NEWS Federal Communications Commission 445 12 th Street, S.W. Washington, DC 20554 This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC, 515 F.2d 385 (D.C. Cir. 1974). News Media Information 202-418-0500 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 1-888-835-5322 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: September 8, 2014 Matthew Berry, 202-418-2005 Email: Matthew.Berry@fcc.gov STATEMENT OF FCC COMMISSIONER AJIT PAI REGARDING DIRECT 911 DIALING In January, I launched an inquiry to determine how we can ensure that whenever someone dials 911 from a hotel, motel, or office building, he or she can reach emergency personnel directly. 1 I am pleased to report that progress is being made. Last week, Marriott International, Inc. reported that 100% of its 650 owned and managed hotels in the United States now allow direct 911 dialing. That is great news. Moreover, Marriott has now implemented a brand standard that requires every one of its 2,500 franchised hotels to offer direct 911 dialing. Over 75% of the company’s franchised hotels currently comply with this standard, a substantial increase compared to just a few months ago. This number will continue to grow moving forward. I applaud Marriott’s leadership, and I look forward to continuing to work with all stakeholders on this important issue. 1 See Statement of FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai on the Importance of Connecting Americans to Emergency Personnel Whenever They Dial 911 (Jan. 13, 2014), http://go.usa.gov/9DxJ; Remarks of Commissioner Ajit Pai at the 9-1-1 Goes to Washington Conference (Mar. 24, 2014), http://go.usa.gov/9DjA; Statement of FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai Regarding the Ongoing Inquiry into Consumers’ Ability to Reach Emergency Personnel Whenever They Dial 911 (June 24, 2014), http://go.usa.gov/NNj4.