PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Subcommittee on Emergency Communications, Preparedness, and Response.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jun 26, 2008
Alerting Lives through Effective and Reliable Technological Systems Act of 2008 or ALERTS Act of 2008 - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to: (1) establish a national integrated public alert and warning system; (2) develop within such system a commercial mobile alert system to provide rapid dissemination of information over commercial mobile devices; and (3) designate an agency within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to receive, aggregate, validate, and authenticate homeland security and other information originated by authorized federal, state, local, and tribal governments to facilitate the transmission of such mobile alert system.
Requires the Secretary to: (1) establish common alerting and warning protocols, standards of performance, and terminology; (2) include the capability to adapt the dissemination of information and the content of communications on the basis of geographic location, risks, or user preferences and to alert special needs populations; (3) ensure that the national warning system is incorporated into DHS training and exercise programs; and (4) coordinate with other federal agencies, state, local, and tribal governments, and key stakeholders.
Directs the Secretary to conduct a pilot program to increase the national warning system's reach.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Amends the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 to authorize the use of grant funds to permit state, local, and tribal governments to improve public alert and warning capabilities.
Prohibits tampering or interfering with components of the national warning system that are used or designed to deliver alerts and warnings and that were purchased with public funds.
People & committees
Rep. Cuellar, Henry [D-TX-28] · D–TX
Legislative record
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Referred to the Subcommittee on Emergency Communications, Preparedness, and Response.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management.
Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 14, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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