U.S. Reps. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Jerry McNerney (D-CA) introduced a bill in the House of Representatives to improve network resiliency in times of emergency.
The Reinforcing and Evaluating Service Integrity, Local Infrastructure, and Emergency Notification for Today’s Networks Act (H.R. 5926), or the RESILIENT Networks Act, requires pre-planned coordination among advanced communication providers during emergencies. This includes roaming and mutual aid arrangements.
This is designed to improve the coordination between communications providers, 9-1-1 operators, and public safety entities. Further, the bill helps to ensure that first responders are provided network outage data to help guide disaster response.
“Ensuring the resiliency and reliability of communications networks is critical to keeping Americans safe during emergencies. This is particularly important with the growing threat of disasters intensified by climate change. Resilient communications networks can mean the difference between life and death during and after a storm or wildfire,” Pallone and McNerney said in a statement. “Our bill requires the creation of stronger, enforceable protections for consumers. This will ensure that Americans have access to vital and lifesaving communications service before, during, and after major disasters. We look forward to moving this bill through the Committee process soon.”
Pallone is the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, while McNerney sits on the Communications and Technology Subcommittee.
Pallone also authored the SANDy Act, following Superstorm Sandy. The bill, which was signed into law in 2018, is designed to enhance the resiliency of communications networks during emergencies.