[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 183 (Wednesday, December 16, 2015)]
[House]
[Pages H9337-H9338]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
EMERGENCY INFORMATION IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2015
Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the
rules and pass the bill (S. 1090) to amend the Robert T. Stafford
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to provide eligibility for
broadcasting facilities to receive certain disaster assistance, and for
other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
S. 1090
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Emergency Information
Improvement Act of 2015''.
SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY OF BROADCASTING FACILITIES FOR CERTAIN
DISASTER ASSISTANCE.
(a) Private Nonprofit Facility Defined.--Section 102(11)(B)
of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122(11)(B)) is amended by
inserting ``broadcasting facilities,'' after ``workshops,''.
(b) Critical Services Defined.--Section 406(a)(3)(B) of the
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance
Act (42 U.S.C. 5172(a)(3)(B)) is amended by striking
``communications,'' and inserting ``communications (including
broadcast and telecommunications),''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Costello) and the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Carson)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
General Leave
Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent
that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and
extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on S. 1090.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
There was no objection.
Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time
as I may consume.
Currently, the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act, also known as the Stafford Act, provides for assistance
to governments and to nonprofit organizations to rebuild damaged
facilities following a declared disaster.
S. 1090, the Emergency Information Improvement Act of 2015, clarifies
the eligibility of certain not-for-profit broadcasting facilities for
disaster assistance that is consistent with existing policy.
These stations provide essential alerts and information before,
during, and after disasters and emergencies. In fact, these
broadcasters are an integral component of our national public alert and
warning system. Following a disaster, it is critical that these
facilities get up and running as soon as possible to ensure the public
receives necessary emergency information. For example, during recent
major disasters, these broadcasters were critical to getting
information to the public quickly.
I want to thank Congressman Palazzo for his leadership on shepherding
this bill through committee and for getting it here to the House floor.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CARSON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
S. 1090, the Emergency Information Improvement Act of 2015, would
clarify the eligibility of certain broadcasting facilities for public
assistance.
Broadcasters are critical partners when it comes to emergency
management in the face of a disaster. One of the best ways to prevent
deaths and injuries during a disaster is to warn those who are in
harm's way of impending danger. This allows people to take the
necessary precautions to avoid injury and death and to minimize
property damage. Broadcasters work hand in hand with emergency managers
to provide this notice before a disaster strikes. After a disaster, the
broadcasters' role remains just as critical. They continue airing
information about ongoing hazards and aid recovery efforts by providing
how-to information on accessing recovery assistance.
From Hurricane Sandy to this year's floods in the Carolinas, the
emergency broadcasts save lives and keep people out of harm's way. This
is not just about large-scale disasters. When a violent storm caused
the sudden collapse of a concert stage in my hometown of Indianapolis,
Indiana, local broadcasters kept a tragedy from becoming that much
worse. Timely alerts enabled Fair officials to clear the Midway minutes
before the storm struck, potentially saving the lives of hundreds of
people. We see this all over the country every year.
Unfortunately, broadcast facilities are not immune to hazards, which
is why this bill is so important. When broadcasting facilities are
damaged by a disaster, we must ensure that they are eligible for
recovery assistance so that they can be up and running in time for the
next hazard.
I would note, Mr. Speaker, that this language is absolutely identical
to the language that my good friend from New York (Mr. Nadler) has been
so tirelessly advocating for; so I want to thank him for his efforts in
bringing this issue to our attention and for his diligence in ensuring
this matter was brought to the House floor.
I urge my colleagues to support this measure.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I urge the passage of the
bill.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Speaker, I give my full support of Senate Bill 1090,
the Emergency Information Improvement Act. Congressman Brian Higgins of
New York and I sponsored
[[Page H9338]]
the House version of this bill, and we are proud to see this simple but
very important piece of legislation pass.
Disasters strike every year in every corner of America. Hurricanes on
the Gulf Coast and Eastern Seaboard, ice storms in the Midwest and
plains states, wild fires in the West, tornados through our Nation's
heartlands and flooding in Texas, the Carolinas, and elsewhere.
During a disaster, local public radio stations play an essential role
in delivering information about response efforts, local relief
supplies, evacuation orders and emergency routes, where to find food,
shelter and fuel as well as on-the-ground, at-the-scene reporting to
help affected communities understand and respond.
Approximately 98 percent of the American population has access to a
public radio or TV signal. Current federal emergency response and
relief statutes are ambiguous on whether local public broadcasting
stations are eligible for emergency financial assistance when damaged
by storms and other disasters. This legislation amends the Stafford Act
to make clear that local public radio and broadcasting stations are
eligible recipients of disaster relief. The Emergency Information
Improvement Act brings greater stability to the availability of
critical information during times of crisis.
Its passage by Congress will significantly boost our efforts to
ensure that all Americans have the information they need when they need
it during occurrences of natural and man-made disasters. It will
guarantee that locally licensed stations are eligible for federal
disaster relief funding in the event their facilities are impacted by a
disaster.
I want to personally thank my colleagues in the Senate, Senators Ted
Cruz and Cory Booker, for introducing companion legislation in the
Senate and for their hard work in seeing this important piece of
legislation pass their chamber.
{time} 0945
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Costello) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, S. 1090.
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. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania. 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.
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