[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 10]
[House]
[Pages 13801-13802]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH

  (Mr. HIGGINS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. HIGGINS. Mr. Speaker, September is National Preparedness Month, 
and preparedness includes making sure that the public has access to 
timely information in cases of emergency. For many Americans, public 
broadcasting is a vital source of important emergency announcements.
  Over 98 percent of the American population has access to public radio 
or a television signal. In times of emergency, public broadcasting is a 
go-to source of information for emergency management officials and 
first responders. We have a responsibility to ensure that stations that 
are damaged in a disaster are repaired and operational as quickly as 
possible.
  That's why I've introduced the Emergency Information Improvement Act. 
My bill clarifies that local public radio and television stations are 
eligible for assistance to rebuild their facilities when they are 
damaged in a federally designated disaster such as a storm or terrorist 
attack.

[[Page 13802]]

  This legislation will help ensure that this important informational 
resource will be available to Americans in times of need.
  I invite my colleagues to support this legislation.

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