Congressman Richard Hudson, who chairs the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, opened a markup session in Washington, D.C., to discuss six bipartisan bills aimed at improving public safety communications for first responders across the United States.
In his prepared statement, Hudson highlighted recent efforts to enhance emergency response infrastructure. "Good morning, and welcome to today’s subcommittee markup on public safety communications in the United States. We are considering several bipartisan bills that will improve public safety and communications for first responders in the United States."
Hudson referenced a December hearing that reviewed potential legislative improvements in this area. He described the current markup as an important step forward: "This markup will be the next step in advancing the important legislation before us."
Key issues under consideration include upgrading 911 call centers, enhancing wireless emergency alert systems, and improving outage reporting processes. "Important things like upgrading our 911 call centers, improvements to our wireless emergency alerting, and improvements to our outage reporting are crucial improvements that we now can look at through a legislative lens," he said.
Hudson also discussed introducing the Next Generation 911 Act with Representative Carter from Louisiana. The bill proposes creating a grant program within the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to support Next Generation 911 (NG911) technology nationwide. It would also establish both a national NG911 Cybersecurity Center and an advisory board.
"Upgrading our nation’s call centers to NG911 technology is crucial for public safety. This internet protocol-based system will open the door for advanced tools for both the public and our first responders to use," Hudson stated.
He noted that deploying this technology across all states is necessary because reliance on outdated systems could lead to inconsistent or incompatible communication networks: "A patchwork of call centers that still have aging, outdated legacy systems risks a communications landscape that is uneven and non-interoperable."
While expressing strong support for moving forward with these initiatives, Hudson acknowledged ongoing discussions about funding levels: "I do want to note that while we are taking steps to advance this legislation towards law, we are still working on finding an appropriate dollar amount to fund this grant program. It is critical we balance the need to fund this important program while making sure we maintain fiscal responsibility."
Other bipartisan bills under review aim to ensure timely alerts during natural disasters or other emergencies. Hudson emphasized prioritizing safety measures: "I'm glad to see our subcommittee prioritizing safety and communications for all Americans."
He concluded by recognizing law enforcement officers' dedication: "Our public safety and law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to help us in our times of need, and we must make sure they have the best tools to do their jobs and best serve all Americans." He thanked colleagues for their work developing these proposals and expressed hope they would soon advance through committee.
