Schumer Vows To Push 'SANDY Act' To Improve Disaster Phone Service
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) — Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) says he will push for passage of a bill to require that cell phones work on other carriers' networks during an emergency.
Schumer said Sunday that the bill is especially timely as Hurricane Irma threatens to wreak havoc in Florida.
The Securing Access to Networks in Disasters Act, known as the SANDY Act, also would make 911 service more universally available during disasters. The House of Representatives passed the legislation in January.
"In this day & age protecting wireless towers & antennae networks is more critical than ever - esp during hurricanes & natural disasters," the Senate Minority Leader tweeted.
Making sure loved ones are safe during Hurricanes & storms should be a fed priority. SANDY Act would do just that. More at 11:30am
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) September 10, 2017
Schumer, a New York Democrat, said he will work with colleagues including Democrat Maria Cantwell of Washington, the SANDY Act's lead sponsor in the Senate, to ensure its passage there.
Schumer said that when Superstorm Sandy hit New York and New Jersey in 2012, many residents couldn't make phone calls because cellphone towers were rendered inoperable.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)