WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, along with Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, celebrated the House passage of legislation to cut permitting red tape and strengthen American emergency communications systems.
“Secure, innovative, and reliable communications infrastructure underpins the foundation of the modern economy, allowing Americans to gain access to job and education opportunities, telehealth services, and tools to stay in touch with loved ones. By modernizing critical emergency communications and speeding up the permitting process for broadband buildout, these bills ensure all Americans can access the technologies they need to fully participate in the digital world,”said Chairman Guthrie. “I thank my colleagues for their diligent, bipartisan work to find common ground and advance such important legislation.”
"Whether in the normal course of life or in moments of crisis, Americans deserve cutting-edge infrastructure that works. Our legislation that passed the House this week prioritizes transparency, investment, and reliability as we streamline permitting and strengthen our emergency response systems," said Chairman Hudson. "I appreciate the work our colleagues have put into these bills to close the digital divide and keep Americans safe."
BACKGROUND:
H.R. 7386, the First Responder Network Authority Reauthorization Act of 2026—Rep. Dunn (FL-02)
This legislation reauthorizes the First Responder Network Authority for 10 years and makes several improvements to ensure the long-term success of the network for first responders, while increasing transparency and accountability within the program.
These reforms include bringing FirstNet fully under the purview of NTIA, increasing the number of public safety professionals on the Board from three to five, updating the law to allow for network investment including advanced technologies, and improving audit, evaluation, and reporting requirements.
H.R. 7022, the Mystic Alerts Act—Rep. Pfluger (TX-11)
This legislation would improve public safety capabilities by kickstarting the process for mobile service providers to utilize satellite connectivity to send alert messages in areas that may not have access to terrestrial cell network coverage.
H.R. 1681, the Expediting Federal Broadband Deployment Reviews Act—Rep. Evans (CO-08)
This legislation would direct NTIA to lead an interagency strike force to help prioritize reviews of requests to deploy broadband on federal land.
H.R. 1343, the Federal Broadband Deployment Tracking Act—Rep. Pfluger (TX-11)
This legislation would require NTIA to submit a plan to Congress on tracking the acceptance, processing, and disposal of requests to deploy broadband on federal property.
H.R. 5200, the Emergency Reporting Act—Rep. Matsui (CA-07)
This legislation would increase the reliability and resiliency of our emergency communications infrastructure by requiring additional data collection after an outage that affects 911 services and to use that data to issue recommendations for improvements.
H.R. 5201, the Kari's Law Reporting Act—Rep. Matsui (CA-07)
This legislation would help ensure that manufacturers of telephone systems commonly found in large buildings or on campuses are complying with federal law to make it easier to dial 911 from these systems and aid first responders in case of an emergency.
S. 98, the Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2025—Sen. Capito (R-WV)
This legislation would enhance safeguards used to vet applicants seeking Universal Service Fund funding and ensure the program is serving hard-to-reach rural areas in our efforts to close the digital divide.
