[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 105 (Tuesday, July 8, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H5854-H5856]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 SOCIAL MEDIA WORKING GROUP ACT OF 2014

  Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 4263) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to 
authorize the Department of Homeland Security to establish a social 
media working group, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4263

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

[[Page H5855]]

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Social Media Working Group 
     Act of 2014''.

     SEC. 2. SOCIAL MEDIA WORKING GROUP.

       (a) In General.--Title III of the Homeland Security Act of 
     2002 (6 U.S.C. 181 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
     the following new section:

     ``SEC. 318. SOCIAL MEDIA WORKING GROUP.

       ``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish within 
     the Department a social media working group (in this section 
     referred to as the `Group').
       ``(b) Purpose.--In order to enhance information sharing 
     between the Department and appropriate stakeholders, the 
     Group shall provide guidance and best practices to the 
     emergency preparedness and response community on the use of 
     social media technologies before, during, and after a 
     terrorist attack or other emergency.
       ``(c) Membership.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Under Secretary for Science and 
     Technology shall serve as the permanent chairperson of the 
     Group, and shall designate, on a rotating basis, a 
     representative from a State or local government who is a 
     member of the Group to serve as co-chairperson. The Under 
     Secretary shall establish term limits for individuals 
     appointed to the Group pursuant to paragraph (2). Membership 
     of the Group shall be composed of a cross section of subject 
     matter experts from Federal, State, local, tribal, and 
     nongovernmental organization practitioners, including 
     representatives from the following entities:
       ``(A) The Office of Public Affairs of the Department.
       ``(B) The Office of the Chief Information Officer of the 
     Department.
       ``(C) The Privacy Office of the Department.
       ``(D) The Federal Emergency Management Agency.
       ``(E) The Office of Disability Integration and Coordination 
     of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
       ``(F) The American Red Cross.
       ``(G) The Forest Service.
       ``(H) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
       ``(I) The United States Geological Survey.
       ``(J) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
       ``(2) Additional members.--The Under Secretary for Science 
     and Technology shall appoint, on a rotating basis, qualified 
     individuals to the Group. The total number of such additional 
     members shall--
       ``(A) be equal to or greater than the total number of 
     regular members under paragraph (1); and
       ``(B) include--
       ``(i) not fewer than three representatives from the private 
     sector; and
       ``(ii) representatives from--

       ``(I) State, local, and tribal entities, including from--

       ``(aa) law enforcement;
       ``(bb) fire services;
       ``(cc) emergency management services; and
       ``(dd) public health entities;

       ``(II) universities and academia; and
       ``(III) non-profit disaster relief organizations.

       ``(d) Consultation With Non-members.--To the extent 
     practicable, the Group shall work with existing bodies in the 
     public and private sectors to carry out subsection (b).
       ``(e) Meetings.--
       ``(1) Initial meeting.--Not later than 90 days after the 
     date of the enactment of this section, the Group shall hold 
     its initial meeting. Such initial meeting may be held 
     virtually.
       ``(2) Subsequent meetings.--After the initial meeting under 
     paragraph (1), the Group shall meet at least twice each year, 
     or at the call of the Chairperson. Such subsequent meetings 
     may be held virtually.
       ``(f) Nonapplicability of FACA.--The Federal Advisory 
     Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Group.
       ``(g) Reports.--Not later than March 30 of each year, the 
     Group shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
     committees a report that includes the following:
       ``(1) A review of current and emerging social media 
     technologies being used to support preparedness and response 
     activities related to terrorist attacks and other 
     emergencies.
       ``(2) A review of best practices and lessons learned on the 
     use of social media during the response to terrorist attacks 
     and other emergencies that occurred during the period covered 
     by the report at issue.
       ``(3) Recommendations to improve the Department's use of 
     social media for emergency management purposes.
       ``(4) Recommendations to improve public awareness of the 
     type of information disseminated through social media, and 
     how to access such information, during a terrorist attack or 
     other emergency.
       ``(5) Recommendations to improve information sharing among 
     the Department and its components.
       ``(6) Recommendations to improve information sharing among 
     State and local governments.
       ``(7) A review of available training for Federal, State, 
     local, and tribal officials on the use of social media in 
     response to a terrorist attack or other emergency.
       ``(8) A summary of coordination efforts with the private 
     sector to discuss and resolve legal, operational, technical, 
     privacy, and security concerns.''.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section 
     1(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended by 
     inserting after the item relating to section 317 the 
     following new item:
``Sec. 318. Social media working group.''.


  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Indiana (Mrs. Brooks) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Indiana.


                             General Leave

  Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Indiana?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4263, the Social Media 
Working Group Act of 2014. As chairwoman of the Committee on Homeland 
Security's Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and 
Communications, I introduced this bill, along with Ranking Member 
Payne, Chairman McCaul, and Representatives Palazzo and Swalwell, in 
response to testimony we received at two social media hearings the 
subcommittee held last year.
  Social media is transforming the way the Nation is communicating 
before, during, and after a disaster. There are countless examples from 
recent disasters of how citizens are turning to Facebook, Twitter, and 
even Instagram for public safety information to comfort survivors and 
request assistance. We have seen how vital social media is becoming in 
preparedness and response efforts, particularly during Superstorm Sandy 
and in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombings.
  I recently sent out tweets to inform my own constituents about a 
tornado warning and recommended that they follow local news outlets for 
the most up-to-date information. And just last week, FEMA, the National 
Weather Service, and emergency management agencies along the east coast 
used social media to alert citizens about Hurricane Arthur, the first 
named storm of the 2014 hurricane season.
  This morning I had the opportunity, along with Chairman McCaul, to 
visit the American Red Cross' Digital Operations Center, the first ever 
social media center for humanitarian relief. I was impressed to hear 
that during Superstorm Sandy, the Red Cross analyzed over 2.5 million 
pieces of social data and sent over 300 different pieces of information 
to operation teams to help with decisionmaking.
  Last year, the subcommittee held two hearings that focused on this 
new reality. One of the key takeaways from these hearings was that 
during and after a disaster there needs to be better communication 
between the public and private sector, specifically with how to utilize 
social media as a communications tool. H.R. 4263 addresses this 
recommendation by authorizing and enhancing the Department of Homeland 
Security's Virtual Social Media Working Group to ensure information 
sharing between the Department and appropriate stakeholders and the 
leveraging of best practices.
  Additionally, this bill will increase stakeholder participation, 
particularly among the private sector and Federal response agencies, 
creating a ``whole community'' dialogue on this issue. The bill will 
require the group to submit an annual report to Congress highlighting 
best practices, lessons learned, and any recommendations.
  Lastly, this bill will require the group to meet in person or 
virtually at least twice a year and will not be a financial burden on 
the Department.
  In today's day and age where new social media platforms and 
technologies can change the game almost instantly, we must ensure our 
first responders are nimble enough to adapt to an ever-changing 
landscape. This group is but one way to help facilitate this.
  The Committee on Homeland Security approved H.R. 4263 last month by a 
bipartisan voice vote. I certainly appreciate the manner in which my 
ranking member, Mr. Payne, has worked with me on passage of this with 
our committee. I urge Members to join me and the rest of our committee 
in supporting this bill.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, 
and I rise in support of H.R. 4263, the Social Media Working Group Act 
of 2014.
  The Internet has changed the world. It has changed how the government

[[Page H5856]]

serves its citizens, how businesses serve their customers, and how the 
public engages in activism.

                              {time}  1715

  The responses to the Boston Marathon bombings and Hurricane Sandy, 
which devastated my State, underscores the power and the potential of 
social media. After each of these devastating events, we saw the 
Internet used to galvanize ordinary citizens into action.
  In the wake of the Boston bombings, Boston residents used Google Docs 
to let marathoners know that their homes were open to those who were 
unable to return to their hotels. After Hurricane Sandy, survivors 
posted the horrific images of homes washed away on Twitter and Facebook 
to help the world understand the strength of the storm. Survivors also 
used social media to reconnect with loved ones and to share information 
about which gas stations, grocery stores, and pharmacies were open.
  In my district, the local utility PSE&G used social media to 
communicate with customers about how to prepare for the storm to 
mitigate damage and about power restoration afterwards. Public Service 
Electric and Gas' use of social media was so effective that it was 
recognized by J.D. Power and Associates as a ``best practice.'' And CS 
Week, a nonprofit that focuses on customer service for utilities, gave 
PSE&G an award for innovation and customer service.
  Although PSE&G's use of social media was incredibly successful, there 
were important lessons learned that should be shared among 
organizations utilizing social media during a disaster response. For 
example, PSE&G exceeded the allowable number of tweets per day and 
needed to reach out to Twitter leadership for a temporary expansion of 
capacity. In addition to spikes in social media use during the 
disaster, PSE&G learned important lessons related to the tone of 
communications and the demand for information during a disaster.
  H.R. 4263 would authorize the Social Media Working Group that sits 
with the Science and Technology Directorate to facilitate the exchange 
of best practices and lessons learned related to the use of social 
media during disasters. The measure would also ensure that the Federal 
Government and first responders continue to fully utilize the 
capabilities of the Internet and social media to communicate with more 
people during disasters.
  I would like to congratulate Subcommittee Chairwoman Brooks on the 
success of her efforts to ensure the way government officials and first 
responders communicate with the public before, during, and after 
disaster strikes keeps pace with evolving technology.
  I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4263.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers as well, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, we have seen the rise in the use of social media both 
before, during, and after disasters. This legislation will help to 
ensure we are leveraging best practices, sharing and incorporating 
lessons learned for the use of social media in this area.
  I urge all Members to join me in supporting this bill, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Homeland 
Security Committee, I rise in support of H.R. 4263, ``The Social Media 
Working Group Act of 2014,'' would establish within the Department of 
Homeland Security (DHS) a social media working group.
  The Social Media Working Group would provide guidance and best 
practices to the emergency preparedness and response community on the 
use of social media technologies before, during, and after a terrorist 
attack.
  Today, people are relying more on Internet enabled communications to 
engage and be engaged in communications.
  Since September 11, 2001, our nation has committed resources toward 
the preparation of our first responders and citizens in preventing, 
mitigating and responding to terrorist events.
  As these efforts continue, we must keep up with the times. Part of 
that requires that Congress makes sure that the Department of Homeland 
Security and especially the Federal Emergency Management Agency can 
engage citizens in ways that they receive and send information.
  In 2012, smartphones, most particularly phones running Apple 
Computer's iOS and the open source Android operating system, accounted 
for at least 40 percent of the mobile devices used in the United 
States.
  In the first quarter of 2012, mobile phone consumers spent over $109 
billion, while consumers of landline-telephone service spent $64.4 
billion.
  The Federal Communication Commission reports that this trend is 
expected accelerate as United States consumers participate in a 
worldwide trend towards mobile communication devices and away from 
traditional means of receiving and sending information.
  Electronic tablet computers and e-readers, the other fully enabled 
portable Internet devices, smartphones are increasingly a resource for 
people to access information, share content, and communicate their 
views.
  Social media is quickly emerging as a major source of information 
that citizens rely upon to receive news and engage government.
  The number of people using social networking sites has nearly doubled 
since 2008.
  In a 2011, a Pew Internet Center Research Project reported that 79 
percent of American adults said they used the Internet and 59 percent 
of all Internet users say they use at least one of social networking 
service, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram.
  The reasons for supporting this bill are obvious and I ask my 
colleagues in the House to vote for its passage.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of 
H.R. 4263, the Social Media Working Group Act.
  Since I arrived in Congress, I have seen the destruction caused by 
man-made and natural disasters.
  From the September 11th attacks--to Hurricane Katrina--to the mass 
shootings that have devastated communities across America, one truism 
that has repeatedly been identified is that early alerts and timely 
information saves lives.
  Toward that end, the Committee on Homeland Security has worked hard 
to support the Department's efforts to harness all means of 
communication to ensure that that public can take appropriate action 
before, during, and after disaster strikes.
  To date, Federal efforts have focused on the Emergency Alert System, 
Wireless Emergency Alerts, and the Integrated Public Alerts and Warning 
System.
  But, as we have seen during recent disasters, social media allows the 
government and private sector to disseminate useful information to 
hundreds of thousands of people.
  I support the innovative use of social media in disaster preparedness 
and response because it has the ability to make more people safer, 
faster.
  It can also help first responders work more quickly and more 
efficiently.
  That said, we must work to implement practices to ensure that social 
media is used appropriately and effectively, and that the information 
distributed is reliable.
  It is critical that information after a disaster must be accurate. 
There needs to be guidance and policies in place to ensure that widely-
distributed disaster-related information is accurate, or to correct the 
information when it is not.
  I am hopeful that H.R. 4263 would provide a forum for government 
officials and the private sector to come together to address this and 
other challenges related to the use of social media during disasters 
and to share best practices.
  I congratulate Subcommittee Chairwoman Brooks and Ranking Member 
Payne, Jr. on their work to ensure that government officials and first 
responders take full advantage of the technology available to 
communicate with the public during a disaster.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Brooks) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 4263, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

                          ____________________