WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, led by Chairman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), reported two bills to the full House of Representatives.

“Many of us have seen natural disasters up close and personal in our districts, and our constituents deserve the best version of the infrastructure and alert systems we are considering today,” said Chairman Guthrie. “On so many issues, the Energy and Commerce Committee is the place where we are able to work in a bipartisan way and advance strong, commonsense legislation.”

Legislative Vote Summary:

• H.R. 7386, The First Responder Network Authority Reauthorization Act, was reported to the full House by a roll call vote of 51 yeas – 0 nays.
• H.R. 7022, Mystic Alerts Act, was reported to the full House by a roll call vote of 52 yeas – 0 nays.

Watch the full markup here.

Below are key excerpts from today’s markup:

Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09) on H.R. 7386, The First Responder Network Authority Reauthorization Act: “We heard directly from NTIA's public testimony that they rely on the board to provide crucial expertise and direction on the needs of public safety. This legislation preserves that existing relationship and goes even further to strengthen public safety's voice by requiring two additional seats on the board to be dedicated to public safety. I firmly believe this legislation will pave the way for a stronger and more resilient First Responder Network Authority.”

Congressman Neal Dunn (FL-02) on H.R. 7386, The First Responder Network Authority Reauthorization Act: “FirstNet is not just a network. It is the backbone of public safety communications in this country. When Congress first established the First Responder Network, the objective was clear–build a preemptive network for first responders that they could rely on. These brave men and women, the ones who step forward while others step back, who risk their lives to protect our communities, deserve nothing less than a resilient communication system.”

Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) on H.R. 7022, Mystic Alerts Act: “Many of you know this is a personal issue for me. After the July 4th flooding that swept through central Texas, including the all-girls Camp Mystic, where two of my daughters were attending, I knew that Congress had to act and had to act quickly to improve the redundancy and the reliability in the wireless emergency alert system, to ensure that alerts reach families and first responders even in the most challenging circumstances. H.R. 7022, the Mystic Alerts Act is the result of these efforts, and this legislation ensures that during natural disasters wireless emergency alerts can still be delivered via satellite.”