House passes active shooter alert system bill

The House has passed a bill to establish an Active Shooter Alert Communications Network, which would allow federal officials to work alongside state and tribal authorities to set up infrastructure to notify people if there is an active shooter in their area.

The bill failed last month when House members voted on a motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, which required two-thirds for approval. On Wednesday, the House passed the bill in a more traditional manner, with a simple majority of 260 to 168. This was one more vote in favor than the bill received in June.

The bill had a degree of bipartisan support, with 43 Republicans voting in favor despite most opposing it. One House Democrat, Rep. Ron Kind, D-Wis., voted against it, as he did during the previous vote.  Supporters of the bill said it will provide important assistance to let people know of dangerous situations in their neighborhoods, while opponents called it unnecessary and likely to stoke fear among the American populace.

"This bill is a common sense piece of public safety legislation that police have asked for over, and over, and over again, and we are past due in delivering it to them," Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., one of the House members who introduced the bill, said on the House floor.