Dan Donovan: “I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for yielding. Mr. Speaker, as the chairman of the Committee on Homeland…”

“I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for yielding. Mr. Speaker, as the chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security's Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications, I rise today in support of S. 1180, the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Modernization Act of 2015. This important legislation was introduced by the chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Senator Ron Johnson. IPAWS provides public safety officials with a mechanism to alert and warn the public about emergencies using multiple communication platforms, including the Emergency Alert System, Wireless Emergency Alerts, and NOAA Weather Radio. The bill we are considering today authorizes the IPAWS program and provides it with needed direction to help ensure that we can make available as much information to the public as possible to get them out of harm's way in the event of a terror attack, natural disaster, or other threat to public safety. We know that these alerts can help to save lives. IPAWS was used after the Boston Marathon bombings to direct residents to shelter during the manhunt. In my district, IPAWS was used to warn people during Hurricane Sandy. Elsewhere, IPAWS has been vital to locating missing children through the AMBER Alert system. We also know that the system is not without its challenges.…”