Representative August Pfluger’s (R-TX) Mystic Alerts Act to provide for the transmission of emergency alerts by satellite will now head to President Donald Trump’s desk to be signed into law.
The bill passed the Senate unanimously last week, led in the Senate by Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Ted Cruz (R-TX). The bill was introduced in the House by Reps. Pfluger, Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX), Buddy Carter (R-GA) and Marc Veasey (D-TX) in January 2026.
The bill was introduced in response to the devastating flooding in Central Texas on July 4, which claimed the lives of more than 135 Texans. Rep. Pfluger said the legislation would ensure Americans in rural areas receive life-saving alerts when disaster strikes and traditional networks fail.
“The July 4th floods of 2025 were a heartbreaking tragedy that claimed lives across our state,” he said. “My legislation will ensure that Americans in rural areas receive life-saving alerts when disaster strikes and traditional networks fail.”
Rep. Pfluger said this legislation marks a “crucial step in updating emergency preparedness nationwide.” Sen. Cornyn agreed, adding that more than 130 people were tragically killed in the July 4 floods and many did not receive emergency alerts because cellular networks were compromised.
“This bill 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,” Sen. Cornyn said.
Rep. Fletcher said the bill is a small but important way to provide a meaningful response to the devastating floods and learn from the tragedy.
“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,” she said.
