Peters’ bipartisan bill to strengthen emergency communications in federal buildings passes committee
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WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Bipartisan legislation authored by U.S. Senator Gary Peters passed out of Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, where Peters serves as Ranking Member. The Federal Building Threat Notification Act would require the Federal Protective Service (FPS) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish emergency communication standards for federal buildings, helping keep nearly 1.4 million federal employees and members of the public safe and informed during a crisis.
"Last January, an active shooter incident occurred outside Detroit's McNamara Federal Building. While fortunately no one was injured and the shooter was apprehended, federal employees inside were not notified of the potential danger until hours later. Federal employees deserve to feel safe and secure in the workplaces where they serve our country, and visitors should feel safe accessing government services in those buildings," Senator Peters said. "As security threats against federal facilities continue to rise, this commonsense, bipartisan bill will help ensure public servants are promptly notified of nearby dangers and know how to respond."
The Federal Building Threat Notification Act requires the FPS Director and the Secretary of DHS to develop and implement guidance for emergency communication to respond to violent threats within one year of enactment. The bill also requires guidance to include best practices and protocols to inform building tenants in a timely manner of violent threats in and surrounding the building, including all firearm events, other weapons threats, potential terrorism, and suspicious devices. The guidance must also include instructions for tenants regarding the appropriate safety practices in response to a security threat.
In addition to ensuring every building under FPS protection has a designated security official who will carry out the enacted safety procedures, the FPS Director must conduct periodic testing in preparation for crises. Within a year of enactment, the FPS Director will also coordinate with the DHS Secretary to produce a report and briefing for Congress on the specific guidance effected under this Act.
In January 2025, a shooting occurred outside Detroit's Patrick V. McNamara Federal Building, but federal employees working inside were not informed until hours after the incident. The shooting highlighted the need for clear, consistent emergency communication protocols to ensure federal employees and members of the public in Michigan and across the country are quickly notified of immediate threats and know how to respond.
Peters introduced the legislation last year.