Representatives August Pfluger (TX-11), Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Buddy Carter (GA-01), and Marc Veasey (TX-33) have introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at improving the United States’ emergency alert systems. The proposed Mystic Alerts Act would add satellite networks to the existing Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system, allowing people to receive critical alerts even when traditional communication infrastructure fails or is unavailable.

Rep. Pfluger emphasized the importance of this effort for rural communities, where cell service can be unreliable: "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.”

Rep. Fletcher stated: “No one should miss a life-saving emergency alert because they do not have cellular service. 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.”

Rep. Carter added: “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.”

Rep. Veasey noted: “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.”

The legislation follows expert testimony warning that gaps in current systems put lives at risk during disasters such as floods in Texas last July 4th.

August Pfluger has served as U.S. Representative for Texas’s 11th District since 2021 after replacing Mike Conaway in Congress.

Additional information on this legislation can be found on Concho Valley Homepage.

View this article in the Midland Times.