*Pages 1--1 from  Microsoft Word - 53567.doc*
 STATEMENT  OF  COMMISSIONER  MICHAEL  J.  COPPS 
 Re:  Review  of  the  Emergency  Alert  System 
 This  Order  paves  the  way  for  bringing  our  warning  system  into  the  digital  era.  There  is  every  reason  to  make  this  a  priority,  from  the  threat  of  more  terrorism  to  the 
 continuing  ravages  of  nature  that  we  have  endured  this  summer.  So  I  am  pleased  that  we  are  moving  to  expand  EAS  into  the  new  digital  technologies  that  so  many  Americans  are 
 using. 
 Surely  it  is  also  time  to  explore  a  more  comprehensive  EAS  system.  People  today  use  communications  devices  to  receive  information  in  so  many  ways  --  wireline,  wireless, 
 radio  and  television  broadcasting,  satellite,  cable,  IP  technologies,  and  others.  To  make  our  warning  systems  and  information  dissemination  as  effective  as  possible,  we  need  to 
 figure  out  how  to  integrate  these  diverse  technologies. 
 While  the  Further  Notice  is  rather  brief,  I  hope  everyone  will  realize  the  many  questions  that  need  to  be  addressed  as  we  bring  the  EAS  into  the  Twenty-  first  century. 
 For  example,  we  need  to  make  sure  that  all  Americans  receive  emergency  information,  including  those  with  disabilities  and  those  whose  primary  fluency  is  in  a  language  other 
 than  English.  In  the  recent  hurricanes,  tens  of  thousands  of  residents  whose  primary  language  is  not  English  lacked  access  to  the  information  and  warnings  that  others  were 
 receiving.  We  need  to  solve  this  problem. 
 Secondly,  we  need  to  realize  that  although  EAS  is  a  national  system,  it  also  affords  state  and  local  authorities  the  capability  to  provide  emergency  information  on 
 everything  from  weather  emergencies  to  Amber  alerts  that  save  abducted  children.  So  we  need  to  decide  who  exactly,  and  at  what  level,  can  activate  this  system.  And  does  it  make 
 sense  that  employment  of  the  system  remains  voluntary  in  most  instances? 
 So  there  is  a  lot  to  do  to  complete  this  proceeding.  And  we  do  not  have  the  luxury  of  time  in  these  efforts—  terrorists  and  hurricanes  don’t  wait  on  us.  These  are  critical 
 questions  that  are  integral  to  our  public  safety  and  homeland  security  efforts.  I  look  forward  to  working  on  this  with  my  colleagues  and  with  our  new  Bureau  which  I  hope 
 will  be  up  and  running  soon. 
1