[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 13 (Tuesday, January 24, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E85-E86]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         KARI'S LAW ACT OF 2017

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. ANNA G. ESHOO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, January 23, 2017

  Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 582, Kari's Law Act 
of 2017.
  H.R. 582 addresses a very serious problem. The bill requires Multi-
Line Telephone Systems to provide direct dialing to 9-1-1. The bill is 
named after Kari Hunt who was tragically murdered by her estranged 
husband in a hotel room while her daughter tried to dial 9-1-1 but 
could not get help because the Multi-Line Telephone System required a 
prefix to be dialed first.
  When we dial 9-1-1 from a hotel or office--when seconds matter--we 
shouldn't have to dial ``9'' or some other prefix to get help. I 
strongly support the overall goals of this bill which is identical to 
legislation passed by the full House in the 114th Congress by voice 
vote.
  I also think location accuracy for Multi-Line Telephone Systems is 
just as important. First

[[Page E86]]

responders have to know exactly where an individual is calling from, 
especially if the caller is unable to communicate to the dispatcher, or 
the caller simply doesn't know where they are. If first responders have 
to spend time searching buildings or going door to door, the time it 
takes to do this can be the difference between life and death.
  During the subcommittee and full committee markups of this 
legislation in the last Congress, I offered an amendment to require a 
location accuracy proceeding at the Federal Communications Commission 
(FCC) within 180 days of enactment of the bill. Unfortunately, my 
Republican colleagues did not agree to accept my amendment and instead 
proposed language requiring the FCC to conduct a Notice of Inquiry 
(NOI) to solicit public comment on requiring location accuracy for 
Multi-Line Telephone Systems. I did not accept this proposal because I 
thought and still do, that an NOI does not move the ball forward. That 
view is shared by the FCC and the public safety community.
  The FCC has studied location accuracy technology for Multi-Line 
Telephone Systems since 1994, and as recently as 2012, Congress 
directed the FCC to issue a Public Notice Seeking Comment on the 
feasibility of Multi-Line Telephone Systems to provide the precise 
location of a 9-1-1 caller. This was included in Section 6504(b) of the 
Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 and was modeled on 
legislation I introduced with my colleague and fellow bipartisan Co-
Chair of the NextGen 9-1-1 Caucus, Representative Shimkus, known as the 
Next Generation 911 Advancement Act of 2012.
  Despite the extensive history surrounding location accuracy, the FCC 
has failed to take action to require this essential technology in 
Multi-Line Telephone Systems. Not doing so places lives at stake in my 
view.
  Last Congress, I introduced H.R. 5236, the Requesting Emergency 
Services and Providing Origination Notification Systems Everywhere 
(RESPONSE) Act, which would require the Federal Communications 
Commission to complete a proceeding requiring all Multi-Line Telephone 
Systems to provide first responders with the precise location of a 9-1-
1 caller. I intend to reintroduce the RESPONSE Act in this new Congress 
and I'm hopeful my colleagues will work with me to pass this important 
bill and build on the work of H.R. 582.
  Although H.R. 582 does not address the critical issue of location 
accuracy, it is nonetheless a step in the right direction that will 
save lives and make progress. For these reasons I urge my colleagues to 
join me in supporting H.R. 582.

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