[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 127 (Tuesday, July 20, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E781-E782]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        EMERGENCY REPORTING ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. ANNA G. ESHOO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 19, 2021

  Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1250, the 
Emergency Reporting Act, bipartisan legislation I co-authored to 
improve how the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reports on and 
learns from the impact of natural disasters on our telecommunications 
networks.
  The human impacts of disasters are worsened when our communications 
infrastructure is not resilient and this is an issue Californians know 
all too well. On October 28, 2019, 874 cell towers were out in 
California, caused by wildfires and power shutoffs. My constituents 
were panicked about not being able to call 9-1-1 during emergencies, 
receive emergency alerts, download evacuation maps, or check-in on 
loved ones. This horrific situation led my good friend, Congresswoman 
Matsui, and me to work on this legislation.
  H.R. 1250, the Emergency Reporting Act, requires the FCC to hold 
field hearings after disasters, issue preliminary and final reports 
about each disaster, and ensure 9-1-1 centers know when outages will 
impact calls they may receive.
  Wildfires are becoming more intense and more frequent because of 
climate change. Last year, the CZU Lightning Complex Fire burned 86,509 
acres in my Congressional District, making it the 12th most destructive 
fire in California history. Seventy-seven thousand of my constituents 
were evacuated and the fire destroyed nearly 1,500 homes, businesses, 
and other buildings.
  I've long called on FCC leadership to visit California and hold field 
hearings following the wildfires and associated power shutoffs, and 
many of my colleagues from California have done the same. We need to 
learn from every disaster, especially by listening to and learning from 
local public safety leaders, municipal, county, and state officials, 
and members of the communities impacted. This should be required.
  Last Congress, the Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommittee on 
Communications and Technology held a hearing on February

[[Page E782]]

27, 2020 on the Emergency Reporting Act. On March 10, 2020, the 
Subcommittee marked up the Emergency Reporting Act, and the full 
Committee did so on July 15, 2020. On September 21, 2020, the full 
House passed the bill via voice vote. Sadly, the Senate did not take up 
this critical bill.
  On February 25, 2021, the legislation was reintroduced by Reps. Doris 
Matsui, Mike Thompson, Jared Huffman, Gus Bilirakis, and myself. 
Senators Klobuchar and Burr have companion legislation in the Senate.
  H.R. 1250 is critical legislation for Californians impacted by 
wildfires. It will also help those on the Gulf Coast victimized by 
hurricanes, Midwesterners who've had their communities destroyed by 
tornadoes, and those in the Northeast who have experienced far too many 
superstorms.
  I urge my House colleagues to once again vote for the Emergency 
Reporting Act and urge the Senate to do so as well.

                          ____________________