The Subcommittee on Communications and Technology has scheduled a hearing for Thursday, March 14, 2013, at 10:30 a.m. in room 2123 of the Rayburn House Office Building. The hearing is entitled “Oversight of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) and Emergency Communications." Witnesses to be announced.
Created by the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012, FirstNet is tasked with building and maintaining a nationwide, interoperable broadband public safety network. Members will hear from FirstNet and private sector entities that want to partner to explore ways to improve the connectivity, reliability, and security of this nationwide public safety network. The hearing will also discuss other emergency communications systems used to communicate between public safety and the general public.
“Last Congress we took concrete steps to improve emergency communications when we passed the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act," said Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR). “This hearing will provide oversight to ensure that both public safety officials and the public have access to effective, open lines of communication during an emergency."
The Majority Memorandum, a witness list, and witness testimony will be available here as they are posted.
