,i  #aagth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #heda  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,july #bg1 #bjbb,mr4 
,phillips introduced the following bill2
 which was referred to the ,committee on
 ,transportation and ,infrastructure  ,a
 ,,bill  ,to direct the ,commandant of  
the ,coast ,guard to establish a pilot  
program to improve the issuance of      
alerts to facilitate cooperation with   
the public to render aid to distressed  
individuals under section #eba of title 
#ad1 ,united ,states ,code1 and for     
other purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this 
,act may be cited as the ,aqua ,alert   
,act4  #b4 ,aqua alert notification     
system pilot program  7a7 ,in general   
,not later than #b years after the date 
of enactment of this ,act1 the          
,commandant of the ,coast ,guard shall1 
subject to the availability of          
appropriations1 establish a pilot       
program to improve the issuance of      
alerts to facilitate cooperation with   
the public to render aid to distressed  

individuals under section #eba of title 
#ad1 ,united ,states ,code4  7b7 ,pilot 
program contents ,the pilot program     
established under subsection 7a7 shall1 
to the maximum extent possible-- 7#a7   
include a voluntary opt-in program under
 which members of the public may receive
 notifications on cellular devices      
regarding ,coast ,guard activities to   
render aid to distressed individuals    
under section #eba of title #ad1 ,united
 ,states ,code2  7#b7 cover areas       
located within the area of              
responsibility of #c different ,coast   
,guard sectors in diverse geographic    
regions2 and  7#c7 provide that the     
dissemination of an alert be limited to 
the geographic areas most likely to     
facilitate the rendering of aide to     
distressed individuals4  7c7            
,consultation with other agencies1      
,states1 territories1 and political     
subdivisions ,in developing the pilot   
program under subsection 7a71 the       
,commandant shall consult any relevant  

,federal agency1 ,state1 ,territory1    
,tribal government1 possession1 or      
political subdivision4  7d7 ,report to  
,congress ,not later than #b years after
 the date of enactment of this ,act1 and
 annually thereafter through #bjbf1 the 
,commandant shall submit to the         
,committee on ,transportation and       
,infrastructure of the ,house of        
,representatives and the ,committee on  
,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation
 of the ,senate1 and make available to  
the public1 a report on the             
implementation of this ,act4  7e7       
,authorization of appropriations  7#a7  
,in general ,there is authorized to be  
appropriated to carry out this ,act     
#c1jjj1jjj to the ,commandant for each  
of fiscal years #bjbc through #bjbf4    
7#b7 ,availability of funds ,amounts    
appropriated pursuant to paragraph 7#a7 
shall remain available until expended4