WARN Act

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2892, the Weather Alert Response and Notification Act, also known as the WARN Act, to improve public safety during extreme weather events.

I am proud to lead this bipartisan bill that would direct the Comptroller General to evaluate the effectiveness of our emergency alert systems--at the local, State, and Federal levels--in reaching our communities when it matters the most.

I introduced this legislation after my district experienced tragedy during Winter Storm Elliott in December 2022, right before Christmas Eve. Western New York and the southern tier are used to heavy snowfall every winter. During Winter Storm Elliott, we were hit with whiteout blizzards and hurricane-force winds that quickly dumped more than 4 feet of snow.

People were trapped in their cars for days. Many were trapped in their homes without power or heat. Rescue crews struggled to get those people rescued who were in need, leading to more than 40 deaths in our region. Some of these deaths could have been prevented, but local warning systems failed to adequately communicate the risks to the public. We cannot let this happen again.

That is where the WARN Act comes in. Whether it is a blizzard, hurricane, tornado, or other severe weather event, we must ensure that our emergency alert systems are timely, accurate, and capable of reaching everyone, no matter what technology they have.

Preparation is the key to protecting lives and minimizing damage during these crises. Reliable and effective emergency alerts give individuals the opportunity to act--keeping themselves and their families safe, clearing the way for first responders, and ensuring repair crews can restore power, clear roads, and respond more quickly in emergencies. This preparation helps save lives and reduces long-term harm.

The WARN Act will examine cutting-edge technologies, such as mobile alerts, satellite communication, and next-generation platforms, to determine how we can improve these lifesaving systems.

It will also provide critical insights to local emergency managers and elected officials, who are often on the front lines of these crises.

As we are heading into 2025, we have more technology than ever at our fingertips, but we need to make sure it is employed in the right way to help us get through extreme weather events. By equipping our communities with clear, more actionable alerts, we can save lives and prevent tragedies like those we experienced during Winter Storm Elliott.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this commonsense, bipartisan legislation to strengthen our Nation's emergency response systems.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2892) to direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on the effectiveness of local alerting systems, 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 material on H.R. 2892.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2892, also known as the WARN Act, directs GAO to conduct a study on the effectiveness of local, State, and Federal emergency alerting systems in disseminating timely and relevant information during weather-related emergencies.

By examining these alerting systems, we can better understand how to improve communication and public safety during emergencies.

I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Langworthy) for his work on this critical piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of the legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Langworthy), the author of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I want to reflect upon Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Both storms resulted in extraordinary death, with, I believe, around 1,700 lives lost in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

This legislation is designed to help prevent those types of deaths and to help communicate the risk to the public, and I strongly urge support for this legislation. It is going to ensure that we have better policies and procedures for alerts during weather-related emergencies.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2892. The bill directs the GAO, or Government Accountability Office, to study the efficacy of local weather alerting systems.

As the climate crisis worsens and extreme weather events strike our communities with increasing frequency and severity, frontline communities need time to prepare and react in the face of these dangers.

Every wasted second endangers lives. That is why local weather alerting systems are an indispensable tool. They give communities the time needed to take decisive and lifesaving action. Understanding how best to leverage, develop, and improve this important tool will help ensure community preparedness.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, local weather alerting systems must work properly to save lives. This bill would direct the Government Accountability Office to identify and document any improvements that need to be made to such systems.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.