[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 8138]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          THANKING OUR LOCAL BROADCASTERS FOR KEEPING US SAFE

                                  _____
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 31, 2012

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow marks the official start of the 
2012 hurricane season. As we prepare for the potential disasters that 
could strike our city, I want to recognize and thank the men and women 
who put their lives at risk and work 24/7 to provide lifesaving 
information to our local communities: America's broadcasters.
  Local broadcasters are the most important source of vital emergency 
information for all Americans and serve as the backbone of the public 
warning system.
  Everyone remembers Hurricane Irene from late last August. Although it 
had been downgraded to a tropical storm by the time it made landfall in 
New York, the city and my district narrowly escaped serious damages. 
The day after Irene hit, there was no service on the Metro-North 
Railroad and flooding along the Harlem Line. New York City Transit 
employees had to pump water out of the 148th Street/Lenox Subway Yard. 
In fact, my district office is only half a block from a Zone B 
evacuation area. Thankfully, the damage to New York City and my 
district from Irene was minimal, but next time we might not be so 
lucky. In any such event, the invaluable contribution of our local 
broadcasters will be critical to our safety.
  Disasters like these remind us of the essential role that 
broadcasters play in our communities. Local radio and television 
stations provide our local communities with important news and other 
critical information, such as emergency and severe weather warnings and 
Amber alerts.
  Broadcasters' commitment to public service is never more apparent 
than during times of crisis. During an emergency, no other service can 
match the ability of full power broadcasting to deliver comprehensive, 
up-to-date warnings and information to affected citizens. Television 
broadcasters reach millions of households across the country, while 
radio reaches more than 241 million Americans each week.
  As the 2012 hurricane season gets underway and local communities 
continue to face erratic weather conditions, I feel safer knowing local 
broadcasters are dedicated and committed to saving lives by providing 
critical news and information to our local communities.

                          ____________________