Bill Details

HR.1076 - 119th Congress

Track WARN Act? Stop tracking WARN Act?

When you track this bill you will receive emails when the bill has been updated.

You will no longer receive emails when this bill is updated.

AI Summary This summary was generated by AI from the bill text. AI can get information wrong.

This bill would require the U.S. Government Accountability Office to study how well emergency alert systems work during weather-related emergencies. The study would look at whether alerts from local, state, territorial, and federal systems are reaching people quickly and giving them useful information so communities can improve emergency planning and keep people safer.

  • It would examine different ways to send alerts, including social media, to see how well they work during extreme weather events.
  • It would look at alerts about things like travel bans and large power outages, not just general weather warnings.
  • It would check whether there is enough guidance and training for writing alert messages that are clear, relevant, and tell people what actions to take.
  • It would also gather input from emergency managers, local officials, and community groups on possible improvements, including outdoor siren systems, and then send a report to Congress within 18 months.

Official Summaries

No summaries available

Current Full Text

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1076 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1076

  To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a 
study on the effectiveness of emergency alerting systems, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 6, 2025

  Mr. Langworthy (for himself, Ms. Davids of Kansas, Mr. Meuser, Mr. 
   Moylan, Mr. Rogers of Alabama, Mr. Weber of Texas, Mr. Carter of 
  Louisiana, Ms. Norton, Ms. Tlaib, Mr. Moskowitz, Mrs. Dingell, Mr. 
  Lawler, Mr. Neguse, Mr. Harder of California, Mr. Mullin, Ms. King-
    Hinds, Mrs. Luna, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Mr. Pappas, Ms. 
 Barragan, and Mr. Carbajal) introduced the following bill; which was 
     referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a 
study on the effectiveness of emergency alerting systems, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Weather Alert Response and 
Notification Act'' or the ``WARN Act''.

SEC. 2. EFFECTIVENESS OF LOCAL, STATE, TERRITORY, AND FEDERAL ALERTING 
              SYSTEMS.

    (a) In General.--The Comptroller General of the United States shall 
conduct a study on the effectiveness of local, State, territory, and 
Federal emergency alerting systems in disseminating timely and relevant 
information during weather-related emergencies to help communities 
develop better policies and procedures for emergency response and 
enhance public safety in the event of a weather-related emergency.
    (b) Contents.--In conducting the study under subsection (a), the 
Comptroller General shall--
            (1) evaluate the efficacy of various alert mediums, 
        including platforms such as social media, to disseminate 
        emergency alerts, including travel bans and mass power outages, 
        during extreme weather events;
            (2) assess the extent that guidance and training exists for 
        developing alert content, such as ensuring alerts are clear, 
        relevant, and provide the public with actionable information; 
        and
            (3) determine whether improvements could be made to public 
        alerting, including outdoor siren systems, based on input from 
        a selected sample of emergency managers, local officials, and 
        community groups.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Homeland 
Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland 
Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report on the study 
conducted under subsection (a).
                                 <all>