SIGNED INTO LAW: Pfluger's Mystic Alerts Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Trump signed Congressman August Pfluger's (TX-11) bipartisan, bicameral Mystic Alerts Act into law. This critical legislation modernizes America's emergency alert infrastructure by integrating satellite networks into the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system, helping ensure Americans can receive critical, life-saving alerts even when traditional communications infrastructure is damaged or nonexistent. “I am grateful that President Trump signed the Mystic Alerts Act into law. After the devastating July 4th floods, it was clear that families in rural communities can’t be left in the dark when cell networks go down. By bringing satellite technology into our emergency alert system, we’re making sure warnings reach people when they need them most. I’m thankful to Senator Cornyn for championing the Mystic Alerts Act in the Senate and to Chairman Ted Cruz for moving it through the Senate Committee on Commerce. This law is a major step forward for emergency preparedness, and it means more Americans will get the warnings they need, no matter where they live,” said Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11). Rep. Pfluger introduced this bipartisan legislation alongside Reps. Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Buddy Carter (GA-01), and Marc Veasey (TX-33). Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) and Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) led the Senate companion legislation. “More than 130 people were tragically killed in the July 4th floods that ravaged Central Texas last year, many of whom did not receive emergency alerts due to compromised cellular networks that were knocked out by the storm,” said Senator John Cornyn (R-TX). “This law will address this technology shortfall and honor the memory of those lost by ensuring Texans and all Americans can receive wireless emergency alerts on their mobile devices via satellite even when disaster strikes, and I appreciate President Trump signing it into law.” “The catastrophic 2025 Fourth of July floods devastated families and communities across Texas and demonstrated the importance of delivering timely emergency alerts. The Mystic Alerts Act strengthens our emergency alert systems, will help ensure life-saving alerts reach Americans when and where they need them, and will help protect American families and communities when future disasters strike. I was proud to support this legislation, advance it through the Senate Commerce Committee, and help secure its passage in the Senate. I thank and applaud President Trump for signing the bill into law," said Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX). “When storms, disasters, or threats to public safety threaten our state, crisis management is key,” said Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA). “Our bipartisan law will help upgrade America's emergency alert systems to keep Georgia families safe and informed.” “The tragedy at Camp Mystic changed countless families forever, including my own. My two granddaughters survived those devastating floods, but their cousin, Janie Hunt, tragically lost her life. Nothing can bring back the lives lost that day, but we have a responsibility to act and he Mystic Alerts Act is an important step toward ensuring families receive lifesaving emergency warnings when every second matters. I thank President Trump for signing this bipartisan legislation into law and my colleagues in Congress for coming together to help protect American families. We cannot change what happened that day, but we can honor those we lost by working to save lives in the future," said Congressman Buddy Carter (GA-01). “In Houston and across the state of Texas, we are still heartbroken and grieving the loss of beloved family members and the destruction of communities along the Guadalupe River in the summer of 2025, a disaster made worse by communication gaps and failures,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) . “This new law is a small but important way to provide a meaningful response to the devastating floods and to learn from the tragedy so that communities across the country do not have to experience the same pain and loss that Texans did last year. Nothing can bring back those that we lost in the flood, but we owe it to their survivors and to everyone we represent to do all we can to try to prevent another tragedy like it. I am thankful for Congressman Pfluger, Congressman Veasey, and Congressman Carter’s partnership in this effort and am thrilled to see this bill become law.” "I am honored to support the Mystic Alerts Act, and proud this act was signed into law. This bill will ensure that emergency alerts can be disseminated via satellite even when commercial cell providers are unable to provide service. This is an important step toward strengthening our nation’s emergency preparedness. Supporting this piece of legislation serves as a significant step and response to the devastation caused by last year’s floods in Texas and as a reminder of the importance of preparing for future flood disasters in our nation. When disaster strikes, every second matters, and no family should be left without critical information simply because the power or cell service is down," said Congressman Marc Veasey (TX-33). Background: On July 4, 2025, a devastating flood occurred in Central and West Texas, claiming over 130 lives. Multiple reports noted undelivered WEAs throughout the areas impacted by the disaster once cellular infrastructure was damaged. The Mystic Alerts Act will: ·     Allow cellular companies to partner with satellite communications providers to deliver WEAs during emergencies. ·     Direct the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish the necessary rules and policies to preserve the effectiveness of WEA infrastructure while integrating satellite communications. Create a new communications pathway to deliver emergency alerts in areas where other infrastructure has been destroyed or taken offline.