[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 86 (Wednesday, June 28, 2006)]
[House]
[Page H4685]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1015
                          SUPPORT THE WARN ACT

  (Mr. SHIMKUS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SHIMKUS. First of all, Mr. Speaker, let me apologize to my 
colleague. I have been doing this for 9 years, and I am just trying to 
be efficient. That is all.
  Mr. Speaker, a few weeks ago, along with my colleagues, 
Representatives Wynn, Bono, English, and Melancon, I introduced the 
House version of the Warning, Alert and Response Network Act, also 
known as the WARN Act. The Emergency Alert System has not kept pace 
with our increasingly wireless and mobile society.
  The WARN Act will help bring the Emergency Alert System into the 21st 
century by ensuring that, regardless of where an individual is or what 
kind of communication technologies they are using, they will receive a 
life-saving alert. Some examples of instances where they would receive 
an alert would be in response to all threats to public safety, 
including natural disasters, man-made accidents, and terrorist 
incidents.
  The act also establishes a network for transmission of alerts across 
a broad variety of communication technologies, including wireless 
communication devices like cell phones and BlackBerrys; also things 
such as the Internet, digital, analog, cable, and satellite television, 
and satellite and terrestrial radio, as well as nontraditional media 
such as the public warning sirens.
  This is in response to the recommendations of the White House on the 
Katrina report. I encourage all my colleagues to join me in supporting 
the WARN Act.

                          ____________________