Peters Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Ensure Federal Government is Prepared for Catastrophic Risks

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI), Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, introduced a bipartisan bill to ensure our nation is better prepared for high-consequence events, regardless of the low probability, such as new strains of disease, biotechnology accidents, or naturally occurring risks such as super volcanoes or solar flares that though unlikely, would be exceptionally lethal if they occurred.

“Making sure our country is able to function during catastrophic events will improve national security, and help make sure people in Michigan and across the country who are affected by these incidents get the help they need from the federal government,” said Senator Peters. “Though these threats may be unlikely, they are also hard to foresee, and this bipartisan bill will help ensure our nation is prepared to address cataclysmic incidents before it’s too late.”

The Global Catastrophic Risk Mitigation Act will establish an interagency committee for risk assessment that would report on the adequacy of continuity of operations (COOP) and continuity of government (COG) plans for the risks identified. The bipartisan legislation would also help counter the risk of artificial intelligence (AI), and other emerging technologies from being abused in ways that may pose a catastrophic risk.

Peters also recently introduced a bipartisan bill to significantly enhance the federal government’s ability to detect, recognize, and evaluate threats from weapons of mass destruction, which include chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) weapons.

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