text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Integrated Public Alert and Warning 
  System Modernization Act of 2015''.
  
  SEC. 2. INTEGRATED PUBLIC ALERT AND WARNING SYSTEM MODERNIZATION.
  
      (a) Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Modernization.--
              (1) In general.--To provide timely and effective disaster 
          warnings under this section, the President, acting through the 
          Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, 
          shall, except as provided in paragraph (4)--
                      (A) modernize the integrated public alert and 
                  warning system of the United States (in this section 
                  referred to as the ``public alert and warning system'') 
                  to ensure that the President under all conditions is 
                  able to alert and warn governmental authorities and the 
                  civilian population in areas endangered by disasters; 
                  and
                      (B) implement the public alert and warning system.
              (2) Implementation requirements.--In carrying out paragraph 
          (1), the Administrator shall, consistent with the 
          recommendations in the final report of the Integrated Public 
          Alert and Warning System Advisory Committee (established under 
          subsection (b))--
                      (A) establish or adopt, as appropriate, common 
                  alerting and warning protocols, standards, terminology, 
                  and operating procedures for the public alert and 
                  warning system;
                      (B) include in the public alert and warning system 
                  the capability to adapt the distribution and content of 
                  communications on the basis of geographic location, 
                  risks, or personal user preferences, as appropriate;
                      (C) include in the public alert and warning system 
                  the capability to alert, warn, and provide the 
                  equivalent amount of information to individuals with 
                  disabilities and individuals with access and functional 
                  needs;
                      (D) ensure that training, tests, and exercises are 
                  conducted for the public alert and warning system and 
                  that the system is incorporated into other training and 
                  exercise programs of the Department of Homeland 
                  Security, as appropriate;
                      (E) establish and integrate into the National 
                  Incident Management System a comprehensive and periodic 
                  training program to instruct and educate Federal, 
                  State, tribal, and local government officials in the 
                  use of the Common Alerting Protocol enabled Emergency 
                  Alert System; and
                      (F) ensure that the public alert and warning system 
                  is resilient, secure, and can withstand acts of 
                  terrorism and other external attacks.
              (3) System requirements.--Consistent with paragraph (1), 
          the public alert and warning system shall--
                      (A) incorporate multiple communications 
                  technologies;
                      (B) be designed to adapt to, and incorporate, 
                  future technologies for communicating directly with the 
                  public;
                      (C) to the extent technically feasible, be designed 
                  to provide alerts to the largest portion of the 
                  affected population, including nonresident visitors and 
                  tourists and individuals with disabilities and access 
                  and functional needs, and improve the ability of remote 
                  areas to receive alerts;
                      (D) promote local and regional public and private 
                  partnerships to enhance community preparedness and 
                  response;
                      (E) provide redundant alert mechanisms if 
                  practicable so as to reach the greatest number of 
                  people regardless of whether they have access to, or 
                  utilize, any specific medium of communication or any 
                  particular device; and
                      (F) include a mechanism to ensure the protection of 
                  individual privacy.
              (4) Limitation on authority.--Nothing in this subsection 
          authorizes or requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency 
          or any other government entity to require any action on the 
          part of the Federal Communications Commission, the Department 
          of Commerce, the Office of Emergency Communications, or any 
          nongovernmental entity, nor impact any existing obligations of 
          such entities.
              (5) Implementation plan.--Not later than 180 days after the 
          date of submission of the report of the Integrated Public Alert 
          and Warning System Advisory Committee, the Administrator 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 detailed plan to implement 
          the public alert and warning system. The plan shall include a 
          timeline for implementation, a spending plan, and 
          recommendations for any additional authority that may be 
          necessary to fully implement this subsection.
              (6) Funding.--There is authorized to be appropriated 
          $12,824,000 of the amount made available pursuant to section 
          699 of the Post Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 
          (Public Law 109-295; 6 U.S.C. 811) for each of fiscal years 
          2016, 2017, and 2018 to carry out the provisions of this 
          section.
      (b) Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Advisory 
  Committee.--
              (1) Establishment.--Not later than 90 days after the date 
          of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal 
          Emergency Management Agency shall establish an advisory 
          committee to be known as the Integrated Public Alert and 
          Warning System Advisory Committee (in this subsection referred 
          to as the ``Advisory Committee'').
              (2) Membership.--The Advisory Committee shall be composed 
          of the following members (or their designees) to be appointed 
          by the Administrator as soon as practicable after the date of 
          enactment of this Act:
                      (A) The Chairman of the Federal Communications 
                  Commission.
                      (B) The Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
                  Atmospheric Administration of the Department of 
                  Commerce.
                      (C) The Assistant Secretary for Communications and 
                  Information of the Department of Commerce.
                      (D) The Director of the Office of Disability 
                  Integration and Coordination of the Federal Emergency 
                  Management Agency.
                      (E) Representatives of State and local governments, 
                  representatives of emergency management agencies, and 
                  representatives of emergency response providers, 
                  selected from among individuals nominated by national 
                  organizations representing governments and personnel.
                      (F) Representatives from federally recognized 
                  Indian tribes and national Indian organizations.
                      (G) Individuals who have the requisite technical 
                  knowledge and expertise to serve on the Advisory 
                  Committee, including representatives of--
                              (i) communications service providers;
                              (ii) vendors, developers, and manufacturers 
                          of systems, facilities, equipment, and 
                          capabilities for the provision of 
                          communications services;
                              (iii) third-party service bureaus;
                              (iv) the broadcasting industry, including 
                          commercial and noncommercial radio and 
                          television stations;
                              (v) the commercial mobile radio service 
                          industry;
                              (vi) the cable industry;
                              (vii) the satellite industry; and
                              (viii) national organizations representing 
                          individuals with disabilities and access and 
                          functional needs and national organizations 
                          representing the elderly.
                      (H) Qualified representatives of such other 
                  stakeholders and interested and affected parties as the 
                  Administrator considers appropriate.
              (3) Chairperson.--The Administrator shall serve as the 
          Chairperson of the Advisory Committee.
              (4) Meetings.--
                      (A) Initial meeting.--The initial meeting of the 
                  Advisory Committee shall take place not later than 120 
                  days after the date of enactment of this Act.
                      (B) Other meetings.--After the initial meeting, the 
                  Advisory Committee shall meet, at least annually, at 
                  the call of the Chairperson.
                      (C) Notice; open meetings.--Meetings held by the 
                  Advisory Committee shall be duly noticed at least 14 
                  days in advance and shall be open to the public.
                      (D) Interested persons.--Interested persons shall 
                  be permitted to attend, appear before, or file 
                  statements with the Advisory Committee, in accordance 
                  with subsection (c) of section 552b of title 5, United 
                  States Code.
                      (E) Meeting minutes.--The Advisory Committee shall 
                  keep detailed minutes of each meeting, which shall 
                  contain a record of the persons present, a complete and 
                  accurate description of matters discussed and 
                  conclusions reached, and copies of all reports 
                  received, issued, or approved by the Advisory 
                  Committee.
                      (F) Availability of information.--The records, 
                  reports, transcripts, minutes, appendixes, working 
                  papers, drafts, studies, agenda, or other documents 
                  which were made available to or prepared for or by the 
                  Advisory Committee shall be available for public 
                  inspection and copying, subject to section 552 of title 
                  5, United States Code, at a single location in the 
                  office of the Federal Emergency Management Agency until 
                  the Advisory Committee ceases to exist.
              (5) Rules.--
                      (A) Quorum.--One-third of the members of the 
                  Advisory Committee shall constitute a quorum for 
                  conducting business of the Advisory Committee.
                      (B) Subcommittees.--To assist the Advisory 
                  Committee in carrying out its functions, the 
                  Chairperson may establish appropriate subcommittees 
                  composed of members of the Advisory Committee and other 
                  subject matter experts as the Chairperson considers 
                  necessary.
                      (C) Additional rules.--The Advisory Committee may 
                  adopt such other rules as are necessary to carry out 
                  its duties.
              (6) Consultation with nonmembers.--The Advisory Committee 
          and the program offices for the integrated public alert and 
          warning system for the United States shall regularly meet with 
          groups that are not represented on the Advisory Committee to 
          consider new and developing technologies that may be beneficial 
          to the public alert and warning system. Such groups may 
          include--
                      (A) the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency;
                      (B) entities engaged in federally funded research; 
                  and
                      (C) academic institutions engaged in relevant work 
                  and research.
              (7) Recommendations.--The Advisory Committee shall develop 
          recommendations for an integrated public alert and warning 
          system, including--
                      (A) recommendations for common alerting and warning 
                  protocols, standards, terminology, and operating 
                  procedures for the public alert and warning system; and
                      (B) recommendations to provide for a public alert 
                  and warning system that--
                              (i) has the capability to adapt the 
                          distribution and content of communications on 
                          the basis of geographic location, risks, or 
                          personal user preferences, as appropriate;
                              (ii) has the capability to alert and warn 
                          individuals with disabilities and individuals 
                          with limited English proficiency;
                              (iii) incorporates multiple communications 
                          technologies;
                              (iv) is designed to adapt to, and 
                          incorporate, future technologies for 
                          communicating directly with the public;
                              (v) is designed to provide alerts to the 
                          largest portion of the affected population 
                          feasible, including nonresident visitors and 
                          tourists, and improve the ability of remote 
                          areas to receive alerts;
                              (vi) promotes local and regional public and 
                          private partnerships to enhance community 
                          preparedness and response;
                              (vii) provides redundant alert mechanisms 
                          if practicable in order to reach the greatest 
                          number of people regardless of whether they 
                          have access to, or utilize, any specific medium 
                          of communication or any particular device; and
                              (viii) promotes the participation of 
                          representatives from traditionally underserved 
                          and underrepresented communities, to ensure 
                          that alerts and warnings reach such 
                          populations.
              (8) Initial and annual report.--Not later than 1 year after 
          the date of enactment of this Act, the Advisory Committee shall 
          submit to the Administrator, 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 
          containing the recommendations of the Advisory Committee.
              (9) Federal advisory committee act.--Neither the Federal 
          Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) nor any rule, order, or 
          regulation issued under that Act shall apply to the Advisory 
          Committee.
              (10) Termination.--The Advisory Committee shall terminate 
          not later than 6 years after the date of enactment of this Act.
      (c) Limitation on Statutory Construction.--Nothing in this section 
  shall be construed to provide the Federal Emergency Management Agency 
  with regulatory authority with respect to any nongovernment entity.
target: .  Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Modernization Act of 2015  This bill directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to modernize and implement the integrated public alert and warning system of the United States to ensure that the President is able, under all conditions, to alert governmental authorities and the civilian population in areas endangered by disasters, including by:   establishing common alerting and warning protocols, standards, terminology, and operating procedures for such system;  including in such system the capability to adapt the distribution and content of communications on the basis of geographic location, risks, or personal user preferences and to alert individuals with disabilities and individuals with access and functional needs;  ensuring that training, tests, and exercises are conducted for such system;  establishing and integrating into the National Incident Management System a comprehensive and periodic training program to instruct and educate federal, state, tribal, and local government officials in the use of the Common Alerting Protocol enabled Emergency Alert System; and  ensuring that the system is resilient, secure, and can withstand acts of terrorism and other external attacks.  The system shall:   incorporate multiple communications technologies,  be designed to incorporate future technologies for communicating directly with the public to provide alerts to the largest portion of the affected population feasible and to improve the ability of remote areas to receive alerts,   promote local and regional partnerships to enhance community preparedness and response,   provide redundant alert mechanisms, and   protect individual privacy.  FEMA must: (1) submit a detailed plan to implement the system, including a time line, a spending plan, and recommendations for any additional authority necessary; and (2) establish the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Advisory Committee to develop recommendations for the system. 
feat_title: Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Modernization Act of 2015