[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 105 (Tuesday, June 24, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1331]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E1331]]
       NEW AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES 911 IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2008

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. BART GORDON

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 23, 2008

  Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam Speaker, I rise today to offer 
unanimous consent to consider the Senate amendment to H.R. 3403, the 
New and Emerging Technologies 911 Improvement Act of 2008.
  When Americans dial 911, they expect the call will go through, 
regardless of what phone they use. That is why Congress acted in 1999 
and 2004 to ensure all Americans had access to 911 services on their 
wireless phones.
  Congress now needs to act to ensure that all Americans have access to 
lifesaving 911 services on their Voice over the Internet Protocol or 
VoIP phones and other new technologies.
  When I first drafted this legislation in 2005, the intent was to 
integrate VoIP phones into the Nation's 911 system. Since then the bill 
has been expanded to include nonvoice technologies used by the deaf and 
hard of hearing community and other innovative technologies that will 
exponentially improve public safety for all Americans.
  Specifically, the bill will provide VoIP phone service providers 
direct access to the 911 system at the same rates, terms and 
conditions, as wireless phone providers. The bill also authorizes VoIP 
service providers to share customer location information with public 
safety answering points, PSAPs. This will ensure VoIP services 
providers can provide full E-911 services to their customers.
  The bill extends existing State laws protecting 911 calls made using 
wireline and wireless phones to not only VoIP 911 calls, but also to 
any service obligated by the FCC to provide 911 in future, and any 
service that coordinates with local 911 authorities to offer voluntary 
911 emergency services. This will include Video Relay Services and text 
service used by the deaf and hard of hearing, and new car based 911 
services.
  By doing this, we will encourage the rapid deployment of innovative 
new lifesaving 911 technologies, rather than wait for Congress to 
extend essential liability protections to new technologies.
  The bill preserves State, Tribal and local governments' authority to 
levy 911 fees and stops such fees from being diverted for non 911 
purposes.
  Finally, the legislation seeks to modernize the Nation's 911 system 
by requiring the National 911 Coordination Office to establish a 
national plan to move to an IP-based emergency response network, and 
allowing 911 PSAP grants to be used for IP-based equipment.
  Today's 911 system uses 30-year-old wire and switch technology. 
Moving to an IP-based system will enable PSAPs for the first time to be 
interoperable with each other and other first responders. It will also 
allow them to handle a range of technologies--digital or analog, 
wireless phone, video, text messaging, data, satellite, VoIP, 
translation services and even maps of buildings. And it will allow 
PSAPs to stay operating even if the phone system goes down or their 
physical locations are destroyed. Events like 9/11 and Hurricane 
Katrina where 911 systems were overwhelmed highlight why a robust IP 
based 911 system must be a priority.
  H.R. 3403 is supported by the National Emergency Numbering 
Association, the VON Coalition, the National Cable & Telecommunications 
Association, Earthlink, Inc, the Coalition of Organizations for 
Accessible Technology, Motorola, Intrado, the TeleCommunications 
Systems, Inc., and the U.S. Telecommunications Association.
  I want to thank the Energy and Commerce Committee and its staff for 
the bipartisan effort to move this bill quickly.
  I also want to thank Senator Ted Stevens, Senator Bill Nelson, the 
Senate sponsor of the bill, and the co-chairs of E-911 Congressional 
Caucus Representative Anna Eshoo, Representative John Shimkus, Senator 
Hillary Clinton.
  Working collaboratively with public safety, the deaf and disabled 
community and the communications industry, we have produced a bill that 
will greatly improve 911 services in America today and for the future.
  I'll close by encouraging my colleagues to vote for this bill.

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