US Senators to Receive Satellite Phones for ‘Disruptive Event’ Preparation.

US Senators Given Satellite Phones for Emergency Communication

According to CBS News, all 100 members of the US Senate were recently offered satellite phones to use in the event of a natural or “man-made” disaster. Over 50 senators accepted the offer from Senate Sergeant at Arms Karen Gibson. The phones were provided as a backup means of communication during a disruptive event and were paid for with federal funding. The availability of the phones is part of a broader effort to increase security for members of Congress following the January 2021 Capitol incursion. The phones were also recommended by the Department of Homeland Security as a tool for coordinating government services during a disaster.

Details of the Offer

• More than 50 senators accepted the offer of satellite phones from Senate Sergeant at Arms Karen Gibson.
• The phones were offered as a backup means of communication during a disruptive event.
• The phones were paid for with federal funding.
• The availability of the phones is part of a broader effort to increase security for members of Congress following the January 2021 Capitol incursion.
• The phones were recommended by the Department of Homeland Security as a tool for coordinating government services during a disaster.

It is unclear which senators accepted the phones or what type of phones were provided. The phones were demonstrated by Gibson, who urged senators to keep them close during travel. The satellite airtime needed to use the phones will be provided at no cost to those in possession of them.