House Approves Pallone’s SANDy Act to Improve Communications During Disasters

Washington, D.C. – Tonight, the House overwhelmingly approved the Securing Access to Networks in Disasters Act – or the SANDy Act, which was introduced last year by Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ). Pallone gave the following statement on the House floor during debate on the bill:

I rise in support of H.R. 3998, the Securing Access to Networks in Disasters – or SANDy – Act.

Super Storm Sandy had a dramatic effect on my district back in New Jersey. We saw firsthand the importance of communications networks during an emergency. Broadcast and cable networks provide critical information to help us stay out of harm’s way. And telecommunications networks are what makes sure we can call for help and keep track of our loved ones.

Unfortunately, when Hurricane Sandy ripped through the Northeast, we could not rely on several of these systems when we needed them most. For instance, nearly one in four cell towers were knocked out. In some of the hardest hit areas of my state, as many as half of the towers went down – many of them stayed down for weeks.

That is why I have spent the past several years figuring out what went right and what went wrong. We learned about issues that have plagued our networks for at least a decade—not just during Sandy, but during Hurricane Katrina and other major disasters as well.

The SANDy Act will take another step towards making that right. Specifically, the SANDy Act would recognize the important role that wireline and mobile telephone, Internet, radio and television broadcasting, and cable and satellite services, play during emergencies. These communications providers need priority access to help them repair and maintain their communications equipment during disasters.

But this bill is part of a larger effort to keep us safe in emergencies. As part of the lead up to today, I worked with the nation’s largest wireless carriers and the Federal Communications Commission to pull together a voluntary framework to ensure the industry complies with the wireless provisions that were originally set forth in the SANDy Act. Most important, the framework makes sure that if one network goes down, its customers can access another network that is still operational. Everyone should be able to call for help as long as any signal is available.

This agreement will save lives during major emergencies in the future. I would like to thank the wireless carriers and the FCC for working with me to craft this comprehensive agreement. Having these networks operational can mean the difference between life and death during an event like Super Storm Sandy.

I urge all Members to support H.R. 3998, and hope that once it passes the House today, that the Senate will soon take up the measure and send it to the President.

I yield back.