Lulu's Law
Floor Speech
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Mr. PALMER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 1003) to require the Federal Communications Commission to issue an order providing that a shark attack is an event for which a wireless emergency alert may be transmitted, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows: S. 1003
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as ``Lulu's Law''. SEC. 2. WIRELESS EMERGENCY ALERTS.
(a) Definition.--In this section, the term ``Alert Message'' has the meaning given the term in section 10.10(a) of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation.
(b) Requirement.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Federal Communications Commission shall issue an order to provide that a shark attack is an event for which an Alert Message may be transmitted.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 1003, Lulu's Law. This legislation is named after a courageous young woman from Mountain Brook, Alabama, Lulu Gribbin, who suffered serious injuries in a shark attack nearly 2 years ago, losing her left hand and part of her right leg.
She was rushed to the hospital suffering from severe loss of blood, which raised grave concerns as to whether or not Lulu would survive.
When she finally woke up in the hospital and saw her family, the first words she spoke were, ``I made it.'' What makes this even more heartbreaking is that a shark attack, possibly the same shark, occurred just a mile or two away only 90 minutes prior. Had an alert gone out warning of a shark attack nearby, these attacks might have been avoided because the victim's friends and family would have received notice prompting them to pull their loved ones from the water. But no such warning was sent.
Lulu's Law provides a commonsense solution. State and local authorities can use wireless emergency alerts to notify the public when a shark attack has occurred or when dangerous conditions are present along the shoreline.
Lulu has inspired many in Alabama and across the entire Nation by her response to her attack. She has turned a tragic experience into an effort to help others by advocating for this bill and by founding the Lulu Strong Foundation to assist other amputees. I commend her for her resilience and determination to use her experience to help others overcome life-impacting injuries.
While we cannot undo what happened to Lulu, we can honor her strength and leadership by taking steps to better protect beachgoers and prevent another shark attack from happening in the future.
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Mr. PALMER. Mr. Speaker, I would point out that Lulu and her family are in the gallery observing the debate and will be here for the vote.
Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. PALMER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his support. This is another example of how in a bipartisan manner we can do good.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote favorably for S. 1003, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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Mr. PALMER. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
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