To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to direct the President to modernize the integrated public alert and warning system of the United States, and for other purposes.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Integrated Public Alert and Warning 
System Modernization Act of 2008''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) numerous technologies exist to enable the Federal 
        Government to vastly enhance its public alert and warning 
        system;
            (2) the potential benefits of these enhancements include--
                    (A) greater security, survivability, and redundancy 
                of the system;
                    (B) an improved ability to notify remote locations;
                    (C) the ability to geographically target and 
                deliver alerts and warnings to multiple devices; and
                    (D) the ability to allow individuals to request 
                specific alerts and warnings;
            (3) a modern, integrated public alert and warning system 
        will better enable government officials to provide civilian 
        populations with timely and effective warnings of disasters, 
        such as the devastating tornados and floods in the Midwest in 
        2008; and
            (4) the Federal Government should modernize its alert and 
        warning system to improve its ability to alert the residents of 
        the United States of all potential hazards under all 
        conditions.

SEC. 3. INTEGRATED PUBLIC ALERT AND WARNING SYSTEM MODERNIZATION.

    (a) In General.--Section 202 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5132) is amended by 
adding at the end the following:
    ``(e) Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Modernization.--
            ``(1) In general.--In order to provide timely and effective 
        disaster warnings under this section, the President, acting 
        through the Director of the Federal Emergency Management 
        Agency, shall--
                    ``(A) modernize the integrated public alert and 
                warning system of the United States (in this section 
                referred to as the `public alert and warning system') 
                to ensure that the President under all conditions can 
                alert and warn governmental authorities and the 
                civilian population in areas endangered by disasters; 
                and
                    ``(B) implement the public alert and warning 
                system.
            ``(2) Implementation requirements.--In carrying out 
        paragraph (1), the Director shall--
                    ``(A) assign to the National Continuity Programs 
                Directorate, or its successor, responsibility for 
                advising the Director on the modernization and 
                implementation of the public alert and warning system;
                    ``(B) establish or adopt, as appropriate, common 
                alerting and warning protocols, standards, terminology, 
                and operating procedures for the public alert and 
                warning system;
                    ``(C) include in the public alert and warning 
                system the capability to adapt the distribution and 
                content of communications on the basis of geographic 
                location, risks, or personal user preferences, as 
                appropriate;
                    ``(D) include in the public alert and warning 
                system the capability to alert and warn individuals 
                with disabilities and individuals with limited English 
                proficiency; and
                    ``(E) ensure the conduct of training, tests, and 
                exercises for the public alert and warning system.
            ``(3) System requirements.--The public alert and warning 
        system shall--
                    ``(A) incorporate multiple communications 
                technologies;
                    ``(B) be designed to adapt to, and incorporate, 
                future technologies for communicating directly with the 
                public;
                    ``(C) be designed to provide alerts to the largest 
                portion of the affected population feasible and improve 
                the ability of remote areas to receive alerts;
                    ``(D) promote local and regional public and private 
                partnerships to enhance community preparedness and 
                response; and
                    ``(E) provide redundant alert mechanisms where 
                practicable so as to reach the greatest number of 
                people regardless of whether they have access to, or 
                utilize, any specific medium of communication or any 
                particular device.
            ``(4) Pilot programs.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Director shall conduct pilot 
                programs for the purpose of demonstrating the 
                feasibility of using a variety of methods for achieving 
                the system requirements specified in paragraph (3).
                    ``(B) Report.--Not later than 6 months after the 
                date of enactment of this subsection, and annually 
                thereafter for the duration of the pilot programs, the 
                Director shall submit to the Committee on 
                Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
                Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security 
                and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report 
                containing--
                            ``(i) a description and assessment of the 
                        effectiveness of the pilot programs;
                            ``(ii) any recommendations of the Director 
                        for additional authority to continue the pilot 
                        programs or make any of the programs permanent; 
                        and
                            ``(iii) any other findings and conclusions 
                        of the Director with respect to the pilot 
                        programs.
            ``(5) Implementation plan.--Not later than 6 months after 
        the date of enactment of this subsection, the Director shall 
        submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of 
        the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland 
        Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a detailed plan 
        for implementing this subsection. The plan shall include a 
        timeline for implementation, a spending plan, and 
        recommendations for any additional authority that may be 
        necessary to fully implement this subsection.
            ``(6) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
        to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $37,000,000 for 
        fiscal year 2009 and such sums as may be necessary for each 
        fiscal year thereafter.''.
    (b) Limitation on Statutory Construction.--Nothing in this Act 
(including the amendment made by this Act) shall be construed to affect 
the authority of the Department of Commerce or the Federal 
Communications Commission.

Summary: Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Modernization Act of 2008 - Amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to direct the President, acting through the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to: (1) modernize and implement the integrated US public alert and warning system to ensure that the President can alert governmental authorities and the civilian population in areas endangered by disasters under all conditions. (2) assign to the National Continuity Programs Directorate responsibility for advising on system modernization and implementation. (3) establish or adopt common alerting and warning protocols, standards, terminology, and operating procedures. (4) include in such system the capability to adapt the distribution and content of communications on the basis of geographic location, risks, or personal user preferences and to alert individuals with disabilities or limited English proficiency. And (5) ensure the conduct of training, tests, and exercises. Requires the system to: (1) incorporate multiple communications technologies. (2) be designed to adapt to and incorporate future technologies for communicating directly with the public. (3) be designed to provide alerts to the largest portion of the affected population feasible and improve the ability of remote areas to receive alerts. (4) promote local and regional partnerships to enhance community preparedness and response. And (5) provide redundant alert mechanisms. Requires the Director to conduct pilot programs to demonstrate the feasibility of using a variety of methods for achieving system requirements.