[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Pages 17996-17997]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                       EMERGENCY TECHNOLOGY CORPS

  Mr. WYDEN. Madam President, this morning I want to discuss a proposal 
which I think is important in light of the tragic events that unfolded 
on September 11, 2001.
  As all of us now understand, the communications infrastructure in New 
York, Washington, DC, and indeed the whole country, was severely 
challenged that day. Wireless telephone networks were severely 
overloaded and crashed. Wireless Internet access was suspended. 
Telephone lines were cut, and communications for people literally in 
communities around the east coast of the United States came to a 
standstill. Even the immediate communication needs of rescue workers, 
victims, families, and aid groups were a huge struggle to coordinate. 
Survivors often couldn't let family members know they were safe, and 
families of victims had no immediate central clearinghouse to find 
information or file missing person reports.
  The hospitals were inundated with searches, requests for help, and 
offers of aid but with no way to match them to each other. Even some of 
this country's premier aid organizations that have done such a 
marvelous job helping rescue workers, survivors, and victims' families 
faced immediate and severe challenges with respect to information 
technology infrastructure. The New York Times drew a conclusion with 
which I strongly agree. They said: There needs to be new ways to set up 
emergency information systems.
  That is what I would like to propose this morning. It seems to me 
that what this country needs is essentially a technology equivalent of 
the National Guard, an emergency technology guard--I have been calling 
it in my mind Net Guard, or a national emergency technology guard--that 
in times of crisis would be in a position to mobilize the Nation's 
information technology, or IT, community to action quickly, just as the 
National Guard is ready to move during emergencies.
  It seems to me that in our leading technology companies in this 
Nation there are the brains and the equipment to put in place net 
guard, or this information technology guard, that could be deployed in 
communities across the Nation when we face tragedies such as we saw in 
New York City.
  A national volunteer organization of trained and well-coordinated 
units of information technology professionals from our leading 
technology companies ought to be in a position to stand at ready with 
the designated computer equipment, satellite dishes, wireless 
communicators, and other equipment to quickly recreate and repair 
compromised communications and technology infrastructure.
  With congressional support, the leaders of our Nation's technology 
companies could organize themselves, sell their employees and their 
resource for this purpose. Medium- and small-sized businesses would be 
able to contribute once a national framework is put in place. Certainly 
the resources from the standpoint of the Federal level need not be 
extensive. Individuals could be designated from existing human resource 
programs of major and medium-sized firms and the technology 
professionals would be trained to perform specific tasks in the event 
of an emergency.
  I intend to use the subcommittee that I chair of the full Commerce 
Committee that is chaired by Senator Hollings to initiate a dialog 
among congressional, corporate, military, and nonprofit leaders to 
begin a new effort to mobilize information technology in times of 
crises.
  As we seek to prevent future disasters, I believe that the technology 
professionals of this Nation in many of our leading companies--as most 
Americans--want to use their skills, their equipment, and their talents 
to answer this call and do their part.
  I propose with a national emergency technology guard--what I call 
tech guard--that we give to the leading information technology 
professionals in this country a chance to use their ingenuity and 
creativity to ensure that there is greater safety and stability for our 
communities and our citizens in the coming days.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from California.
  Mr. BYRD. Madam President, will the distinguished Senator yield?
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Absolutely.
  Mr. BYRD. I assure her that if she wants the opportunity to proceed, 
I will resist in my remarks and take my chair.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Fine. Please proceed.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from West Virginia is recognized.

[[Page 17997]]


  Mr. BYRD. I thank the Chair.
  Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that I may speak for not to 
exceed 40 minutes. I do so with the understanding, as I have already 
indicated, I will be very glad to suspend my remarks at any time the 
distinguished Senator from California wishes to take the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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