S. 1180: Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Modernization Act of 2015

114th Congress · introduced 2015-05-04 · Emergency Management · Latest: Became Public Law No: 114-143.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2015-05-04 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Johnson, Ron [R-WI] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Became Public Law No: 114-143. (final step reached)
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Modernization Act of 2015

Plain summary

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the Senate on June 25, 2015. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Modernization Act of 2015 (Sec. 2) Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to: (1) modernize the integrated U.S. public alert and warning system to help ensure that under all conditions the President, federal agencies, and state, tribal, and local governments can alert and warn the civilian population in areas endangered by natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters or threats to public safety; and (2) implement such system to disseminate timely and effective warnings. Directs FEMA to: (1) establish common alerting and warning protocols, standards, terminology, and operating procedures for the system; (2) include in such system the capability to adapt the distribution and content of communications on the basis of geographic location, risks, and multiple communication technologies and to alert, warn, and provide equivalent information to individuals with disabilities, access and functional needs, or limited English proficiency; (3) ensure that specified training, tests, and exercises for such system are conducted and that the system is resilient, secure, and can withstand external attacks; and (4) conduct public education efforts and a general market awareness campaign about the system. Requires the system to: (1) be designed to adapt to and incorporate future technologies for communicating directly with the public, provide alerts to the largest portion of the affected population feasible, and improve the ability of remote areas to receive alerts; (2) promote local and regional public and private partnerships to enhance community preparedness and response; (3) provide redundant alert mechanisms; and (4) protect individual privacy. Requires FEMA to make available on its public website and submit to Congress an annual report of the performance of the system. Directs FEMA to establish the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Subcommittee to develop and submit recommendations for an integrated public alert and warning system to the National Advisory Council, which shall report the recommendations it approves to agencies represented on the Subcommittee and to specified congressional committees. Terminates the Subcommittee not later than three years after this Act's enactment. Authorizes appropriations to carry out this Act for FY2016-FY2018.

Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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A “Nay” vote

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Modernization Act of 2015

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Johnson, Ron [R-WI] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: S. 1180, Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Modernization Act of 2015 (2015-05-22)

Cosponsors on this site

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Johnson, Ron [R-WI] reported raising $1.2 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114s1180.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/s>

Record fed-us-cong114-s1180 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114