[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.
____________________