Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2892, the Weather Alert Response and Notification Act, also known as the WARN Act, to improve public safety during extreme weather events. I am proud to lead this bipartisan bill that would direct the Comptroller General to evaluate the effectiveness of our emergency alert systems--at the local, State, and Federal levels--in reaching our communities when it matters the most. I introduced this legislation after my district experienced tragedy during Winter Storm Elliott in December 2022, right before Christmas Eve. Western New York and the southern tier are used to heavy snowfall every winter. During Winter Storm Elliott, we were hit with whiteout blizzards and hurricane-force winds that quickly dumped more than 4 feet of snow. People were trapped in their cars for days. Many were trapped in their homes without power or heat. Rescue crews struggled to get those people rescued who were in need, leading to more than 40 deaths in our region. Some of these deaths could have been prevented, but local warning systems failed to adequately communicate the risks to the public. We cannot let this happen again. That is where the WARN Act comes in. Whether it is a blizzard, hurricane, tornado, or other severe weather event, we must ensure that our emergency alert systems are timely, accurate, and capable of reaching everyone, no matter what technology they have.…”