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WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Representatives August Pfluger (TX-11), Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Buddy Carter (GA-01), and Marc Veasey (TX-33) introduced bipartisan legislation to modernize America's emergency alert systems and strengthen public safety communications, especially for rural communities.
The Mystic Alerts Act would integrate satellite networks into the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system, ensuring Americans can receive critical, life-saving alerts even when traditional communications infrastructure is damaged or nonexistent.
"When disaster strikes, communication infrastructure is often the first thing to fail, and in rural districts like mine, cell service can often be unreliable or unavailable altogether. That is why timely, satellite-enabled alerts can mean the difference between life and death," said Rep. Pfluger. "After witnessing the devastating impacts of the floods in Central and West Texas, we must ensure every American can receive emergency alerts when it matters most, so a tragedy like this never happens again. I am proud to lead this bipartisan effort to close the digital divide and strengthen our nation's emergency preparedness.”
“No one should miss a life-saving emergency alert because they do not have cellular service,” said Rep. Fletcher. “Satellite alerting technology has the potential to close dangerous gaps in our emergency communications system, and by encouraging mobile providers to adopt these capabilities, this bill helps ensure that emergency alerts can reach people no matter where they live or what signal they have. That is why I am glad to join Congressman Pfluger, Congressman Veasey, and Congressman Carter in advancing this commonsense proposal.”
“We must learn from the tragedy at Camp Mystic, so it is never repeated. While my granddaughters survived the flood, thanks to the help of brave first responders, many others - including their dear cousin - were not as fortunate. By improving emergency communications technologies, we will help the state of Texas heal and prepare America for future storms, which will undoubtedly save lives,” said Rep. Carter.
“Our emergency alert systems shouldn’t depend on a single line of communication,” said Rep. Veasey. “By integrating satellite capability into the Wireless Emergency Alert system, the Mystic Alerts Act adds a critical layer of resilience that makes our emergency communications stronger, smarter, and more reliable. This bipartisan bill is about building redundancy into our public safety systems so Americans can stay informed even in the most challenging circumstances.”
This legislation builds on the testimony from expert witnesses who have warned that gaps in emergency communications continue to put lives at risk. By leveraging satellite technology, the Mystic Alerts Act will significantly help first responders, families, and communities across America have confidence that they will receive timely information during an emergency.
Read more on this legislation in the Concho Valley Homepage here.
Text of the legislation is available here.
Background:
Since the devastating floods in Texas on July 4th, Rep. Pfluger has emphasized the urgent need to ensure Americans across the nation, and especially those in rural areas, can receive life-saving emergency alerts when disaster strikes. The floods made it clear that gaps in emergency communications can cost lives, and Congress has a responsibility to close those gaps.
In December 2025, Rep. Pfluger previewed this legislation during a House Energy and Commerce Communications and Technology Subcommittee hearing focused on strengthening emergency alert systems. In the hearing, expert witnesses testified that this legislation is a critical step toward closing the digital divide and strengthening public safety communications nationwide.
Watch Rep. Pfluger's opening remarks on the necessity for this legislation, as well as his exchange with the witnesses HERE or by clicking the image below.
You can also read more about the hearing HERE.
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