[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 104 (Monday, June 23, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1314-E1315]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  H.R. 3403, THE NEW AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES 911 IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 
                                  2008

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN D. DINGELL

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 23, 2008

  Mr. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3403, the New 
and Emerging Technologies 911 Improvement Act of 2008.
  This legislation ensures that consumers using Voice over Internet 
Protocol technology, or VoIP, can make full use of the 911 system in 
two important ways. First, the legislation extends the same liability 
protections afforded to wireline and wireless carriers, public safety, 
and end users to VoIP service. This parity in liability protections 
will encourage service providers, public safety, and end users to 
continue to rely on the 911 emergency communications system, regardless 
of the technology used to make a 911 call. Second, the legislation 
ensures that VoIP providers can interconnect with legacy telephone 
networks so they can deliver calls and information to 911 call centers.
  Representative Gordon, the author of H.R. 3403, Representative 
Markey, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the 
Internet, Representative Barton, Ranking Member of the Committee, 
Representatives Upton and Stearns, the former and current Ranking 
Members of the Subcommittee, and I worked very closely with all 
stakeholders on this legislation, and it has widespread support among 
the public safety community, industry, and others.

[[Page E1315]]

  As is clear from the language of the legislation, the requirement for 
interconnection is for purposes of 911 only and should not be used to 
bootstrap access for other reasons. Similarly, the legislation makes 
clear that those who control the legacy gateways to the emergency 
communications system must provide access, including rights of 
interconnection, to those seeking to deliver 911 calls and information. 
Because all stakeholders agreed to the legislative language, we fully 
expect that this access will not be inhibited by either delay or 
litigation.
  H.R. 3403 also requires the development of a national plan to ensure 
that the 911 system continues to evolve. It is significant that the 
plan will include the participation of first responders, including the 
emergency communications professionals maintaining and using the 
system. It is also important that the plan will address the needs of 
the disabilities community when they use emergency communications. I 
look forward to reviewing the results of this work so we can begin to 
move to the next generation of emergency communications.
  I am disappointed that the Senate stripped out one provision of the 
House-passed version of this legislation that protected proprietary 
customer information. This provision prohibited a carrier from using 
the customer information that other carriers are required to provide 
for 911 databases for any purpose other than emergency communications. 
I heard no rational argument against the policy underlying this 
provision. Nevertheless, in the interest of ensuring that this 
legislation be enacted swiftly, I will support the bill as passed by 
the Senate. I intend, however, to take this matter up again in the 
future. We owe it to consumers to ensure that their emergency 
communications system does not become a playground for competitive 
shenanigans.
  H.R. 3403 is a forward-looking bill that ensures that consumers using 
VoIP service are able to access 911 as easily as consumers using 
wireline or wireless services. Each of its elements--giving VoIP 
providers access to the components they need to provide 911 service; 
extending to VoIP providers, public safety officials, and end users the 
liability protections currently afforded to wireline and wireless 
services; and requiring a plan for the continued evolution of the 
emergency communications system--is a worthy victory for all consumers. 
I commend Representative Gordon for his years of dedication to this 
important issue and hail this success, from which all Americans will 
reap benefits for years to come.

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