SANDY Act passes US Senate

The Secure Access to Networks in Disasters (SANDY) Act passed the Senate. The bill will help speed up communications infrastructure repairs following natural disasters. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ), who first sponsored the bill in 2015 following Hurricane Sandy, said he was confident the bill would pass the House quickly.

"Superstorm Sandy had a dramatic effect on New Jersey, and we saw firsthand how critical communications networks can be during emergencies," said Pallone. "We must do everything we can to be prepared for disasters like Sandy, Harvey, Irma or the wildfires in the West."

“In the wake of Hurricanes Irma and Harvey, I was pleased to see the United States Senate’s unanimous passage of the SANDY Act of 2017 last night,” FCC Commissioner Rosenworcel said. “We know that weather-related emergencies and other disasters can occur anywhere at any time–and this legislation comes not a moment too soon. Among other things, it promises to help speed restoration of essential communications in times of disaster.”

Links:

U.S. Senate passes bill that would make cell phones work on other networks amid natural disasters (NY Daily News, Sept. 13, 2017)

N.J. lawmaker's Hurricane Sandy cell phone tower bill just got a major boost in Senate (NJ.com, Sept. 11, 2017)

Statement of Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel on Senate Passage of the SANDY Act (Sept. 12, 2017)