Federal RuleAug 21
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DOL Rewrites Disability Rules for 'Merit-Based Opportunity' Push
RuleLabor DepartmentFederal Contract Compliance Programs OfficeSignificant Wallet
S725119th CongressWALLET
Enhancing First Response Act
Sponsored By: Senator Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
Passed Senate
Summary
Tightens outage reporting and boosts resilience of emergency communications. The bill links Disaster Information Reporting System activations to yearly FCC hearings and public reports, reclassifies 911 telecommunicators, and orders reviews of outage notification practices and Kari’s Law enforcement.
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- First responders and 911 centers get more transparent outage data and oversight. The FCC must hold at least one public hearing each year lasting not less than 7 days and publish a report within 120 days that documents outage counts, durations, effects on caller location and routing, and recovery recommendations.
- Communications providers and infrastructure firms face clearer definitions and reporting duties tied to DIRS. The FCC will investigate within 1 year whether including visual information in outage alerts helps public safety and how many 911 outages may go unreported under current thresholds.
- Public safety telecommunicators and device makers see targeted administrative fixes. The Office of Management and Budget must reclassify telecommunicators as a protective service occupation within 30 days and the FCC must report on Kari’s Law compliance by multi-line telephone system manufacturers and vendors within 180 days.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Kari’s Law enforcement review
The FCC would publish a report within 180 days on enforcing Kari’s Law, a 2017 law for multi‑line phone systems and 911. The report would summarize compliance by manufacturers and vendors, list obstacles to compliance, and recommend enforcement steps. It would also recommend any new laws to Congress if needed.
Study on 911 outage alerts
The FCC would have one year to study 911 outage alerts. The report would weigh the value of adding visual information for 911 centers and the burden on providers. It would estimate how many 911 outages go unreported under current thresholds. It would recommend rule changes to improve awareness and reporting.
Yearly hearings on disaster outages
If enacted, the FCC would hold at least one public hearing each year on events in the prior year when the Disaster Information Reporting System was activated for seven or more days. The FCC would publish a report within 120 days after each hearing. The report would list the number and length of outages for broadband, VoIP, mobile voice, and mobile data, and estimate users and infrastructure affected. It would also note outages that block 911 centers from getting caller location or number or from receiving and routing emergency calls, and include resiliency and recovery recommendations. The FCC would use DIRS data and hearing input, post reports online, and keep company‑specific information confidential. The bill would also align key terms like broadband, VoIP, PSAP, and outage with existing federal definitions.
List 911 dispatchers as protective service
The Director of OMB would list public safety telecommunicators, like 911 dispatchers, as a protective service job within 30 days after enactment. This would be a statistical change to job codes. It would not set pay or benefits, but it could guide workforce data and future policy.
No extra FCC power over broadband
This bill would state that nothing in this act would give the FCC more authority over broadband providers than the act clearly says. It would limit any implied FCC power to what is expressly authorized here. This would not change your internet bill directly, but it would set boundaries for FCC actions under this act.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]
MN • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]
TN • R
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]
NM • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Sullivan, Dan [R-AK]
AK • R
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]
NM • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Capito, Shelley Moore [R-WV]
WV • R
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
MA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Budd, Ted [R-NC]
NC • R
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME]
ME • I
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Thune, John [R-SD]
SD • R
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ]
AZ • D
Sponsored 2/25/2025
Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID]
ID • R
Sponsored 3/12/2025
Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA]
WA • D
Sponsored 4/29/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov