FEMA Reauthorization Bill With EAS Provisions Passes House Committee

Bill

The House Transportation Committee has approved the Federal Emergency Management Agency Reauthorization Act (HR 3300) by a voice vote.  The move sends the bill to the full Congress for consideration.

The bill, introduced by House Transportation Committee Chair BILL SHUSTER (R-PA) and Ranking Member NICK J. RAHALL, II (D-WV) and Emergency Management Subcommittee Chairman LOU BARLETTA (R-PA) and Ranking Member ANDRE CARSON (D-IN), includes a requirement that FEMA "establish and integrate into the National Incident Management System a comprehensive and periodic training program to instruct and educate Federal, State, tribal, and local government officials in the use of the Common Alerting Protocol enabled Emergency Alert System" and also requires that it "conduct, at least once every 3 years, periodic nationwide tests of the public alert and warning system."

The bill authorizes use of $12,733,000 per year through 2016 for implementation and would establish an advisory committee that would include broadcasters.

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