I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1738 
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary of 
Homeland Security to modernize and implement the national integrated 
public alert and warning system to disseminate homeland security infor-
mation and other information, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 13, 2015 
Mr. BILIRAKIS (for himself, Mr. MCCAUL, and Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana) in-
troduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct 
the Secretary of Homeland Security to modernize and 
implement the national integrated public alert and warn-
ing system to disseminate homeland security information 
and other information, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Integrated Public Alert 
and Warning System Modernization Act of 2015’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds that— 
(1) numerous proven and tested technologies 
exist to enable the Federal Government to update 
and modernize its dissemination of public alerts and 
warnings; 
(2) the expected benefits of these enhancements 
include— 
(A) greater security, effectiveness, reli-
ability, integration, flexibility, comprehensive-
ness, and redundancy of the Federal Govern-
ment’s alert and warning capabilities; 
(B) rapid alert dissemination; 
(C) an improved ability to notify remote lo-
cations; 
(D) an improved ability to notify individ-
uals with disabilities; and 
(E) the ability to geographically target and 
deliver alerts and warnings through multiple 
communication modes; 
(3) there is a need to test the viability of deliv-
ering messages through diverse communications 
modes to effectively alert and warn the public; 
(4) there is a need to update, modernize, and 
improve the ability of the Federal Government to 
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provide residents of the United States with timely 
and effective warnings; 
(5) although significant Federal integration ef-
forts are underway, the aggregation, dissemination, 
and reporting system necessary for effective public 
alert and warning will require an integrated national 
network for flexible, reliable, secure, and authenti-
cated dissemination of emergency alerts and warn-
ings by Federal, State, local, and tribal entities that 
are authorized to issue alerts to the public; 
(6) there is a need to ensure that alerts and 
warnings are accessible to people with disabilities, 
particularly with sensory disabilities; and 
(7) States and urban areas should be allowed to 
utilize homeland security grants for the purposes of 
updating and modernizing public alert and warning 
capabilities. 
SEC. 3. NATIONAL INTEGRATED PUBLIC ALERT AND WARN-
ING SYSTEM MODERNIZATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.— 
(1) AMENDMENT.—Title V of the Homeland 
Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 311 et seq.) is 
amended by adding at the end of the following new 
section: 
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‘‘SEC. 526. NATIONAL INTEGRATED PUBLIC ALERT AND 
WARNING SYSTEM MODERNIZATION. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—In order to provide timely and 
effective warnings and disseminate homeland security in-
formation and other information, the Secretary shall, con-
sidering the recommendations of the advisory committee 
established under subsection (d), update, modernize, and 
implement the national integrated public alert and warn-
ing system. 
‘‘(b) IMPLEMENTATION REQUIREMENTS.—In car-
rying out subsection (a), the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(1) establish or adapt, as appropriate, common 
alerting and warning protocols, standards, termi-
nology, and operating procedures for the integrated 
public alert and warning system; 
‘‘(2) include in the integrated public alert and 
warning system the capability to adapt the dissemi-
nation of homeland security information and other 
information, and the content of communications, on 
the basis of geographic location, risks, and multiple 
communications systems and technologies, as appro-
priate; 
‘‘(3) to the extent technically feasible, include in 
the national integrated public alert and warning sys-
tem the capability to alert, warn, and provide the 
equivalent amount of information to— 
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‘‘(A) individuals with limited English pro-
ficiency skills; 
‘‘(B) individuals with disabilities, particu-
larly sensory disabilities; and 
‘‘(C) individuals with other access or func-
tional needs; 
‘‘(4) ensure training, tests, and exercises for the 
integrated public alert and warning system, and that 
the system is incorporated into other training and 
exercise programs of the Department, as appro-
priate; 
‘‘(5) ensure that a comprehensive and periodic 
training program, consistent with the principles of, 
and integrated with, the National Incident Manage-
ment System and in support of the National Pre-
paredness System, for receiving and disseminating 
the integrated public alert and warning system mes-
sages utilizing advanced technologies is provided to 
State, local, tribal, and other homeland security 
stakeholders involved in the transmission of such 
messages; 
‘‘(6) conduct periodic nationwide tests of the in-
tegrated public alert and warning system, at least 
once every 5 years; and 
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‘‘(7) consult, coordinate, and cooperate, to the 
extent practicable, with other Federal agencies and 
departments and with State, local, and tribal govern-
ments, the private sector, and other key stakeholders 
to leverage existing alert and warning capabilities. 
‘‘(c) SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary shall 
ensure that the system— 
‘‘(1) incorporates redundant, diverse modes to 
disseminate homeland security information and 
other information in warning messages to the public 
so as to reach the greatest number of individuals in 
the intended area or location; 
‘‘(2) can be adapted to incorporate emerging 
and future technologies, including social media; 
‘‘(3) is reliable, resilient, and secure, and can 
withstand acts of terrorism, hazards, and other ex-
ternal attacks or dangers; 
‘‘(4) is, to the greatest extent practicable, hard-
ened against cyber attacks; 
‘‘(5) promotes State, local, tribal, and regional 
partnerships to enhance coordination; 
‘‘(6) to the extent technically feasible, is de-
signed to provide alerts that are accessible to the 
largest portion of the affected population, including 
nonresident visitors and tourists, individuals with 
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limited English proficiency skills, and individuals 
with disabilities, particularly sensory disabilities, or 
other access or functional needs; and 
‘‘(7) is designed to improve the ability of af-
fected populations in remote areas and areas with 
underdeveloped telecommunications infrastructure to 
receive alerts. 
‘‘(d) PRIVACY PROTECTION.—The Secretary, in con-
sultation with the Department’s Chief Privacy Officer, 
shall produce a Privacy Impact Assessment every 5 years 
to evaluate whether the technology of the national inte-
grated public alert and warning system has implications 
on the privacy rights of citizens of the United States. 
‘‘(e) INTEGRATED PUBLIC ALERT
AND WARNING 
SYSTEM MODERNIZATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE.— 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date of enactment of the Integrated Public 
Alert and Warning System Modernization Act of 
2015, the Secretary shall establish an advisory com-
mittee to be known as the Integrated Public Alert 
and Warning System Advisory Committee (in this 
subsection referred to as the ‘Advisory Committee’). 
‘‘(2) MEMBERSHIP.—The Advisory Committee 
shall be composed of the following members: 
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‘‘(A) The Chairman of the Federal Com-
munications Commission (or the Chairman’s 
designee). 
‘‘(B) The Administrator of the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (or 
the Administrator’s designee). 
‘‘(C) The Assistant Secretary for Commu-
nications and Information of the Department of 
Commerce (or the Assistant Secretary’s des-
ignee). 
‘‘(D) The Director of the United States 
Geological Survey (or the Director’s designee). 
‘‘(E) The Under Secretary for Science and 
Technology of the Department of Homeland Se-
curity (or the Under Secretary’s designee). 
‘‘(F) The Under Secretary for Cybersecu-
rity and Communications of the Department of 
Homeland Security National Protection and 
Programs Directorate. 
‘‘(G) The Director of the Office of Dis-
ability Integration and Coordination of the Fed-
eral Emergency Management Agency. 
‘‘(H) The following members, to be ap-
pointed by the Secretary as soon as practicable 
after the date of enactment of the Integrated 
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Public Alert and Warning System Moderniza-
tion Act of 2015 for a term established by the 
Secretary that does not exceed 5 years: 
‘‘(i) Representatives of State and local 
governments, representatives of emergency 
management agencies, representatives of 
emergency response providers, and rep-
resentatives of emergency communications 
providers, selected from among individuals 
nominated by national organizations rep-
resenting governments and personnel. 
‘‘(ii) Representatives from federally 
recognized Indian tribes and national In-
dian organizations. 
‘‘(iii) Individuals who have the req-
uisite technical knowledge and expertise to 
serve on the Advisory Committee, including 
representatives of— 
‘‘(I) communications service pro-
viders; 
‘‘(II) vendors, developers, and 
manufacturers of systems, facilities, 
equipment, and capabilities for the 
provision of communications services; 
‘‘(III) the broadcasting industry; 
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‘‘(IV) 
the 
commercial 
mobile 
radio service industry; 
‘‘(V) the cable industry; 
‘‘(VI) the satellite industry; 
‘‘(VII) consumer or privacy advo-
cates; 
‘‘(VIII) 
national 
organizations 
representing individuals with disabil-
ities and access and functional needs; 
‘‘(IX) national organizations rep-
resenting the elderly; and 
‘‘(X) national organizations rep-
resenting educational institutions, in-
cluding higher education. 
‘‘(iv) Qualified representatives of such 
other stakeholders and interested and af-
fected parties as the Secretary considers 
appropriate. 
‘‘(3) CHAIRPERSON.—The Secretary (or the 
Secretary’s designee) shall serve as the Chairperson 
of the Advisory Committee. 
‘‘(4) MEETINGS.— 
‘‘(A) INITIAL MEETING.—The initial meet-
ing of the Advisory Committee shall take place 
not later than 150 days after the date of enact-
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ment of the Integrated Public Alert and Warn-
ing System Modernization Act of 2015. 
‘‘(B) OTHER MEETINGS.—After the initial 
meeting, the Advisory Committee shall meet, at 
least annually, at the call of the Chairperson. 
‘‘(C) NOTICE; OPEN MEETINGS.—Meetings 
held by the Advisory Committee shall be duly 
noticed at least 14 days in advance and shall be 
open to the public. 
‘‘(5) RULES.—The Advisory Committee may 
adopt such rules as are necessary to carry out its 
duties. 
‘‘(6) CONSULTATION WITH NONMEMBERS.—The 
Advisory Committee and the program office for the 
integrated public alert and warning system of the 
United States shall regularly meet with groups that 
are not represented on the Advisory Committee to 
consider new and developing technology that may be 
beneficial to such system, such as— 
‘‘(A) the Defense Advanced Research 
Projects Agency; 
‘‘(B) entities engaged in federally funded 
research; and 
‘‘(C) academic institutions engaged in rel-
evant work and research. 
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‘‘(7) RECOMMENDATIONS.—The Advisory Com-
mittee may develop and submit in the annual reports 
under paragraph (8) recommendations for the con-
tinuation and improvement of an integrated public 
alert and warning system, including— 
‘‘(A) recommendations for common alert-
ing and warning protocols, standards, termi-
nology, and operating procedures for such sys-
tem; 
‘‘(B) an assessment of the accomplish-
ments and deficiencies of such system, includ-
ing its accessibility for individuals with disabil-
ities, and the impact on current alert and warn-
ing systems; 
‘‘(C) recommendations for increasing par-
ticipation in such system, particularly among el-
ementary, secondary, and higher education in-
stitutions; and 
‘‘(D) recommendations for improvements 
to such system, including recommendations to 
provide for a public alert and warning system 
that— 
‘‘(i) has the capability to adapt the 
distribution and content of communications 
on the basis of geographic location, risks, 
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multiple communication systems and tech-
nologies, as appropriate; 
‘‘(ii) has the capability to alert and 
warn individuals with disabilities, particu-
larly sensory disabilities, or access or func-
tional needs, and individuals with limited 
English proficiency; 
‘‘(iii) incorporates multiple commu-
nications technologies; 
‘‘(iv) is designed to adapt to, and in-
corporate, emerging and future tech-
nologies for communicating directly with 
the public; 
‘‘(v) is hardened and resilient, to the 
greatest extent practicable, with respect to 
cyber attacks; 
‘‘(vi) encourages proper use by State 
and local governments of such system 
through training programs and other 
means; 
‘‘(vii) is designed to provide alerts to 
the largest portion of the affected popu-
lation feasible, including nonresident visi-
tors and tourists, and improve the ability 
of remote areas to receive alerts; 
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‘‘(viii) promotes local and regional 
public and private partnerships to enhance 
community preparedness and response; 
‘‘(ix) promotes the participation of 
representatives 
from 
underserved 
and 
underrepresented communities, to ensure 
that alerts and warnings reach such popu-
lations; and 
‘‘(x) provides redundant alert mecha-
nisms 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. 
‘‘(8) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of the Integrated Public Alert and 
Warning System Modernization Act of 2015, and 
every year thereafter, the Advisory Committee shall 
submit to the Secretary a report containing the rec-
ommendations of the Advisory Committee. 
‘‘(9) FEDERAL
ADVISORY
COMMITTEE
ACT.— 
Neither the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 
U.S.C. App.) nor any rule, order, or regulation pro-
mulgated under that Act shall apply to the Advisory 
Committee. 
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‘‘(f) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of the establishment of the Advisory Committee, and every 
year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Com-
mittee on Homeland Security and the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Homeland Security 
and Governmental Affairs of the Senate, a report on the 
functionality and performance of such system, including— 
‘‘(1) the recommendations of the most recent 
Advisory Committee report under subsection (e)(8), 
what recommendations under subsection (e)(8) the 
Secretary has implemented to modernize the public 
alert and warning system, and if any such rec-
ommendations identified under subsection (e)(8) 
were not implemented, why the Secretary chose not 
to implement such recommendations; 
‘‘(2) an assessment of the accomplishments and 
deficiencies of the system; 
‘‘(3) an assessment of the cybersecurity of the 
system, including any relevant vulnerability assess-
ments; 
‘‘(4) recommendations based on lessons learned 
during events in which the system was utilized; 
‘‘(5) recommendations for improvements to the 
system; 
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‘‘(6) information on the feasibility and effective-
ness of disseminating homeland security information 
and other information, notices, and alerts prior to 
and following an incident requiring use of the sys-
tem; and 
‘‘(7) information on any innovations in or 
changes to the national integrated public alert and 
warning system that result in the collection of per-
sonally identifiable information. 
‘‘(g) COMPATIBLE MOBILE DEVICES.—The Secretary 
shall— 
‘‘(1) make available to the public, through the 
Internet and other appropriate means, a list of mo-
bile devices that are capable of receiving warnings 
and alerts disseminated through the national inte-
grated public alert and warning system; and 
‘‘(2) update such list as necessary, but not less 
often than once each year. 
‘‘(h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry 
out this section $13,400,000 for each of fiscal years 2016, 
2017, and 2018.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of con-
tents in section 1(b) of such Act is amended by add-
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ing at the end of the items relating to such title the 
following: 
‘‘Sec. 526. National integrated public alert and warning system moderniza-
tion.’’. 
(b) LIMITATION ON STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Nothing in this Act (includ-
ing the amendments made by this Act) shall be con-
strued— 
(A) to affect the authority of the Depart-
ment of Commerce, the authority of the Federal 
Communications Commission, or the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assist-
ance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.); 
(B) to provide the Secretary of Homeland 
Security authority to require any action by the 
Federal Communications Commission, the De-
partment of Commerce, or any nongovernment 
entity, or to affect any existing obligations of 
those entities; 
(C) to apply to, or provide the Secretary of 
Homeland Security any authority over, any par-
ticipating commercial mobile service provider; 
or 
(D) to alter in any way the wireless emer-
gency alert service created pursuant to the 
Warning, Alert, and Response Network Act (47 
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U.S.C. 1201 et seq.) or related orders of the 
Federal Communications Commission issued 
after the date of enactment of that Act. 
(2) PARTICIPATING COMMERCIAL MOBILE SERV-
ICE PROVIDER DEFINED.—For purposes of this sub-
section, the term ‘‘participating commercial mobile 
service provider’’ has the same meaning as such 
term has in section 10.10(f) of title 47, Code of 
Federal Regulations, as in effect on the date of the 
enactment of this Act. 
(c) 
HOMELAND
SECURITY
GRANTS.—Section 
2008(a) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 
609(a)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (12), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; 
(2) by redesignating paragraph (13) as para-
graph (14); and 
(3) by inserting after paragraph (12) the fol-
lowing new paragraph: 
‘‘(13) improving public alert and warning capa-
bilities; and’’. 
Æ 
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