[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.

                          ____________________