(15) following Hurricane Katrina, a Primary 
Entry Point station in Louisiana, operating only on 
generator power until commercial power was re-
stored 2 weeks after the disaster, was instrumental 
in providing life-saving information to the general 
public throughout the area as battery-operated ra-
dios were the only source of official news and infor-
mation; 
(16) as of April 18, 2007, there were 24 States 
with 1 Primary Entry Point station, 4 States with 
2 Primary Entry point stations, 2 Primary Entry 
Point stations located in territories of the United 
States, and 2 Primary Entry Point stations under 
development in Alabama and Mississippi; 
(17) in the event of a man-made or natural dis-
aster, it is essential to provide for Primary Entry 
Point stations in any State or territory where there 
is not a facility, meaning an additional 23 stations 
are required, located in— 
(A) Arkansas; 
(B) Connecticut; 
(C) Delaware; 
(D) the District of Columbia; 
(E) Indiana; 
(F) Iowa; 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
02:25 May 17, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2331.IH
H2331
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with BILLS
(G) Kentucky; 
(H) Maine; 
(I) Michigan; 
(J) Nebraska; 
(K) New Hampshire; 
(L) New Jersey; 
(M) Oklahoma; 
(N) Oregon; 
(O) Pennsylvania; 
(P) Rhode Island; 
(Q) South Dakota; 
(R) Vermont; 
(S) West Virginia; 
(T) Wisconsin; 
(U) American Samoa; 
(V) the Northern Mariana Islands; and 
(W) Guam; and 
(18) in the event of a man-made or natural dis-
aster, it is essential to provide for the Primary 
Entry Point stations in larger States where there is 
currently a facility, but an additional station is re-
quired to ensure full sufficient geographic coverage, 
meaning 2 stations are required, located in— 
(A) Kansas; and 
(B) Florida. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
02:25 May 17, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2331.IH
H2331
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with BILLS
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act— 
(1) the term ‘‘Administrator’’ means the Ad-
ministrator of the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency; 
(2) the term ‘‘disaster area’’ means an area in 
which the President has declared a major disaster, 
during the period of that declaration; 
(3) the term ‘‘first response broadcaster’’ 
means a local or regional television or radio broad-
caster that provides essential disaster-related public 
information programming before, during, and after 
the occurrence of a major disaster; 
(4) the term ‘‘major disaster’’ has the meaning 
given the term in section 102 of the Robert T. Staf-
ford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 
(42 U.S.C. 5122); and 
(5) the term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary 
of Homeland Security. 
SEC. 4. PRIMARY ENTRY POINT STATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appro-
priated $6,500,000 to the Administrator of the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency for facility and equip-
ment expenses to construct an additional 25 Primary 
Entry Point stations in the continental United States and 
territories. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
02:25 May 17, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2331.IH
H2331
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with BILLS
(b) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘Primary 
Entry Point station’’ means a radio broadcast station des-
ignated to provide public information following national 
and local emergencies where there is no commercial power. 
SEC. 5. BROADCAST DISASTER PREPAREDNESS GRANT 
PROGRAM. 
(a) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘pilot 
program’’ means the Broadcast Disaster Preparedness 
Grant Program established under subsection (b). 
(b) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall es-
tablish a pilot program under which the Administrator 
may make grants to first response broadcasters, to be 
known as the ‘‘Broadcast Disaster Preparedness Grant 
Program’’. 
(c) PRIORITY.—The Administrator may give priority 
to an application for a grant under the pilot program 
that— 
(1) is submitted— 
(A) on behalf of more than 1 first response 
broadcaster operating in an area; 
(B) in cooperation with State or local au-
thorities; 
(C) on behalf of a first response broad-
caster with 50 employees or less; 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
02:25 May 17, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2331.IH
H2331
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with BILLS
(D) on behalf of a first response broad-
caster that is principally owned and operated by 
individuals residing within the State, county, 
parish, or municipality in which the broadcaster 
is located; or 
(2) provides, in writing, a statement of the in-
tention of the applicant to provide disaster-related 
programming dedicated to essential public informa-
tion purposes before, during, and after a major dis-
aster. 
(d) USE OF FUNDS.—A grant under the pilot pro-
gram shall be used by a first response broadcaster to— 
(1) protect or provide redundancy for facilities 
and infrastructure, including transmitters and other 
at-risk equipment (as determined by the Adminis-
trator), critical to the ability of that first response 
broadcaster to continue to produce and transmit es-
sential disaster-related public information program-
ming; or 
(2) upgrade or add facilities or equipment that 
will enhance or expand the ability of the first re-
sponder broadcaster to acquire, produce, or transmit 
essential disaster-related public information pro-
gramming. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
02:25 May 17, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2331.IH
H2331
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with BILLS
(e) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal share of an ac-
tivity carried out with a grant under this section shall be 
not more than 50 percent. 
(f) TERMINATION.—The authority to make grants 
under the pilot program shall terminate at the end of the 
third full fiscal year after the date of enactment of this 
Act. 
(g) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry 
out the pilot program $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2008 through 2010. 
SEC. 6. FIRST RESPONSE BROADCASTER ACCESS FOL-
LOWING A MAJOR DISASTER. 
(a) ACCESS.—Section 403 of the Robert T. Stafford 
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
5170b) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(3)(B), by inserting ‘‘(in-
cluding providing fuel, food, water, and other sup-
plies to first response broadcasters, after providing 
essential emergency services, health care, and utility 
restoration services)’’ before the semicolon at the 
end; and 
(2) in subsection (c)(6)— 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
02:25 May 17, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2331.IH
H2331
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with BILLS
(A) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) 
and (B) as subparagraphs (B) and (C), respec-
tively; and 
(B) by inserting before subparagraph (B), 
as so redesignated, the following: 
‘‘(A) FIRST
RESPONSE
BROADCASTER.— 
The term ‘first response broadcaster’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 707.’’. 
(b) CONFISCATION.—Title VII of the Robert T. Staf-
ford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
U.S.C. 5201 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘SEC. 707. CONFISCATION FROM FIRST RESPONSE BROAD-
CASTERS. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘first re-
sponse broadcaster’ means a local or regional television 
or radio broadcaster that provides essential disaster-re-
lated public information programming before, during, and 
after a major disaster. 
‘‘(b) IN GENERAL.—In the event of a major disaster, 
and to the extent practicable and consistent with not en-
dangering public safety, a Federal officer or employee may 
not confiscate fuel, water, or food from a first response 
broadcaster if that first response broadcaster adequately 
documents that such supplies will be used to enable that 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
02:25 May 17, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2331.IH
H2331
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with BILLS
broadcast first responder to broadcast essential disaster- 
related public information programming in the area af-
fected by that major disaster.’’. 
(c) RESTORATION
OF SERVICES.—The Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 
(42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating section 425 (42 U.S.C. 
5189e) (relating to essential service providers) as 
section 427; and 
(2) in section 427, as so redesignated, by add-
ing at the end the following: 
‘‘(d) FIRST RESPONSE BROADCASTERS.— 
‘‘(1) DEFINITION.—In this subsection, the term 
‘first response broadcaster’ has the meaning given 
that term in section 707. 
‘‘(2) IN GENERAL.—In the event of a major dis-
aster, the head of a Federal agency, in consultation 
with appropriate State and local government au-
thorities, and to the greatest extent practicable and 
consistent with not endangering public safety or in-
hibiting recovery efforts, shall allow access to the 
area affected by that major disaster for technical 
personnel, broadcast engineers, and equipment need-
ed to restore, repair, or resupply any facility or 
equipment critical to the ability of a first response 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
02:25 May 17, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00013
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2331.IH
H2331
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with BILLS
broadcaster to continue to acquire, produce, and 
transmit essential disaster-related public information 
programming, including the repair and maintenance 
of transmitters and other facility equipment and 
transporting fuel for generators. 
‘‘(3) NEWS
GATHERING
EMPLOYEES.—This 
subsection shall not apply to news gathering employ-
ees or agents of a first response broadcaster.’’. 
(d) GUIDELINES FOR PRESS.— 
(1) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection— 
(A) the term ‘‘credentialing authority’’ 
means a Federal, State, or local government 
agency that— 
(i) issues press credentials; and 
(ii) permits and coordinates access to 
a designated location or area on the basis 
of possessing such press credentials; 
(B) the term ‘‘press credential’’ means the 
identification provided to news personnel to 
identify such personnel as members of the 
press; and 
(C) the term ‘‘news personnel’’ includes a 
broadcast journalist or technician, newspaper or 
periodical reporter, photojournalist, and mem-
ber of a similar professional field whose pri-
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
02:25 May 17, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00014
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2331.IH
H2331
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with BILLS
mary interest in entering the disaster area is to 
gather information related to the disaster for 
wider publication or broadcast. 
(2) ACCESS TO DISASTER AREA.—For purposes 
of permitting and coordinating access by news per-
sonnel to a disaster area— 
(A) any State or local government agency 
that serves as the primary credentialing author-
ity for that disaster area before the date of the 
applicable major disaster shall remain the pri-
mary credentialing authority during and after 
that major disaster, unless— 
(i) the State or local government 
agency voluntarily relinquishes the ability 
to serve as primary credentialing authority 
to another agency; or 
(ii) the State or local government 
agency, in consultation with appropriate 
Federal disaster response agencies, assigns 
certain 
duties, 
including 
primary 
credentialing authority, to the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency or an-
other appropriate Federal, State, or local 
government agency; and 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
02:25 May 17, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00015
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2331.IH
H2331
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with BILLS
(B) the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency and other appropriate Federal disaster 
response agencies operating in a disaster area 
shall permit and coordinate news personnel ac-
cess to the disaster area consistent with the ac-
cess guidelines determined by the primary 
credentialing authority for that disaster area. 
(3) CATASTROPHIC INCIDENT ACCESS.—In the 
event of a catastrophic incident (as that term is de-
fined in section 501 of the Homeland Security Act 
of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 311)) that leaves a State or local 
primary credentialing authority unable to execute 
the duties of that credentialing authority described 
under paragraph (2) or to effectively communicate 
to Federal officials a determination regarding the in-
tent of that credentialing authority to retain, relin-
quish, or assign its status as the primary 
credentialing authority, the Secretary may designate 
the Federal Emergency Management Agency or an-
other Federal agency as the interim primary 
credentialing authority, until such a time as the 
State or local credentialing authority notifies the 
Secretary of whether that authority intends to re-
tain, relinquish, or assign its status. 
Æ 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
02:25 May 17, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00016
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H2331.IH
H2331
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with BILLS