Union Calendar No. 534
119th CONGRESS 2d Session |
[Report No. 119–616]
To provide for the transmission of emergency alerts by satellite, and for other purposes.
January 12, 2026
Mr. Pfluger (for himself, Mrs. Fletcher, Mr. Carter of Georgia, and Mr. Veasey) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
April 15, 2026
Additional sponsor: Mr. Hill of Arkansas
April 15, 2026
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic]
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on January 12, 2026]
To provide for the transmission of emergency alerts by satellite, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SEC. 2. Transmission of emergency alerts by satellite.
(a) Service provider election.—
(1) REQUIRED FILING.—Not later than 60 days after the effective date of the final rule required to be issued under subsection (b), each covered service provider shall file an election with the Federal Communications Commission with respect to whether the provider intends to transmit emergency alerts by satellite to the subscribers of the commercial mobile service of the provider who receive such service on devices capable of receiving such alerts, in addition to the transmission of emergency alerts under the Warning Alert, and Response Network Act.
(2) NOTIFICATION; AGREEMENT.—If a provider elects to transmit emergency alerts to subscribers by satellite under paragraph (1), the provider shall—
(3) ELECTION NOT TO TRANSMIT.—If a provider elects not to transmit emergency alerts by satellite under paragraph (1), the provider shall provide notice to new and existing subscribers described in such paragraph of that election in the same manner that is required under subparagraphs (B) and (C) of section 602(b)(1) of the Warning, Alert, and Response Network Act.
(4) CONSUMER CHOICE TO OPT OUT.—If a provider elects to transmit emergency alerts to subscribers of such service by satellite under paragraph (1), the provider shall prevent the device of any such subscriber that opts out of receiving emergency alerts pursuant to section 602(b)(2)(E) of the Warning, Alert, and Response Network Act, or classes of such alerts, from receiving such alerts by satellite.
(b) Satellite alert regulations.—
(1) NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING.—Not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall publish a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to establish any requirements necessary to facilitate the satellite alerting capability of covered service providers.
(2) REQUIREMENTS.—The requirements required by paragraph (1) shall—
(3) FINAL RULE.—Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, issue a final rule establishing the requirements described under paragraph (1).
(4) EFFECTIVE DATE OF RULE.—
(A) DATE.—The effective date of the final rule described under paragraph (3) shall be the later of—
(ii) 12 months after the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency implement any standards, protocols, or procedures necessary to support the transmission of emergency alerts from alert originators to covered service providers, the Secretary and the Administrator shall notify the Commission of such implementation.
(B) NOTIFICATION.—The Secretary of Homeland Security and the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall notify the Commission of the implementation of any standards, protocols, or procedures described under subparagraph (A)(ii) for the purpose of determining the effective date of the final rule described under paragraph (3).
(c) Limitation of liability.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Any covered service provider (including its officers, directors, employees, vendors, and agents) that transmits emergency alerts by satellite and meets its obligations under this Act shall not be liable to any subscriber to, or user of, such person’s service or equipment for—
(2) ELECTION NOT TO TRANSMIT ALERTS BY SATELLITE.—The election by a covered service provider under subsection (a)(3) not to transmit emergency alerts by satellite shall not, by itself, provide a basis for liability against the provider (including its officers, directors, employees, vendors, and agents).
(d) Covered service provider.—In this Act, “covered service provider” means a provider of commercial mobile service that—
(1) voluntarily elects to transmit emergency alerts under section 602(b) of the Warning, Alert, and Response Network Act (Public Law 109–347; 42 U.S.C. 1201); and
Union Calendar No. 534 | |||||
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[Report No. 119–616] | |||||
A BILL | |||||
To provide for the transmission of emergency alerts by satellite, and for other purposes. | |||||
April 15, 2026 | |||||
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed |