Support the Warn Act

SUPPORT THE WARN ACT -- (House of Representatives - June 28, 2006)

[ (Mr. SHIMKUS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. SHIMKUS. First of all, Mr. Speaker, let me apologize to my colleague. I have been doing this for 9 years, and I am just trying to be efficient. That is all.

Mr. Speaker, a few weeks ago, along with my colleagues, Representatives Wynn, Bono, English, and Melancon, I introduced the House version of the Warning, Alert and Response Network Act, also known as the WARN Act. The Emergency Alert System has not kept pace with our increasingly wireless and mobile society.

The WARN Act will help bring the Emergency Alert System into the 21st century by ensuring that, regardless of where an individual is or what kind of communication technologies they are using, they will receive a life-saving alert. Some examples of instances where they would receive an alert would be in response to all threats to public safety, including natural disasters, man-made accidents, and terrorist incidents.

The act also establishes a network for transmission of alerts across a broad variety of communication technologies, including wireless communication devices like cell phones and BlackBerrys; also things such as the Internet, digital, analog, cable, and satellite television, and satellite and terrestrial radio, as well as nontraditional media such as the public warning sirens.

This is in response to the recommendations of the White House on the Katrina report. I encourage all my colleagues to join me in supporting the WARN Act.

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