I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3563 
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 
DECEMBER 6, 2011 
Mr. BILIRAKIS (for himself and Ms. RICHARDSON) introduced 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 com-
mittee 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 
Warning System Modernization Act of 2011’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds that— 
(1) numerous proven and tested technologies 
exist to enable the Federal Government to enhance 
its public alert and warning system; 
(2) the expected benefits of these enhancements 
include— 
(A) greater security, reliability, and redun-
dancy of the system; 
(B) rapid alert dissemination; 
(C) an improved ability to notify remote lo-
cations; 
(D) the ability to geographically target and 
deliver alerts and warnings to multiple devices; 
and 
(E) the ability to permit State homeland 
security grants to be utilized for the purposes 
of modernizing public alert and warning sys-
tems; 
(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 modernize and improve 
the ability of the Federal Government to provide 
residents of the United States with timely and effec-
tive warnings; and 
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(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 reliable, secure, and authentic dissemi-
nation of emergency alerts and warnings to and 
from all Federal, State, local, and tribal entities that 
alert the public when appropriate. 
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: 
‘‘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 mod-
ernize and implement the national integrated public alert 
and warning system (in this section referred to as ‘the 
public alert and warning system’). 
‘‘(b) IMPLEMENTATION REQUIREMENTS.—In car-
rying out subsection (a), the Secretary shall— 
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‘‘(1) establish or adapt, as appropriate, common 
alerting and warning protocols, standards, termi-
nology, and operating procedures for the public alert 
and warning system; 
‘‘(2) include in the public alert and warning 
system the capability to adapt the dissemination of 
homeland security information and other informa-
tion and the content of communications on the basis 
of geographic location, risks, or personal user pref-
erences, as appropriate; 
‘‘(3) include in the public alert and warning 
system the capability to alert, warn, and provide the 
equivalent amount of information to individuals with 
disabilities and access and functional needs; 
‘‘(4) ensure the conduct of training, tests, and 
exercise for the 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 the public alert and warning 
system uses the National Terrorism Advisory Sys-
tem, including ensuring that the National Terrorism 
Advisory System participates in tests of the public 
alert and warning system; 
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