U.S. Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-NY-23) and U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids (D-Kan.) introduced the bipartisan Weather Alert Response and Notification Act (WARN Act) on Thursday. This legislation, which was developed following the problems that arose during Winter Storm Elliott, requests the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on the effectiveness of local alert systems during severe weather events.

This legislation was previously introduced by Langworthy in the 118th Congress where it garnered strong bipartisan support and passed unanimously through the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and on the House floor.

“In times of emergency, one of the best things we can do to save lives and mitigate damage is to ensure there is an accurate and reliable public notification system,” Langworthy said. “As we saw with Winter Storm Elliott and countless extreme weather events across the nation, effective warning systems are a matter of life and death. This legislation is the first step to replacing inconsistent, fragmented, and arbitrary systems into a streamlined process for an accurate and consistent nationwide emergency alert system. We came extremely close to having this bill become law in the last year, and I’m confident we will be able to get it across the finish line in this new Congress.”

The study would evaluate the efficacy of current alert systems and investigate new platforms for weather alerts that account for advances in technology. It would also evaluate the effectiveness of disseminating unique, life-saving alerts during severe weather, including travel bans and area-specific power outages.

“Kansans know all too well how critical it is to have reliable emergency alerts — whether it’s a tornado, a flash flood, or another severe weather event,” Davids said. “We’ve seen local instances where sirens didn’t go off when they should have, and others where they sounded without a real threat, creating confusion and undermining trust in the system. I’m proud to join this bipartisan effort to modernize emergency alert systems, ensuring our communities receive clear, accurate, and timely warnings when disaster strikes.”

There are 17 other original co-sponsors, including Rep. Dan Meuser (R-Pa.), Del. James Moylan (R-Guam), Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala/), Rep. Randy Weber (R-Texas), Rep. Troy Carter (D-La.), Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.), Rep. Josh Harder (D-Calif.), Rep. Kevin Mullen (D-Calif.), Del. Kimberlyn King – Hinds (R-Northern Marina Islands), Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.), Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.)

Congressman Nick Langworthy represents the 23rd Congressional District of New York, including Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chemung and Tioga Counties, as well as parts of Erie, Niagara, Schuyler, Steuben Counties. Visit langworthy.house.gov.

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