Florida Senate - 2011                            (NP)    SR 2204
       
       
       
       By Senator Gaetz
       
       
       
       
       4-02140-11                                            20112204__
    1                          Senate Resolution                        
    2         A resolution urging the Congress of the United States
    3         to enact legislation establishing an effective and
    4         comprehensive public alert warning system that
    5         embraces state-of-the-art technology and new media and
    6         promotes coordination and cooperation between the
    7         public and private sectors.
    8  
    9         WHEREAS, in 1997, the Emergency Alert System (EAS)
   10  superseded the Emergency Broadcast System (EBS)and has since
   11  been incorporated into the Integrated Public Alert and Warning
   12  System, a program of the Federal Emergency Management Agency
   13  (FEMA), and
   14         WHEREAS, the EAS is designed to enable the President of the
   15  United States to speak to the nation within 10 minutes following
   16  the occurrence of a national emergency, and
   17         WHEREAS, the EAS currently covers AM, FM, and Land Mobile
   18  Radio Service; VHF, UHF, and cable television, including low
   19  power stations; digital television and cable providers; Sirius
   20  XM satellite radio, IBOC, DAB, and digital radio broadcasters;
   21  and Direct TV, Dish Network, and all other DBS providers, and
   22         WHEREAS, rapidly advancing technology and the introduction
   23  of new media require that Congress take steps to ensure the
   24  capability of the Federal Government to quickly adapt the
   25  distribution and content of emergency communications, and
   26         WHEREAS, it is critical to the health and well-being of all
   27  Americans that Congress investigate and conduct hearings to
   28  inventory, evaluate, and assess public alert and warning
   29  capabilities and promote integration of the public alert and
   30  warning systems of federal, state, territorial, tribal, and
   31  local governments, and
   32         WHEREAS, in situations of war, terrorist attack, natural
   33  disaster, or other hazards to public safety, it is essential
   34  that the national public alert and warning system reach all
   35  Americans regardless of geographic location, language, or
   36  disability, and
   37         WHEREAS, it is vital to the national interest that Congress
   38  establish training and testing protocols for the public alert
   39  and warning system and that all levels of government be required
   40  to consult, coordinate, and cooperate with the private sector,
   41  including emergency response providers, to implement an
   42  effective and comprehensive public alert warning system that
   43  uses state-of-the-art technology and embraces new media, NOW
   44  THEREFORE,
   45  
   46  Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:
   47  
   48         That Florida Senate urges the Congress of the United States
   49  to enact legislation establishing an effective and comprehensive
   50  public alert warning system that embraces state-of-the-art
   51  technology and new media and promotes coordination and
   52  cooperation between the public and private sectors.
   53         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be
   54  presented to the Speaker and the Minority Leader of the United
   55  States House of Representatives, the Majority Leader and the
   56  Minority Leader of the United States Senate, and to all sitting
   57  members of the Florida delegation to the Congress of the United
   58  States.