NEWS RELEASE

Committee on Energy and Commerce
Rep. John D. Dingell, Chairman

House Approves the “The New and Emerging Technologies 911 Improvement Act of 2008”

Washington, D.C. –Rep. John D. Dingell (D-MI), Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce issued the following statement in support of H.R. 3403, the “The New and Emerging Technologies 911 Improvement Act of 2008.” The legislation passed the U.S. House of Representatives today by unanimous consent.

“Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3403, the “New and Emerging Technologies 911 Improvement Act of 2008.”

“This legislation ensures that consumers using Voice over Internet Protocol technology, or VoIP, can make full use of the 911 system in two important ways. First, the legislation extends the same liability protections afforded to wireline and wireless carriers, public safety, and end users to VoIP service. This parity in liability protections will encourage service providers, public safety, and end users to continue to rely on the 911 emergency communications system, regardless of the technology used to make a 911 call. Second, the legislation ensures that VoIP providers can interconnect with legacy telephone networks so they can deliver calls and information to 911 call centers.

“Rep. Gordon, the author of H.R. 3403, Rep. Markey, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, Rep. Barton, Ranking Member of the Committee, Reps. Upton and Stearns, the former and current Ranking Members of the Subcommittee, and I worked very closely with all stakeholders on this legislation, and it has widespread support among the public safety community, industry, and others."

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