Securing Access to Networks in Disasters Act
This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to submit to Congress and publish on the FCC website a study on the public safety benefits, technical feasibility, and cost of providing the public with access to 9-1-1 services during times of emergency when mobile service is unavailable, through:
The types of emergencies subject to this bill are: (1) occasions or instances under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act for which the President determines that federal assistance is needed to supplement state and local efforts and capabilities to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in any part of the United States; or (2) an emergency declared by the governor of a state or U.S. territory.
The Stafford Act is amended to expand the categories of essential service providers that may access a disaster site to restore and repair essential services in an emergency or major disaster without being denied or impeded by a federal agency. Services to be considered essential are wireline or mobile telephone service, Internet access service, radio or television broadcasting, cable service, or direct broadcast satellite service.
| Action Date | Type | Text | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-01-24 | IntroReferral | Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. | Senate |
| 2017-01-23 | Floor | Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. | House floor actions |
| 2017-01-23 | Floor | On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text of measure as passed: CR H579) | House floor actions |
| 2017-01-23 | Floor | DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 588. | House floor actions |
| 2017-01-23 | Floor | Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H579-581) | House floor actions |
| 2017-01-23 | Floor | Mr. Davis, Rodney moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. | House floor actions |
| 2017-01-18 | Committee | Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management. | House committee actions |
| 2017-01-17 | IntroReferral | Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. | House floor actions |
| 2017-01-17 | IntroReferral | Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. | House floor actions |
| 2017-01-17 | IntroReferral | Introduced in House | Library of Congress |