Sens. Ossoff, Cornyn Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen Emergency Alerts

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is introducing bipartisan legislation to strengthen emergency alerts during natural disasters.

Sens. Ossoff and John Cornyn (R-TX) recently introduced the bipartisan Mystic Alerts Act to improve distribution of wireless emergency alerts (WEA).

The bipartisan legislation would enable these emergency alerts to be delivered via satellite communications technologies when other systems fail during emergencies, including natural disasters such as hurricanes, wildfires, and floods.

The bipartisan bill comes after last summer's devastating flood in Central Texas that killed over 100 people, where it was later reported residents did not receive emergency alerts after cellular infrastructure was damaged.

"When storms, disasters, or threats to public safety threaten our state, crisis management is key. This bipartisan bill with Senator Cornyn will help upgrade America's emergency alert systems to keep Georgia families safe and informed," Sen. Ossoff said.

"Texas will never forget the July 4th flooding tragedy that devastated Camp Mystic and other communities in Central Texas. Seconds matter during fast-moving disasters like flash flooding, and damaged ground-based infrastructure can slow down emergency alerts that might save lives," said Sen. Cornyn. "The Mystic Alerts Act would help ensure communities experiencing severe disasters receive wireless emergency alerts even when cellular communications networks are compromised, and I urge my Senate colleagues to support this legislation to strengthen this important technology and save lives."

Sen. Ossoff continues working to strengthen public safety.

This year, Sen. Ossoff brought Republicans and Democrats together to deliver $175,000 in Federal funding to help upgrade the Spalding County Sheriff Office's helicopter rescue infrastructure after the County experienced difficulties in emergency response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Also, this year, Sen. Ossoff brought Republicans and Democrats together to deliver $1,031,000 in Federal funding to help the Conyers Police Department strengthen emergency response efforts by purchasing new portable radios and a Mobile Command Vehicle.

In 2023, Sen. Ossoff delivered new resources through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to construct a new hurricane and tornado safe room on Tybee Island, providing a safe area for emergency personnel who must remain on the Island during hurricanes and other disaster situations.

Click here to read the Mystic Alerts Act.

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