WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) passed bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) that would improve emergency communication technology that could help save lives. The bipartisan ITS Codification Act would codify the Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (ITS), which currently serves as the research and engineering laboratory at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and require ITS to develop emergency communication and tracking technologies to help locate trapped individuals in confined spaces where conventional radio communication is limited. The House companion bill, led by U.S. Representatives “Buddy” Carter (R-GA-01) and Brittany Pettersen (D-CO-7), passed the House by voice vote in July 2025. The legislation will now be considered by the full Senate.
“When people are in crisis and find themselves trapped in confined spaces, how quickly our first responders are able to conduct search and rescue often depends on these workers’ access to modern, reliable technology to save precious time,” said Duckworth. “Now that our bipartisan legislation has passed committee, the Senate must pass it swiftly so we can help ensure our first responders have the technology they need to save lives.”
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“America’s leadership in wireless technology depends on making the most efficient use of our spectrum resources,” said Blackburn. “The ITS Codification Act will strengthen the research and engineering capabilities that help us identify new opportunities for spectrum sharing, support commercial innovation, and protect critical federal missions. This bill also helps ensure our first responders have access to reliable, cutting-edge communications technology when every second counts. I’m pleased the Commerce Committee advanced this bipartisan legislation, and I look forward to seeing it move quickly through the Senate.”
This legislation comes at a time when Illinois leads the United States in the most tornado reports in 2026 by a wide margin. The bill would help expedite recovery efforts for those impacted by events such as tornadoes, who may get trapped in rubble left from fallen buildings. The technology provided by the ITS Codification Act would help locate tornado victims, along with other victims of natural disasters, or crises such as underground mining accidents.
