also each instance when an entity authorized to use spectrum declined to provide the consent needed by providers of emergency connectivity service to use their spectrum.

This enables Congress to provide oversight of these services and ensure that this legislation is implemented as intended.

First and foremost, enabling 911 calls and texts and emergency alerts in remote and unserved areas is not only

common sense, it is a lifesaving measure.

Every American deserves access to emergency assistance, regardless of where they live, period.

This bill is very narrow in scope. The rules required by the bill would only enable emergency connectivity service providers to connect to individuals' phones where there is no cellular service, either due to an outage or because there is not a mobile carrier providing service in that area.

To many of us, it is frustrating if we lose cell service temporarily. It is unfathomable for many to understand that in 2023 there remains remote areas in America that still lack reliable cellular service.

Now that there is technology that will enable distressed Ohioans in rural Appalachia, and all such rural areas across the United States who lack mobile cell service to reach emergency assistance, I believe we have a responsibility to make it happen and to ensure American innovation can serve our communities that are otherwise left out.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Kim Schrier for co-leading this legislation and her work on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I also urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1353 to ensure everyone has access to critical lifesaving emergency services regardless of where they live or travel.

Mr. Speaker, I also thank Mr. Pallone, the ranking member of the Energy and Commerce Committee for his support as well.

Mr. Speaker, I was not present for the following rollcall votes. Had I been present for:

Rollcall vote No. 195 on Ordering the Previous Question, I would have voted ``yea'';

Rollcall vote No. 196 on Agreeing to the Resolution, I would have voted ``yea''; and

Rollcall vote No. 197 on the Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as amended, H.R. 1353, Advanced, Local Emergency Response Telecommunications Parity Act, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, I was unable to attend votes due to a medical procedure. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 195 (PQ-H. Res. 327), NAY on Roll Call No 196 (H. Res. 327), and YEA on Roll Call No. 197 (H.R. 1353).