Subcommittee advances Next Generation 9‑1‑1 bill to full committee

A House Energy and Commerce subcommittee advanced HR 6505, a bipartisan bill to speed deployment of Next Generation 9‑1‑1 (NG9‑1‑1) technology, forwarding the measure to the full committee by voice vote.

The chair opened debate saying the bill would establish a grant program at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), create a nationwide NG9‑1‑1 cybersecurity center and establish an NG9‑1‑1 advisory board to support deployment. The chair also warned that committee staff were still "working on finding appropriate dollar amount to fund this grant program," emphasizing the need to balance funding with fiscal responsibility.

A member identified as the gentleman from California, who said he is an emergency physician, urged support for the bill and described gaps in rural and tribal areas. "When someone dials 911, they are often experiencing the worst moment of their life," he said, arguing NG9‑1‑1’s capabilities — including the ability to transmit text, images, video and precise location — are essential in communities where legacy systems and infrastructure shortfalls persist.

The member noted that across California more than 440 public safety answering points handle roughly 28,000,000 calls annually, but that only about 20 PSAPs in the state were taking calls on NG9‑1‑1 networks. He and other supporters said NG9‑1‑1 could improve response in rural, agricultural and tribal lands where outages and old equipment limit access.

The subcommittee called for the question and, after a voice vote in which members responded "aye," the chair announced "the ayes have it," and the committee adopted HR 6505 and forwarded it to the full committee. The transcript does not record a recorded roll-call tally or names tied to specific votes.

The bill will next be considered by the full House Energy and Commerce Committee; sponsors and the chair said staff were authorized to make technical and conforming changes as needed.