[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 69 (Monday, April 20, 2026)]
[House]
[Page H2976]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
KARI'S LAW REPORTING ACT
Mr. ALLEN. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 5201) to direct the Federal Communications Commission to
publish a report on implementation of the Kari's Law Act of 2017, and
for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 5201
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 ``Kari's Law Reporting Act''.
SEC. 2. REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF KARI'S LAW ACT OF 2017.
(a) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Commission shall publish on the
website of the Commission a report regarding the enforcement
by the Commission of section 721 of the Communications Act of
1934 (47 U.S.C. 623), which shall include--
(1) a summary of the extent to which multi-line telephone
system manufacturers and vendors have complied with such
section;
(2) potential difficulties and obstacles in complying with
such section;
(3) potential ways, if necessary, to improve the policies
of the Commission to better enforce such section; and
(4) recommendations to Congress, if necessary, on further
legislation that could mitigate problems like those that are
addressed by such section.
(b) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Federal
Communications Commission.
(2) Multi-line telephone system.--The term ``multi-line
telephone system'' has the meaning given such term in section
721(f) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 623(f)).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Georgia (Mr. Allen) and the gentlewoman from Virginia (Ms. McClellan)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia.
General Leave
Mr. ALLEN. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and insert extraneous material in the Record on the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Georgia?
There was no objection.
Mr. ALLEN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, H.R. 5201, Kari's Law
Reporting Act, led by Representative Matsui.
Kari's Law, enacted in 2018, was named in honor of Kari Hunt, who was
killed in a motel room in Marshall, Texas, in 2013. Ms. Hunt's 9-year-
old daughter tried to call 911 for help four times from the motel room
phone, but the call did not go through because the phone system
required dialing 9 for an outbound call before dialing 911.
The law requires multiline telephone systems, such as those in
offices, campuses, and hotels, to allow direct 911 dialing without
extra digits when a 911 call is made. This legislation would require
the FCC to issue a report within 180 days to determine the extent to
which multiline telephone system manufacturers are complying with
Kari's Law Act of 2017. Requiring these systems in large buildings or
campuses will help save lives in case of an emergency.
This legislation has strong bipartisan support. I encourage my
colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. McCLELLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5201, the Kari's Law Reporting
Act. This is an important bill that follows up on legislation signed
into law in 2018.
The original Kari's Law was prompted by the tragic story of a young
child unable to reach 911 when it mattered most. During what became a
fatal domestic dispute in a hotel room, she repeatedly dialed 911 to
call for help, but the call was never connected because the hotel
system required guests to dial a prefix to make an external call. The
young daughter of the victim did exactly as she was taught and
correctly dialed 911, but that one digit ultimately stood between Kari
Hunt and the help that she needed that day.
Kari's Law requires providers of multiline telephone systems, which
serve entities like office buildings and hotels, to reconfigure their
systems to enable callers to simply dial 911 without a prefix to reach
emergency assistance.
Today, however, it is evident that providers have yet to fully comply
with Kari's Law, and so this legislation will provide Congress and the
FCC with the tools necessary to track down delinquent providers and
ensure they comply with the law. This is critically important so that
tragedies like that of Kari Hunt do not happen again.
I thank Ranking Member Matsui and Representative Bilirakis for their
leadership on this important bill, and I urge my colleagues to support
H.R. 5201.
Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman
from California (Ms. Matsui), the ranking member.
Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. I rise
in support of H.R. 5201, Kari's Law Reporting Act.
In an emergency, there is no room for confusion or delay. Every
second counts, and every American should have confidence that when they
dial 911, help is on the way.
This is why Congressman Bilirakis and I partnered in this bipartisan
bill. It builds upon Kari's Law, which Congress passed in 2018, to
require multiline telephone systems to allow direct dialing of 911
without needing to dial an extra digit.
That law came from the tragic murder of Kari Hunt when her daughter
couldn't reach emergency services from a hotel phone because she didn't
know she needed to dial an extra 9 first.
Our bill helps ensure the law is working as intended by directing the
FCC to report on compliance in hotels, offices, and facilities
nationwide.
That kind of accountability matters, and we need to make sure these
lifesaving protections are being followed and practiced.
Mr. Speaker, I urge support of the Kari's Law Reporting Act.
{time} 1650
Ms. McCLELLAN. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of
H.R. 5201, the Kari's Law Reporting Act, and I yield back the balance
of my time.
Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for their support of
this bill and Ms. Matsui for her work on this bill.
Mr. Speaker, in closing, I encourage a ``yes'' vote on this bill, and
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Gimenez). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Allen) that the House
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5201.
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. ALLEN. 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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