WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, Congressman August Pfluger's (TX-11) Mystic Alerts Act was unanimously passed through the U.S. House of Representatives, marking his 10th bill to pass the House this term and a major step forward for emergency preparedness nationwide.
In response to his legislation's passage, Congressman August Pfluger said, "Disaster doesn't wait, and neither can we. The devastating July 4th floods that tore through Central and West Texas, including Camp Mystic where two of my daughters were staying, were a powerful reminder of the stakes. The Mystic Alert Act steps up where our systems often fall short, ensuring Wireless Emergency Alerts can still be delivered via satellite when traditional networks fail. This means life-saving information can reach families and first responders when it matters most. Today's passage is a major, commonsense win to strengthen emergency communications preparedness and protect our communities from facing a tragedy like this again."
Rep. Pfluger's bipartisan Mystic Alerts Act modernizes America's emergency alert infrastructure by integrating satellite networks into the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system, helping ensure Americans can receive critical, life-saving alerts even when traditional communications infrastructure is damaged or nonexistent.
Rep. Pfluger introduced this bipartisan legislation alongside Reps. Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Buddy Carter (GA-01), and Marc Veasey (TX-33)
“My granddaughters were staying at Camp Mystic when the devastating floods claimed the lives of many young girls, including their cousin, Janie Hunt,” said Congressman Carter. “No child or family should have to endure a tragedy like this again. This bill will strengthen communication infrastructure during emergencies by implementing satellite-enabled alerts that can mean the difference between life and death. I am proud to see the Mystic Alerts Act pass the House, look forward to the Senate taking it up, and to its eventual signing into law.”
“I am proud of the passage of the Mystic Alerts Act through the House today—this bill will ensure that emergency alerts are disseminated through satellites even if commercial cell providers are unable to provide service,”said Congressman Veasey.
“In Houston and across the state of Texas, we are still heartbroken and grieving the loss of 135 people and the destruction of communities along the Guadalupe River last summer, a disaster made worse by communication gaps and failures,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher. “This bill is a small but important way to provide a meaningful response to the devastating floods and learn from the tragedy so that communities across the country do not have to experience the same pain and loss that Texans did last year. Nothing can bring back those that we lost in the flood, but we owe it to their survivors and to everyone we represent to do everything we can to try to prevent another tragedy like the one that we saw last summer. I am glad to partner with Congressman Pfluger, Congressman Veasey, and Congressman Carter in this effort and the work to get this legislation signed into law.”
Watch this legislation be featured on KLST here or by clicking the image below. You can also watch Rep. Pfluger's full remarks highlighting the need for this legislation here.
Background:
Since the devastating floods in Texas on July 4th, Rep. Pfluger has emphasized the urgent need to ensure that Americans across the nation, especially those in rural areas, 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 legislationduring a House Energy and Commerce Communications and Technology Subcommittee hearing focused on strengthening emergency alert systems. Expert witnesses testified in the December hearing that this legislation is a critical step toward closing the digital divide and strengthening public safety communications nationwide.
